Programs

Our Programs

What we do…

One Way Community has developed programs to address the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the people in San Lorenzo and surrounding communities. We also partner with other Guatemalan NGOs to expand our impact.

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Education

Educational opportunities are a key to developing a healthy, self-sustaining community.

Tutoring

  • Children receive tutoring in math, reading, language arts, English, skills training and spiritual development at the community center after school. Currently more than 350 children are enrolled in our tutoring program.

School without Borders

  • In alliance with ISEA, a non-traditional education organization, One Way Community offers schooling to children and adolescents who are unable to attend traditional school due to learning delays, age limitations, and in some cases, gender-bias. This program supports children from elementary through middle school.

Accelerated Learning

  • Through partnership with ISEA, OWC offers educational opportunities for parents of children in our program. This is open to any adult who has been unable to continue their education due to age, economic or social limitations.

Scholarships

  • OWC provides scholarships for career skills training for academically qualified children and adolescents with economic limitations.

Infant Day Care

  • OWC offers an Early Education program for children ages 3-4. This program supplements basic needs in caring for children, in addition to providing cognitive, physical and social skill development.

School for Parents

  • OWC meets weekly with five families, selected based on risk, for instruction and training in parenting skills.

Nutrition

Providing food for our community is a critical part of supporting, reaching and sharing Christ’s love with them.

OWC provides regular access to nutritious food

  • Every month we provide approximately 5,000 meals to children in our programs. Basic food items are provided weekly to 5 families suffering with food insecurity while monitoring their nutritional development.

Nutrition and care of infants

  • OWC provides formula for mothers of children younger than one year, when needed to guard against malnutrition. New mothers are offered a parenting skills class including instruction on how to care for the health, nutrition, hygiene and safety of their children.

Recreation

Recreational activities help children develop physically, socially and grow to understand the benefits of teamwork.

Soccer Programs

  • We currently have 2 female and 6 male soccer teams in San Lorenzo as well as 2 mixed teams in Comalapa. Our coaches serve as mentors to team members, teaching personal responsibility and life skills in accordance with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Art Schools

  • Art classes and workshops are offered to allow children to express themselves creatively and work with a variety of new materials. Their work is displayed twice a year in community art galleries. This is a great time of community fellowship. The children love the opportunity to share their creativity with their families.

Weekly recreation activities

  • Every Saturday we offer breakfast to all the children in the program and have a time of recreation and Gospel centered devotion.

Healthcare

We provide healthcare services, including medical clinics, immunizations, and more.

Purified Water

  • OWC is working to provide every family with a water filter to provide clean water and avoid waterborne illness.

Smoke-Free Homes

  • OWC is working to provide every family with a vented stove. The stove significantly improves fuel efficiency, decreasing the time needed to collect wood. These stoves funnel smoke out of the house to help prevent respiratory illnesses.

Medical Clinics

  • OWC has partnered with medical mission teams to hold primary care medical and vision clinics in the community. These partnerships have allowed us to provide care for more than 500 patients each clinic.

Support in special medical cases

  • We walk alongside anyone suffering from illness or injury. We aid these families through supplemental food, transportation, assistance with medication costs and spiritual support.

Housing & Lifestyle

Improving the housing conditions of our community members enhances their quality of life.

Improvement of home equipment

  • OWC prioritizes providing water filters and stoves to families. We also provide beds, construct bathrooms, kitchens or bedrooms when needed. Home improvement projects are completed based on need and availability of financial resources.

Women’s leadership and empowerment

  • OWC hosts a women’s leadership development course weekly that offers training in family development, practical life skills and violence prevention. Women are empowered to engage in their community and motivate and encourage each other.

Covid Response

Since the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic, we have responded to help the people of San Lorenzo.

The restrictions on travel and commerce in response to the COVID pandemic have been devastating for many families in the area. OWC has responded by delivering food and necessities to families in need. We have also traveled to remote areas in Peten and San Marcos to deliver food and supplies in areas that had not received relief. We have temporarily transitioned many of our programs to work within the confines of the current restrictions including continuing home visits and individual tutoring with mandated precautions. We have been blessed to help in filling urgent needs and look forward to a time when we can resume our primary mission.