Community

Immersed in the culture

A group of U of L Rotaract club members were recently in Guatemala to present Roots and Wings International (RWI) with $1,000, which the not-for-profit organization used to provide Internet access to the 1,200-resident village of Pasac in Nahuala, Sololá. The charity recently constructed the first tech center in the area, where 30 computers serve 600 students and members of the community.

While in Pasac, the group stayed with local families, and truly learned what life is like in rural Guatemala.

"Most of our time was spent with the local people, either hiking, working in their homes with them or playing soccer with the kids," says Samantha Gilbert.
"The hospitality and generosity we experienced touched all of our hearts, and it is because of this experience that our club has decided to support Roots and Wings in the future with annual contributions to their scholarship fund. We all were able to see with our own eyes just how valuable this group is, and how, through their scholarship programs, computer literacy classes, and after school tutoring, they are making positive changes in the lives of the kids, families, and post-secondary students of the region."

This story first appeared in the Legend. To view the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.