When COVID affects the community: The response of a needs-based private school in Guatemala

ABSTRACT COVID-19 has caused a global pandemic requiring localized responses. Much of the locally based support comes from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that serve a particular community. In this paper, we present a case study of an educational and nutritional NGO functioning in a semi-urban town in Guatemala. We discuss how Education for the Children and the school it manages, The School of Hope, have addressed food insecurity, educational challenges, and lack of social support during the pandemic. We suggest that such responses should include three main aspects. First, the response must be overwhelmingly local. Second, local cultural values, as well as political and economic constraints, must be centralized in the response plan. Third, and possibly of greatest importance, local responses to crises must be adaptable. We believe that this case study presents ideas and suggestions that various organizations can consider and adapt to their own localized responses.