THE NEED
When GOT Ministries began....
No professional therapy services were being provided in Santa Maria de Jesus, Guatemala.
No Occupational Therapy services were being provided in all of Guatemala
The World Health Organization identifies 15% of the world population lives with disability.
Santa Maria de Jesus has 65,000 people, meaning that almost 10,000 of them live with disabilities and would benefit from therapy!!!!!
No professional therapy services were being provided in Santa Maria de Jesus, Guatemala.
No Occupational Therapy services were being provided in all of Guatemala
The World Health Organization identifies 15% of the world population lives with disability.
Santa Maria de Jesus has 65,000 people, meaning that almost 10,000 of them live with disabilities and would benefit from therapy!!!!!
HOW GOT MINISTRIES ADDRESSES THIS NEED
CONSISTENT THERAPY SERVICESWe provide consistent therapy services in Guatemala by partnering with US Occupational Therapy Students to provide their 3-4 month practicum opportunities as needed by their educational requirements. This allows for collaboration, consistency and continuity with our services provided in Santa Maria de Jesus, Guatemala. Our goal is to provide two OT students, directly supervised by our OT staff, three times a year allowing for 9 months of the year being served.
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTWe invest in the future of the Occupational Therapy profession by intentionally supporting the growth and development of our Occupational Therapy students. We teach cultural sensitivity, collaborate on social and occupational justice challenges, and professionally support advancement of skill sets through speaking opportunities as possible.
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COMMUNITY AWARENESS |
COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT |
In the community we serve in Guatemala, disabilities are seen as a punishment, a curse, and are usually surrounded by strong feelings of shame- We want to change that by investing in the children and families we serve to demonstrate a value and love for our differences. We believe that we are all made in the image of God and everyone is a blessing, and that permeates everything we do.
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We desire sustainable strategies for investing and serving the community of Santa Maria de Jesus, Guatemala. We believe that this requires the privilege that it is to partner with Guatemalan professionals. To learn and to teach from Guatemalans in order to serve them better, build up leaders in the communities, and develop the profession of Occupational Therapy in Guatemala. GOT Ministries desires to improve access to therapy across the country.
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LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS
GOT Ministries closely partners with New Life School, which was created for children with disabilities who have been removed from the public school system. The school is located in the village of Santa Maria de Jesus, Guatemala, and is a primary school with grades kindergarten through sixth.
Children with disabilities rarely have the opportunity for education and are seen to generally have very little value in this community. New Life School set out to change that, and we are privileged and grateful for our partnership and collaboration.
The New Life School provides space for GOT Ministries' OT clinic on the third floor of their building, and GOT Ministries serves the children of the school through comprehensive Occupational Therapy services.
GOT Ministries proudly offers consistent occupational therapy services to the students at New Life School in order to improve their lives and sense of self-worth, along with giving them the tools and skills to be successful in their education and home life.
Children with disabilities rarely have the opportunity for education and are seen to generally have very little value in this community. New Life School set out to change that, and we are privileged and grateful for our partnership and collaboration.
The New Life School provides space for GOT Ministries' OT clinic on the third floor of their building, and GOT Ministries serves the children of the school through comprehensive Occupational Therapy services.
GOT Ministries proudly offers consistent occupational therapy services to the students at New Life School in order to improve their lives and sense of self-worth, along with giving them the tools and skills to be successful in their education and home life.
We invest and serve in local community organizations to support development of services for children with disabilities.