Reading, writing, and arithmetic are educational basics that we take for granted in the USA. However, for economic reasons, thousands of young Mayan girls in Guatemala get little or no education. More than half of all girls from seven to fourteen years of age are not enrolled in school; only one in eight completes the sixth grade. Nationwide, only 46% of girls complete one year of grade school.

Among indigenous families, boys are more likely to be sent to school while girls stay home doing chores or working to add a little to the family income.

The Mayan civilization, with its history of magnificent culture, today confronts socio-economic problems which present barriers in the education of young girls.
World Bank statistics show that illiteracy among these indigenous girls is at an unacceptable high rate of 81%. Their average schooling is less than one full year.

Task - Tarea, a nonprofit scholarship program, was founded in 1995 to assume the long-term task of sponsoring literacy scholarships for young Mayan girls. Task - Tarea currently provides scholarships for 152 girls in two communities in the highlands of Tzucubal and Pamezabal, Department of Solola, Guatemala. Volunteers play a vital role in all of Task - Tarea’s activities and are always welcome to contribute.