A rural teacher, a rural hero

Written by Andrea Aragon

At 27 years of age, local teacher Marco Antonio is a hero in his community. Originally from the village of Chacalte, Guatemala, Tony as he is known, learned at a very young age that dreaming is important, but not enough.

Tony, teaching in front of his class at school

The first day of school represented for Tony, an indigenous Maya-Q'ekchi, the beginning of a long and difficult precedent, in a country where only 5% of children finish primary school and of that, only 10% study further.

Tony is the son of Don Samuel, a teacher with a wide smile and a jovial nature, and Dona Amanda, a woman whose presence could light up the small, dark room of their simple home without electricity. "All the children of our family (six) have studied or are studying. It is their inheritance," says Don Samuel.

Tony was lucky, his parents understood the importance of an education and at school he met one of the most influential figures in his life. His teacher Victor, a Plan facilitator, who, by his example, taught Tony that anyone can achieve their dream and showed him a vision of the future wider than most children in rural Guatemala ever imagine.

Victor's dedication for teaching, for his students and for his community at large was a daily reminder for Tony that anyone can achieve their dreams and avoid the trap of poorly paid agricultural work. Thanks to his teacher, Tony managed to avoid the temptation to abandon school, to which most of his friends succumbed. Victor was more than a teacher for Tony, he was an inspiration: always there to support his dreams.

Tony finished Sixth grade and later graduated with a high school diploma through a Ministry of Education correspondence course. He then moved to San Pedro Carcha' to attend a Teachers' Training School where he studied for a further three years.

With his own family now; his wife, Delfina and thier two-year old daughter Jennifer Amanda Desiree, Tony is a teacher in the Chirrucbiquim Village, one of Plan's communities.