Guatemala

• Poor educational quality: Guatemala placed 120th out of 134 countries for the quality of its math and science education (World Economic Forum).
• Very low preprimary enrollment rates: In 2007, they were 29% versus a regional average of 65% (UNESCO).
• Illiteracy: The UN projects Guatemala's illiteracy rate will be 25% in 2010, compared to their projection of 11% for the region as a whole (ECLAC).

Task-Tarea

Location: Sololá, Guatemala

Founded: 1995

Current Number of Students Reached: 152

• Task-Tarea is a Guatemalan nonprofit that is “giving young girls a chance” by providing opportunities for impoverished Mayan girls to go to school.
• Task-Tarea creates opportunities for girls to receive an education by engaging their families.  When a girl's parents commit to supporting their daughter's education, Task-Tarea provides the mother with a monthly stipend to compensate for the money that her daughter would have earned if she were working instead of studying. 
• The majority of the students who benefit from this program are in primary or middle school, and attend one of two public schools in the highlands of Pamezabal and Tzucubal in the department of Sololá.