The Centro Maya Project of the Unitarian Church

Centro Maya Project | Centro Maya Xe’Kiyaqasiiwaan | Saving Lives
My School Fund | History | QC Connection | FAQ

The Centro Maya Project is a major social justice project of the Unitarian Church congregation in Davenport, Iowa, providing educational, medical, and humanitarian assistance to a rural Guatemalan community.

The project is named for Centro Maya Xe’Kiyaqasiiwaan, Mayan Center Under the Hill of the Red Man, a school and center in San Juan la Laguna, a town of about 10,000 in Sololá, Guatemala, on the shores of Lake Atitlán.

The congregation’s project supports programs in three endeavors:

• Centro Maya Xe’Kiyaqasiiwaan

• Salvando Vidas (Saving Lives)

• El Fundo para mi Escuela (My School Fund )

Centro Maya Xe’Kiyaqasiiwaan

The mission of Centro Maya Xe’Kiyaqasiiwaan is to serve temporarily and permanently disabled children and young adults from four Mayan villages by providing:

1. physical and occupational therapy

2. speech therapy

3. functional living skills that meet the educational needs of the children in a loving and caring atmosphere. In addition, Centro Maya Xe’Kiyaqasiiwaan provides an activity center and educates the families and the community on disability issues.

The Centro Maya Project of our congregation funds programs that operate within the center, providing speech therapy, hearing aids, balanced school lunches, medical assistance, an employment program, and other services. These programs account for approximately 15-20% of Centro Maya Xe’Kiyaqasiiwaan’s total operating and program budget. more...

Salvando Vidas (Saving Lives)

The Centro Maya Project began Salvando Vidas in 2004 when Centro Maya Xe’Kiyaqasiiwaan saw many of the children arrive malnourished. The program began with six families and has grown to include 16 families by 2009. At first the program supported families of disabled children who were clients at Centro Maya Xe’Kiyaqasiiwaan, but it expanded to the greater community because of the severe malnutrition young children and pregnant women were experiencing. more...

El Fundo para mi Escuela (My School Fund)

El Fundo para mi Escuela organized in 2007 and began its Back-to-School scholarship program at the beginning of the school year in January, 2008. Initial support was from Fox Island United Church of Christ, Fox Island, Washington, which continues to support this program. This scholarship program aims to support local students through secondary school. more...

Highlights – History

2009 – An exciting achievement … two boys received corrective surgery for cleft lip and palate

2008 – Guatemala’s First Lady, Wendy Widman de Berger, dedicated the center’s new building made possible by funds donated by a Japanese company; El Fundo para mi Escuela supports education

2007 –First community garden planted

2006 – Yessica was able to have free heart surgery when the project paid for tests, blood, and family transportation; the Board of Trustees, Unitarian Church, Davenport, recognizes “The Ministry of Jeanne Nakamaru” and “thank(s) Jeanne for inviting us into this relationship.” (QCU, ???, page 6)

2005 – Hurricane Stan devastated the community; the project responded with assistance in constructing temporary housing, installing electricity for over 400 people, and helping children return to school

2004 – Salvando Vidas addresses malnutrition

2003 – A family donated a van; volunteers filled the van with donated medical office equipment and other items and spent weeks driving along highways and through red tape to deliver everything to the center; began support of a physical therapist’s salary (through 2008)

2002 – Jeanne Nakamaru, speech pathologist, presented a Forum at the Unitarian Church, Davenport; Forum attendees spontaneously donated money for purchasing children’s books in Spanish for Candela, as the center was then called; donations led to the congregation’s long-term involvement. more...