Presented by: Byron Gonzelez Casiano, Office of Social Welfare of the President, Guatemala
Presented at: Sustainable Regional Education Efforts for Safer More Inclusive Communities Working Group, Heredia, Costa Rica
Date of Session: November 9 – 10, 2010

Session Description: Approximately two years ago, the President’s office in Guatemala initiated a new program, Open Schools. The program, administered by the Social Welfare Office in the President’s office, is a collaboration among the Ministries of Education, Communication, and Culture and Sport. The aim of the project is to provide Guatemalan youth with new tools that enable them to grow and develop while offering viable alternatives to poverty, violence, delinquency and the lack of educational opportunities.