Deep in the mountains of the municipality of Unión Cantinil, Guatemala, in communities like Las Lomas and Villa Linda, more than just classes are being lost. At stake is the dignity of childhood, struggling to learn under conditions no one should accept as normal.
Children arrive at school hungry and tired. Parents, though giving their all, often cannot help with homework because they themselves had limited educational opportunities. Overcrowded classrooms, too few teachers, and a system that struggles to respond make learning an uphill battle.