Joya de las Flores

We have been in having a great time in Joya De Las Flores. This is my third time in Guatemala with the Albert Schweitzer Institute and this town is as wonderful as I remember it.  This delegation consists of 2 Occupational Therapy students and 3 Physical Therapy students and QU professors.  We have been working on our masters capstone project. We created a boot camp exercise program for children with disabilities, in which they pair with a teen in the community to complete these exercises.  We are investigating if this type of program and social interaction will improve the inclusion of children with disabilities in the community of Joya de las Flores. We have been holding focus groups with caregivers, volunteers and teachers in addition to the boot camp exercises.  After a semester of preparing it's wild to think it's almost over! It has been beautiful to see the volunteers assisting the children. The first day the  volunteers appeared uncomfortable but throughout the week have become more comfortable and confident in their ability to work with children with disabilities.  We are all confident in the ability of the volunteers to continue the program after we leave and have a significant impact in the lives of these children.

Sarah Guariglia