BRIDGE

ABOUT B.R.I.D.G.E

Nearly a quarter of pregnancies in Guatemala were girls under the age of 18. In one year alone, there were nearly 5,000 pregnancies in girls under the age of 14. In Guatemala City, Mothers often can’t tell their daughters the basics of the menstrual cycle not only because the topic is not often discussed comprehensively in local, religious culture, but because they do not know either. Schools may teach some form of sexual education, but it is often superficial given that less than half the girls stay in school long enough to receive it. 

Through education & support, and with your help, we can begin to break the cycle.

We developed a program called, B.R.I.D.G.E, Building Resources with Informed Development for Girls’ Education. We understand that education creates a bridge to lifelong success and want to use this internship as an opportunity to build those bridges through education in hopes of developing a stronger community for generations to come.

We plan to go to 5th-grade classrooms around Guatemala City to give presentations on the importance of setting boundaries, the menstrual cycle, and the changes in their bodies. With the money fundraised, we will buy feminine products to distribute to classrooms and hygiene kits for women in the community. Our goal is $5,000 by June 2025.

By summer 2025 we hope to fundraise to provide feminine hygiene products for young students in Guatemala City. We will travel to Guatemala where we will give presentations on the importance of setting boundaries, the menstrual cycle, the changes in their bodies, and create a low-stress environment for students ages 8-12 to learn.

What Can You Do?

Every donation counts! With your help, we can reach the lives of hundreds of students in Guatemala City. 

If you are looking for other ways to help, spread the word and share this link with friends and family!

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to email us at mariellalehrmann08@gmail.com or keyroz.dav@gmail.com

ABOUT THE INTERNS

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Mariella Lehrmann

ABOUT MARIELLA
Hello! My name is Mariella Lehrmann and I am a junior at The High School of Health Sciences in Wales, Wisconsin. I am so grateful for this opportunity to be an intern for the Peers United For Fortaleza (PUFF) program. I went to Guatemala three years ago to build a house for a family in Zone 3 and I left knowing my time there was far from over. Ever since then, it has been my dream to go back to Guatemala and help the community that had such a drastic impact on me. As someone passionate about the healthcare field, I wish to bring awareness to women’s health education in Guatemala City and I’m more than excited to work with the Fortaleza and Hope’s In teams to achieve B.R.I.D.G.E’s intended goals.
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Amélie Davis-Quiroz

About Amélie
Hi! My name is Amélie Davis-Quiroz. I am a junior at the High School of Health Sciences in Wales, Wisconsin. Martial arts is one of my longtime passions, and I would love to be able to use that to help in any way that I can, possibly in a self-defense seminar. I am honored to be a part of this internship, helping to bring awareness to women’s health education. Through Hope’s In and Fortaleza, alongside Mariella, I hope to help create a safe space where women can feel empowered.

B.R.I.D.G.E. is a project of  HOPE’S IN’S PUFF Program

About the PUFF Program:

In 2022, Gianna Keuer of Barrington, IL started the PUFF Program to share her passion for global service and women’s empowerment with other young leaders.

This is an exciting internship opportunity for rising HS Junior and Senior girls and college students interested in developing a personal humanitarian project focusing on teen moms and at-risk teen girls who are part of our Fortaleza program in Zone 3, the Guatemala City garbage dump community. Possible focus areas for intern projects include Education, Medical and Dental Health, Mental Health, Career Planning, and Mentorship.

Interns will have the opportunity to develop their own “passion project” that positively impacts our Fortaleza group in an area they feel passionate about and feel as if they can add value.

 

THIS PROJECT WAS FOUNDED THROUGH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF

HOPE’S IN DEDICATING TO EMPOWERING FAMILIES IN GUATEMALA AND HELPING TO DEVELOP THE NEXT GENERATION OF HUMANITARIAN LEADERS.