The Guatemalan Student Support Group (GSSG) is a non-denominational, tax-exempt charity incorporated in the State of North Carolina.

GSSG’s organizational meeting took place on August 28, 2003, after John Bodoh returned from Guatemalan, having taught in the school system there. As a life-long educator, John was convinced that the only solution to the poverty which grips Guatemala lay in an education to First World standards, which, his experience had taught him, the impoverished Guatemalan school system could not deliver. John talked with his neighbor, John McKee, about bringing some Guatemalan young-sters to the United States for part of their education. McKee heartily endorsed the concept, offered financial support and business acumen. Other friends volunteered to participate either as host families or financial contributors and before John returned again to Guatemala arrangements had been made for him to bring back with him two students and a Guatemalan English teacher (see GSSG news, Vol. I, #1).

Over the next several months, a mission statement and a program to implement it were developed and approved, incorporation was effected, and tax-exempt status obtained.

GSSG’s program brings impoverished Guatemala youth to the United States for four years of high school and four years of college. The students return to Guatemala every summer to maintain their cultural and family ties. After graduation from college, they return to Guatemala permanently, equipped with the skills they need to serve as a leaven for socioeconomic development in their own country.

In 2004 four students came to the United States and in 2005, six. In 2006 the U.S. Consulate in Guatemala refused all nine applicants. Ultimately the reason was that, since no precedent existed for such a program, there were no provisions in U.S. Law for carrying it out. To overcome this difficulty, on September 5, 2007, officers of GSSG met with officials in the Visa Office at the State Department, who made arrangements allowing GSSG students to obtain visas.

With this arrangement in place, fourteen new students came to the United States in June of 2008, took ESL over the summer, and entered various high schools as freshmen in the fall, living, of course, with host families. In 2009 they returned as sophomores and thirteen new students arrived as freshmen.

The state of the economy in 2009-10 has restricted GSSG’s activity and only two new students joined its ranks in 2010. Meanwhile, GSSG’s first student to have completed four years of high school in the United States graduated on May 28th. As additional students advance to college, GSSG appeals for corporate support.