little GIANTS Guatemala

Non profit organization

littleGIANTS is a non profit organization, operating in the field of education and community building, that provides the tools to empower children and youth (4-18 years old) from distressed neighborhoods and their communities to unchain their dreams, unleash their potential, thrive and create lasting change in their communities. We achieve this through our integral after school learning experience which explores the uniqueness of each child and develops personal life skills that will lead to social transformation and children will act as agents of change for their communities.

What makes us different:

Our holistic approach: we not only empower children, but also their families and communities to share the common goal of creating a stronger and more sustainable society.
We offer an inclusive and personalized approach (max 8 children / educator), we are able to tailor our programme to the unique needs of the child.
We focus our learning methodology on Project Based Learning with social impact and community engagement focusing on real life community problems contributing towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
We provide long-term continuity. Our children are with us more than 6 hours a day for 12 to 14 years of their lives.
We become family.

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Target populations:

Girls

Boys

Youth

Focus areas:

Education

Youth

Children at risk

Family

Health

Sports

Leadership/Capacitation

Key service areas:

Guatemala (Guatemala City), Sololá (Panajachel)

Organizational contacts & locations

Contacts

Ilias Poulias

Founder and CEO

ilias.poulias@fundacionpoulias.org

Elías Miguel Ahuat

Country Director

direccion@little-giants.org

Locations

Sede Zona 12 18 calle, 18-40

Zona 12

Guatemala City

Guatemala

01012

Mission, vision & values

Mission

Empower children and youth from distressed neighbourhoods and their communities to unchain their dreams, unleash their potential, thrive and create lasting change.

Vision

Additional littleGIANTS Centres in Guatemala and in the region, whilst implementing our model, and providing the tools to empower an increasing number of children and their families.

Values

We value a welcoming

safe and loving environment

empowerment

acting with kindness

integrity and humility

ingrained passion in everything that we do

and solidarity.

Products, services, and programs

Services

We offer support and empowerment to parents and families through our “Parents School”, which aims to instil the sense of belonging and inspires them to volunteer in the different activities of the Centre.

Programs

We offer an integral after-school learning experience which explores the uniqueness of each child and develops personal life skills that will lead to social transformation and children will act as agents of change for their communities.

Our programs are based on the following pillars:

Pillar 1 - Non Academic - Life Skills

We guide children to recognize their own worth, explore their unique talents, and dare to dream so they transition to adulthood with confidence, courage, optimism, and resilience. We focus on their social and emotional learning skills which will accompany them throughout their life. These life skills are the most effective way to establish healthy behaviors.

Pillar 2- Wellbeing

We offer social, emotional and psychological support, nutritional meals daily and free access to all health services (including eye and dental care); and
Personal Development, through individual or group sessions to cultivate self-love, competence perception, emotional intelligence, and the ability to cooperate.

Pillar 3 - Academic Skills - Thinking Skills

Instil a lasting love for reading, thus reinforcing imagination, creativity and expression;
Use mathematics to develop logic, reason and critical thinking; but also, to build the skills to analyse, evaluate and resolve challenges;
Digital literacy and computer coding to exercise order, structure and efficiency; and
English language to increase their communication abilities, enhance their culture and offer them a passport to the world.

Pillar 4 - Sport and Art

Free the expression of their creative side through music, dance, theatre and art classes, developing both mind and body; and
Participate in a wide range of sports activities to develop their physical abilities, enhance their self-confidence and learn about effective teamwork and perseverance.

A child grows up in a community, and this is why we make sure that our programme includes this crucial aspect in its activities. We therefore base our learning experience on projects with social impact and community engagement. Through community problem solving, students learn to identify real problems and implement real solutions, strengthen relations with the local community while increasing their engagement in social projects and when possible supporting the most vulnerable groups, and build solidarity, social awareness and contribute to their community.

Organizational detail

Founded

2007

Number of employees

11-25

Number of beneficiaries

Less than 500

Funding

Private donations

Corporate donations

Fundraising

Participant Fees and Fees

Private grants

Primary issue(s) / need(s) addressed

We are destined to empower the leadership and potential of children and adolescents from social communities with diverse vulnerabilities (social and economic above all). It has been shown that school dropout is directly proportional to the different vulnerabilities experienced in these contexts and that is why we consider it essential to empower these children to unleash their potential and open opportunities for personal and community transformation.

Annual budget

75,000-200,000

Impact, adaptations & objectives

Impact to date

To date, our mission has reached more than 210 families, offering more than 285,000 healthy meals for more than 200 children and adolescents.

We have carried out more than 25 children's projects with social impact in the community and we have achieved more than 95% successful school transition.

Above all, we have achieved countless smiles and awaken thousands of dreams to come true.

Impact measuring

Some of our main indicators are academic transition, socio-emotional development, participation in social impact projects and the involvement of families in the foundation's projects.

These and other specific indicators are systematized in its own MEL that presents our progress and opportunities for improvement.

Organizational adaptations

Size and/or structure

Mission vision and/or values

Financing model

Way in which you collaborate or work with others

Organizational adaptation details

Size and/or structure

littleGIANTS has grown in size. It started as a single headquarters (zone 12 of the capital) and now we have a second headquarters in Panajachel (since 2015).

Mission, vision and/or values

Our mission and vision is clear in that it seeks the empowerment and leadership of children and adolescents with social and/or economic needs. In addition, our values have been changing adapting to current changes and needs, being increasingly concrete and achievable for our family.

Financing model

To achieve our project, we have currently seen the need to direct our financing (which until now has been our own) to also include alliances with other organizations, companies and individuals who want to be part of the project from this perspective.

How you collaborate or work with others

For this reason we have also seen the need to make ourselves known and share experiences and possibilities with other local and foreign organizations, in order to contribute to greater social growth through synergy.

Short term objectives

Growth

Grow the number of boys, according to our current capacity.

Quality

Provide quality school and after-school care, maintaining at least one meal time for each child.

Impact

Increase the level of commitment of families with the identity of the project.

Long term objectives

Growth

Grow in each location and achieve the growth of one or more new locations within or outside the country.

Quality

Implement more school support programs and especially after school for boys.

Impact

Grow in the level of impact on families and children and adolescents.

Profile updated: 03/02/21

little GIANTS Guatemala