GUATEMALA
Santo Tomas de Castilla, Guatemala:
Go With Gus Tours and Posada El Delfin are good resources for giving back efforts in this area. Cruise passengers visiting this area may wish to contact Gustavo (Gus) Turcios, who owns and manages the Hotel Posada El Delfin in the Livingston area. Gus tries to help local Guatemalan children by offering free computer classes and children's art classes to the kids. Gus also offers Go With Gus Tours for cruise passengers visiting the port of Santo Tomas de Castilla. As part of his Rio Dulce - Livingston Humanitarian Tour, Gus takes cruise passengers to visit one of several local school along the Rio Dulce. At last contact, the schools desperately needed English/Spanish books, translating books (English Spanish), and school supplies such as pens, pencils, paper, crayons, colored markers, colored pencils, pencil sharpeners, children’s scissors, glue sticks, erasers, calculators, rulers, notebooks, backpacks, educational puzzles/games, and flashcards. Sports equipment, art supplies, computer supplies and children’s clothing are also needed. Contact Gus at gustavo@turcios.com or eldelfin@turcios.com for more information.
The Children's Village, an orphanage operated by Casa Guatemala, is located about an hour by water from Santo Tomas de Castilla. The large orphanage facility is home to a varying number of children (approximately 250) between 5-16 years of age. The children come to The Children's Village due to a variety of situations including abandonment, abuse, extreme poverty, or a chance for an education due to a family's isolation. The Children's Village is in need of medicines including antihistamines, Pepto Bismol, cough medicine, cold medicines, neosporin or polysporin, hydrocortisone creams, lice shampoo, chewable children's vitamins and band-aids. School supplies are needed including pens, pencils, pencil sharpeners, erasers, chalk, scissors, glue sticks, tape, notebooks, paper, colored markers, colored pencils, educational games and puzzles, math flash cards, calculators, rulers, compasses, English language textbooks, Spanish textbooks, and English/Spanish books for the Village's library. Sporting goods equipment including footballs, soccer balls, baseballs, water toys, snorkeling equipment, goggles, and fishing equipment/supplies are also appreciated. In addition, The Children's Village could use personal care items such as shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, hairbrushes, soap, and other personal hygiene products for children ages 10 and older. For more information, contact Angie at casaguat@itelgua.com. To make arrangements to visit The Children's Village or to drop off supplies to be delivered to the orphanage, contact Gustavo Turcios at gustavo@turcios.com or eldelfin@turcios.com.
Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala
Go With Gus Tours offers an organized giving back opportunity for cruisers visiting this area. Cruise passengers may wish to contact Gustavo (Gus) Turcios, who offers Go With Gus Tours for cruise passengers visiting Puerto Quetzal. As part of his La Antigua Humanitarian Tour, Gus takes cruise passengers to visit a nearby children's school to meet the students and learn about their education and customs. At last contact, the school desperately needed English/Spanish books, translating books (English Spanish), and school supplies such as pens, pencils, paper, crayons, colored markers, colored pencils, pencil sharpeners, rulers, calculators, children’s scissors, glue sticks, erasers, backpacks, flashcards, and educational games/puzzles. Sports equipment, art supplies, computer supplies and children’s clothing are also needed. Contact Gus at gustavo@turcios.com or eldelfin@turcios.com for more information.