1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:03,000 Speaker 1: Brought to you by the reinvented two thousand twelve Camray. 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: It's ready. Are you welcome to Stuff Mom Never Told You? 3 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:17,639 Speaker 1: From House Stuff Works dot Com. Hello, and welcome to 4 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:20,639 Speaker 1: the podcast. This is Molly and I'm Kristin. Kristin, You 5 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:23,599 Speaker 1: and I are just one of the mini podcasts in 6 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:26,160 Speaker 1: the House Stuff Works family. There are many, indeed, you 7 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:29,319 Speaker 1: should listen to all of them because they're all great. Um, 8 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 1: but we're gonna talk about one project of the Stuff 9 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 1: you Should Know podcast. Yes, Stuff you Should Know, hosted 10 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 1: by Josh and Chuck. They got back from Guatemala and 11 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 1: they just put out these two podcasts about their time 12 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 1: in Guatemala, what they saw, what they learned about the 13 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: situation in the area, and also the work of this organization, uh, 14 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:51,280 Speaker 1: the Cooperative for Education, which we're gonna call co ED 15 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 1: for the rest of the podcast. UM. That's an organization 16 00:00:54,200 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: that works with children to give them the education that 17 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: they need to break out of the cyclop poverty. Right 18 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: because in the States, you know, we think it's pretty 19 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:07,119 Speaker 1: common for you know, kid turns five, six, he goes 20 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:12,559 Speaker 1: off to school and then eighteen years not eighteen years later, 21 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:15,040 Speaker 1: you know, and then and then we go through school, 22 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 1: we graduate, go to college, whatever. It's a natural part 23 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 1: of life in the States for a lot of people 24 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,039 Speaker 1: in Guatemala not the case. And so the work of 25 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 1: co ed is is very important to try to reach 26 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:30,160 Speaker 1: out to these kids. Get them textbooks, get them libraries, 27 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:33,320 Speaker 1: get them computers, all things that we take for granted 28 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:37,399 Speaker 1: in the States. And Molly and I wanted to follow 29 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:40,200 Speaker 1: up on the two really great podcasts that Josh and 30 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 1: Chuck just put out about UM their time in Guatemala 31 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:45,319 Speaker 1: and the work that co ed is doing, because we 32 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: wanted to focus in on what's going on with the 33 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 1: girls in that country. And it really draws upon some 34 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 1: other podcasts we've done. Chris, We've done a lot of 35 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:56,520 Speaker 1: podcasts that talk about how education is the key uh 36 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: for eliminating poverty and may developing countries, and I feel 37 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:01,640 Speaker 1: like we've always sort of talked about that in the 38 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: abstract UM, and now we have this really great case 39 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 1: study we can look at in terms of Guatemala about 40 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:11,680 Speaker 1: how you can really take a situation that's not great 41 00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,359 Speaker 1: for a lot of women and girls, give them the 42 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:19,119 Speaker 1: education and see how those problems can change with education. Yeah, 43 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: and especially again like when when you when research shows 44 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 1: over and over again that when you really target girls 45 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 1: in the developing countries, it can have just enormous ripple 46 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 1: effects throughout the entire society Somali. Why don't we just 47 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:38,639 Speaker 1: dig in a little bit too stats to give people 48 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 1: an overview of the situation for girls in Guatemala, Because 49 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 1: while education is not entirely accessible to both boys and girls, 50 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 1: for girls, it's a lot less common for them to 51 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 1: go to school and extremely uncommon for them to actually 52 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 1: finish school as we would think of in the States. Right, 53 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,399 Speaker 1: So let's talk about you know, sort of let's get 54 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 1: the sad stuff out of the way, because as I think, 55 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: what happens in this country is you hear about all 56 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:05,360 Speaker 1: these problems and you don't know how to address them, 57 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 1: and at the end will show you how you can 58 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:11,919 Speaker 1: actually address them by helping girls get more education. So, um, 59 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:14,639 Speaker 1: let's talk about the situation for women in Guatemala. Yeah, 60 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: so just in terms of education, Um, the average years 61 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 1: the kid will go to school who lives in a 62 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: rural indigenous indigenous community in Guatemala is only one point 63 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 1: two years for girls, and that's compared to eight years 64 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:32,960 Speaker 1: for urban non indigenous males. UM and then in primary school. 65 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 1: It's actually one of the few countries in Latin America 66 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: where fewer girls will complete primary school than boys. And 67 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 1: part of this is just because parents sometimes can't afford 68 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 1: to send all of their children just school, so they'll 69 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 1: send the boys but not the girls. They might keep 70 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 1: the girls home to do the cooking, the cleaning, and 71 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 1: you know, they just don't realize that what they're doing 72 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: is they're sort of cutting off all the future money 73 00:03:56,520 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 1: making opportunities these girls might have. Exactly because UH statistics 74 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 1: has shown that the females who will complete a secondary 75 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: education will earn fifty more than they would with no education, 76 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:11,560 Speaker 1: compared to males who complete secondary education would earn twenty 77 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:14,120 Speaker 1: seven percent more than they would. So that's kind of 78 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 1: one example of why UH you hear over and over 79 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:20,800 Speaker 1: and over again that educating girls yield such a greater investment, 80 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 1: not to say that boys don't need education as well, 81 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:27,360 Speaker 1: but um, you know, you get more, you get more 82 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:30,000 Speaker 1: r o I if you will return on investment. But 83 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: it's more than just money making. It also has a 84 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:36,159 Speaker 1: tremendous impact on the health of a country. When a 85 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 1: woman only has limited access to education. Uh she has 86 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:42,839 Speaker 1: a higher chance of dying in childbirth, her children have 87 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:46,200 Speaker 1: a higher mortality rate when their children, and it affects 88 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 1: Guatemala's malnutrition rate, which is, you know, just awful in 89 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 1: comparison to the other Latin American countries. It's the worst 90 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 1: in Latin America and the fourth worst in the world. 91 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:57,280 Speaker 1: And so this is another example of how when you 92 00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 1: give a child education, they have more money to pay 93 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:04,919 Speaker 1: for the food, to improve their health, to buy medicines, 94 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:07,680 Speaker 1: things like that. It's it's more than just making sure 95 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:09,840 Speaker 1: they're set up for a career. And I think it's 96 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:13,039 Speaker 1: worth noting too, it's the malnutrition issue. Um even though 97 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:16,279 Speaker 1: Guatemala is chronic malnutrition rate is the worst in Latin America, 98 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: it isn't because it is the poorest country. It's not 99 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 1: a per capita it is not actually the poorest country 100 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:25,840 Speaker 1: in Latin America, but it has a worst malnutrition rate, which, 101 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: like you said, it ends up affecting these girls more 102 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:31,280 Speaker 1: because it stands their growth more than boys, and then 103 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:35,080 Speaker 1: of course will affect reproductive and maternal health. Uh So, 104 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 1: I think that that is one indicator of the complex 105 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:42,159 Speaker 1: problem that that might be linked to education once again. 106 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 1: So now we talked about the parents pulling the children 107 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:46,800 Speaker 1: out of school so that they can cook, clean and 108 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 1: sometimes you know, they just have to put them to work. 109 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 1: Guatemala has one of the highest rates of child labor 110 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:55,360 Speaker 1: in the world. A number from UNSEEP shows the tw 111 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:58,679 Speaker 1: children young people between the ages of seven and sixteen 112 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 1: are part of the country's labor. For worse, we're often 113 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:04,080 Speaker 1: working in unsafe conditions. H So if you know, if 114 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 1: child labors are kind of certain of yours, it all 115 00:06:06,080 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 1: goes back to this idea of educating girls. And I 116 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:11,719 Speaker 1: think only one thing that we haven't mentioned that might 117 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: also give people a better idea of of why the 118 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 1: social situation is going on and why there's such a 119 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:22,920 Speaker 1: dire poverty and malnutrition. Guatemala was engaged in a thirty 120 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 1: six year civil war and UM the U N sponsored 121 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:30,160 Speaker 1: Commission on Historical Clarification, estimated that as many as two 122 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 1: d thousand people were killed. And those numbers are even 123 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 1: spotty because a lot of people, UM were actually what's 124 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 1: called disappeared during the civil war, in which they you know, 125 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:46,239 Speaker 1: just literally disappeared. I mean they were probably captured and killed. 126 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:51,160 Speaker 1: But UM even still the country is kind of having 127 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 1: to dig its way back out of you know, I mean, 128 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:58,160 Speaker 1: imagine almost forty years, four decades of civil war. I mean, 129 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:00,520 Speaker 1: it's it's a pretty huge issue. And you know, Christy, 130 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 1: when I was reading about this civil war, UH, came 131 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,920 Speaker 1: across something very heartbreaking, but certainly not limited to Guatemala 132 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:09,520 Speaker 1: in any respect, is the use of rape and violence 133 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:12,080 Speaker 1: against women as an instrument of war, as a way 134 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 1: to intimidate people in villages and to dominate the people 135 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 1: you're trying to, you know, fight. This idea of raping 136 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 1: the women and committing violence against them has continued to 137 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:27,280 Speaker 1: this day. There have been high numbers of women murdered 138 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 1: every year since the civil war ended. And uh, it's 139 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 1: it's really a big problem, this violence against women. The 140 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 1: Guatemala Human Rights Commission traces it back to this war 141 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 1: in terms of sort of institutionalizing this idea that women 142 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: are your equal, that you don't have to treat them 143 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 1: with that sort of respect. And so I think that again, 144 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: you know, they've done these studies about educating girls for longer, 145 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 1: and when boys see girls in the classroom for longer, 146 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 1: they have more respect for them. So it's that might 147 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 1: seem like such a silly comparison to make, but just 148 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 1: by keeping a girl in school longer, you learn that 149 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 1: you know they're your equals in some respect. Well, and 150 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:05,280 Speaker 1: I think that also brings up an important issue as well, 151 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 1: which is early marriage. Um. According to a two thousand 152 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: four UN report, twenty six percent of girls in Guatemala 153 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 1: between fifteen and nineteen years of age where either married, divorced, 154 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 1: or widowed. And the interesting thing is, according to the 155 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:24,640 Speaker 1: country's family code, the minimum age for a girl to 156 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:26,880 Speaker 1: get married is fourteen years and she has to have 157 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 1: parental consent if she's under eighteen, unless she has a 158 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:33,600 Speaker 1: child or she's pregnant. And one thing kind of linked 159 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:36,200 Speaker 1: to all of that is we found out that up 160 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 1: until two thousand six, a rapist could be exonerated if 161 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:42,599 Speaker 1: he promised to marry his victim. Okay, so there we go, 162 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:46,079 Speaker 1: unless she was under twelve years old. I mean, those 163 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 1: laws have been somewhat tightened since then. But um, kind 164 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 1: of like you said, I think that it feeds into 165 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:55,320 Speaker 1: this cycle of devaluing women and violence against women because, um, 166 00:08:55,920 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 1: because the laws have been so loose, especially in terms 167 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:05,200 Speaker 1: of uh prosecuting rapists and actually making it a punishable crime, right, 168 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 1: And so I think that's where we get stuck Christian 169 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 1: in this vicious circle, and that you know, women never 170 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:13,599 Speaker 1: get that respect because they are you know, so devalued. 171 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:16,960 Speaker 1: For example, sexual exploitation of girls. Sometimes it's the parents 172 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 1: selling their own daughters into this lifestyle because they need 173 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 1: the money and because you're raised to think that, you know, 174 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:27,280 Speaker 1: the girl is not valuable for anything else. Right, especially 175 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: in um, the more urban centers in Guatemala, it's the 176 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 1: kind of child sex trafficking is more common. And according 177 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:37,320 Speaker 1: to Unit stuff, a statistics that we got was an 178 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:41,240 Speaker 1: estimated two thousand guatemal And children being sexually exploited and 179 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:45,600 Speaker 1: the law has been doing little to protect them. So again, 180 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:48,439 Speaker 1: just to hammer home this idea about educating girls, is 181 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 1: if the girls in school and has this promise of 182 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 1: having a career one day with the skill she's learning 183 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 1: in school, perhaps there's less of a chance that her 184 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 1: parents will feel the need to do this um. And 185 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:04,680 Speaker 1: also then she too is saved from an early marriage 186 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 1: from having children very young because she's in school preparing 187 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:11,320 Speaker 1: for her future career. Right. And uh, I mean obviously 188 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 1: at this point we've painted a pretty pretty grim picture 189 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:18,559 Speaker 1: I think of of what's going on in Guatemala. But 190 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,800 Speaker 1: just to reiterate what you've said, the kind of tangible 191 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 1: benefits you'll see from educating girls, and this is shown 192 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 1: in case study after case study, is that you have 193 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:30,800 Speaker 1: reduced rates of fertility because, for instance, according to US 194 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:33,640 Speaker 1: said UM, half of Guatemalan women have a child before 195 00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 1: the age of nineteen and have two or more children 196 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:40,960 Speaker 1: by their eighteenth birthday, and then by their early thirties, 197 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:43,800 Speaker 1: many women have given birth to seven or eight children. 198 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 1: And if you're you're caring for a family of eight 199 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 1: or ten, you know, and when you're in dire poverty, 200 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:52,960 Speaker 1: I mean, what are you going to do? Obviously, education 201 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 1: is probably gonna be one of your last resorts, especially 202 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 1: if you're in one of these rural indigenous communities where 203 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:01,080 Speaker 1: you know, there's not a wool in every corner there. 204 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:03,800 Speaker 1: It's not easy to get textbooks or get in front 205 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 1: of a computer. And so I think that's where we 206 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:09,120 Speaker 1: can kind of come back to the importance of groups 207 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 1: like co ED that is filling that gap, that is 208 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 1: going in and and providing those resources for these people 209 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:19,640 Speaker 1: who otherwise wouldn't have it because it's not going to 210 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 1: be a priority. The priority is, you know, putting food 211 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:24,920 Speaker 1: on their table and somehow getting by from day to day. 212 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:27,480 Speaker 1: So we've done a few podcasts are we'll talk about 213 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 1: all these problems and then we'll say education can fix this, 214 00:11:30,520 --> 00:11:33,599 Speaker 1: because it does X Y and Z. Now this X 215 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:36,200 Speaker 1: Y and Z Molly that you're referring to comes from 216 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:41,559 Speaker 1: USAID and it's pretty great stuff. I mean, studies have 217 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:44,720 Speaker 1: shown that educating girls will improve the health and survival 218 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:47,760 Speaker 1: rate of infants and children. Uh, it reduces the rate 219 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:51,839 Speaker 1: of fertility and greater use of modern contraceptive methods. You 220 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 1: also obviously have higher rates of school attendance, attainment and 221 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:58,319 Speaker 1: completion in the next generation. Like you said, we it's 222 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:01,800 Speaker 1: all about breaking that the cycle, and the women are 223 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: keys to that because they have the most influenced over 224 00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 1: their children in the home. UM. And then we also have, 225 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:11,679 Speaker 1: as r Z our number four um the improvements in 226 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:14,719 Speaker 1: the status of women within families, the local community, and 227 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 1: the political arena. So, I mean, it's just it's huge 228 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 1: ripple effects not only within these girls lives, but also 229 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 1: within their families, to the community, to the entire country. 230 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 1: So bearing in mind that that girls only get that 231 00:12:27,240 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 1: one point two years of education in Guatemala, let's talk 232 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:32,760 Speaker 1: about how this organization co ED is going in and 233 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:34,960 Speaker 1: trying to change that and keep the girls in school 234 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:37,280 Speaker 1: and give them the resources they need to make money 235 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:39,840 Speaker 1: for their families to break the cycle of poverty. Let's 236 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 1: talk specifically about how their programs accomplish that. Yeah, because 237 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 1: as Americans, we might think of we hear the mantra 238 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 1: of like, yeah, stay in school, you know, like it's 239 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 1: just something easy to do. But in Guatemala that is 240 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 1: that is much much easier said than done. So co 241 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:57,719 Speaker 1: ED again, we learned about them through stuff. You should know. 242 00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 1: They have these programs that prove education in the hopes 243 00:13:01,960 --> 00:13:05,840 Speaker 1: of them improving everything else, big ripple effect. Their main 244 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: programs are providing textbooks uh to middle schools in the 245 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 1: rural areas who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford them. Basically, 246 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 1: COED will go in and buy the textbooks and then 247 00:13:14,760 --> 00:13:18,120 Speaker 1: the students will pay small fees to use them, which 248 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:20,640 Speaker 1: makes the program sustainable because in the community can go 249 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,480 Speaker 1: and buy the next set of textbooks when they need it. Right, 250 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:25,079 Speaker 1: Because I think we should point out to that the 251 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:27,600 Speaker 1: country is so poor that they don't have some kind 252 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:30,040 Speaker 1: of tax base that the government can go in and 253 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:33,199 Speaker 1: pay for these books. And the same with the computer centers. 254 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 1: Uh COED will go in and buy computers so that 255 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 1: children can learn the skills are going to need in 256 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:42,240 Speaker 1: this economy to have an entry level job which requires 257 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 1: computer use. Uh COED buys the computer and then the 258 00:13:45,840 --> 00:13:49,320 Speaker 1: students pay again a small fee that's affordable for them 259 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:53,760 Speaker 1: to use the computers to learn basic you know, word processing, spreadsheets. 260 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:57,280 Speaker 1: They provide scholarships for young people, and you know, we've 261 00:13:57,320 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 1: read a lot of antidotes about how co ED will 262 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:01,320 Speaker 1: go to parents and say, you know, they the parents 263 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 1: might just want the scholarship for the boys, but they'll 264 00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:05,920 Speaker 1: show them, oh, you know, the girls need this scholarship. 265 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:08,520 Speaker 1: And I think one thing we've got to talk about, Kristen, 266 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:10,959 Speaker 1: because we've done so many podcasts about the books that 267 00:14:11,040 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 1: really influenced us when we were young girls, is this 268 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 1: culture of reading that co ED works to foster in 269 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 1: these small commutes, these girls who have never seen books, 270 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:22,720 Speaker 1: which sounds so alien to us who have talked for 271 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:25,760 Speaker 1: you know, hours about the Babysitters Club and Nancy, Drew 272 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 1: and Ramona and all that. They'll take sometimes those first 273 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 1: books that those girls ever see, and teach them, you know, 274 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 1: about a love of reading and build these little mini libraries. 275 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:36,480 Speaker 1: And that, to me is sort of one of my 276 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 1: favorite aspects of what co Ed does, is fostering that 277 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:43,440 Speaker 1: um love for knowledge and reading and these young girls. 278 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:46,640 Speaker 1: And just as an example of how important it is 279 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 1: that co Ed goes in and really fosters that culture 280 00:14:49,880 --> 00:14:52,160 Speaker 1: of reading, Molly, like you said, one thing that they 281 00:14:52,280 --> 00:14:56,120 Speaker 1: have to do is actually teach the teachers how to 282 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:58,760 Speaker 1: read the children. I mean, before Coed goes in there, 283 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 1: the teachers my just read a book aloud. But you know, 284 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:03,800 Speaker 1: when you were a kid, like the the exciting part 285 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:06,560 Speaker 1: about reading is following along and seeing the pictures and 286 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 1: really engaging with the story and the words on the 287 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 1: page and uh and the and the teachers weren't doing that, 288 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 1: you know, they weren't and and by not doing that, 289 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:18,920 Speaker 1: it didn't really cultivate, you know, a kid's desire to read. 290 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:21,840 Speaker 1: So that's one important thing too that that co Ed 291 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:24,920 Speaker 1: goes in and actually demonstrates. And they'll also teach the 292 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:27,560 Speaker 1: teachers how to use the textbooks because I think a 293 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: big problem in Guatemala has been that before the kids 294 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:33,720 Speaker 1: got the textbooks, they all copied down notes in the blackboard. 295 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:36,560 Speaker 1: There was no engagement with learning, and that's why, you know, 296 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:39,080 Speaker 1: if the kid couldn't even stay there for financial reasons, 297 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 1: he would just drop out join a gang, which are 298 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:43,480 Speaker 1: also big problem in Guatemala. So going in and teaching 299 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 1: a teacher how to use this textbook so that a 300 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 1: kid enjoys going to school and enjoys learning about things, 301 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 1: um is another vital service that they provide. Sounds like 302 00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:55,000 Speaker 1: COD could also do a lot of work in the 303 00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:58,800 Speaker 1: States in terms of teaching kids to read. Anyway, UM, Well, 304 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:03,040 Speaker 1: just to give listeners to an idea of more of 305 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 1: an anecdotal idea of of how their programs have benefited 306 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 1: these schools, you know, because we've sort of been talking 307 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:12,600 Speaker 1: in the abstract. UM, I'm going to share the story 308 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 1: of Juan Jose, who was a principal of middle school 309 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 1: in Guatemala. UM and when he started fifteen years ago, 310 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:21,360 Speaker 1: the school that he worked at had twenty eight students 311 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:23,520 Speaker 1: and only one of those was a girl. Because, like 312 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:26,240 Speaker 1: we said, it's far less likely for a girl to 313 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:28,840 Speaker 1: even go to school. And even if she goes to school, 314 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 1: she's not going to stay as long as boys in 315 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 1: her community. Um. So he said. Knowing that the health 316 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 1: and economic success of Guatemala communities were inextricably linked to 317 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 1: the education of its girls, Juan Jose really made it 318 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:44,160 Speaker 1: his mission to try to get more girls into the school, 319 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:47,040 Speaker 1: try to equalize the ratio of boys to girls in 320 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:49,280 Speaker 1: the classrooms. And one thing that he had to do 321 00:16:49,480 --> 00:16:52,760 Speaker 1: was demonstrate to these girls parents that them leaving the 322 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 1: home and leaving the work that they would have to 323 00:16:55,080 --> 00:16:58,240 Speaker 1: do there and actually going to school would be beneficial 324 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:00,840 Speaker 1: in the long run for the girls at home. And so, 325 00:17:01,440 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 1: first of all, he lobbied COED for books and computer 326 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 1: training at the school, so we had all these resources 327 00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:08,800 Speaker 1: to begin with. But then he also added a home 328 00:17:09,200 --> 00:17:12,280 Speaker 1: economics class and asked co ED for equipment such as 329 00:17:12,320 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 1: a refrigerator and sewing machine and mixers, um and that way, 330 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:19,280 Speaker 1: by having those kind of resources, he could convince the 331 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 1: parents that the girls would be become better cooks and 332 00:17:22,320 --> 00:17:24,600 Speaker 1: would keep the house better. Since a lot of the 333 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 1: parents just didn't see any point in educating girls, like 334 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:28,960 Speaker 1: why would they need why they need to read? Because 335 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 1: there were time would be better spent at home. Um 336 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:35,560 Speaker 1: and uh, and the strategy worked. There now seventy over 337 00:17:35,680 --> 00:17:37,920 Speaker 1: seventy five students at the school and the number of 338 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:41,320 Speaker 1: girls and boys is close to equal. And you know, 339 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 1: from a lot of stuff we talked about on the podcast, 340 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:45,960 Speaker 1: like we might bristle at the thought of like, oh, well, 341 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:48,440 Speaker 1: he's adding a home at class to to bring more 342 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 1: girls in, you know, teaching them to sew and cook 343 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:54,399 Speaker 1: like that is this? Those are essential skills in this country. 344 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:55,840 Speaker 1: And I think that it's you know, I think it 345 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:58,920 Speaker 1: was a pretty pretty brilliant strategy on on his point 346 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:01,639 Speaker 1: as well, to target those parents and convince them to 347 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 1: get the girls into the classrooms, because of course they 348 00:18:04,640 --> 00:18:06,639 Speaker 1: weren't just taking the whole net classes. They were all 349 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 1: by the way exactly exactly. So co ED has many 350 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:16,560 Speaker 1: examples of of these sort of anecdotes on their site, 351 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:20,200 Speaker 1: which is c O E d UC dot org. But 352 00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:22,200 Speaker 1: just to throw out some more statistics of how they're 353 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:26,879 Speaker 1: evaluating their program, um if when the schools get the textbooks, 354 00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:30,440 Speaker 1: they're experiencing a sixty eight percent improvement and retention of 355 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:34,720 Speaker 1: the information, sixty seven percent increase in attendance, and ninety 356 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:37,200 Speaker 1: percent of those students indicate the books have a significant 357 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 1: positive impact on their ability to learn and retain information. 358 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:42,080 Speaker 1: So just imagine like going to school and for the 359 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:44,119 Speaker 1: first time having something to look at. Of course you're 360 00:18:44,119 --> 00:18:46,440 Speaker 1: gonna stay, of course you're gonna learn more. Of course 361 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:48,760 Speaker 1: you're gonna see education for the first time. It's something 362 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:53,439 Speaker 1: that's worth investing in. So um more anecdotes about about 363 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:57,040 Speaker 1: the people experiencing that revelation are on their site, and personally, 364 00:18:57,080 --> 00:19:00,960 Speaker 1: it was pretty for me, it was enlightening to read 365 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:04,480 Speaker 1: these anecdotes and to see these statistics because you know, 366 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:09,280 Speaker 1: we take public education and textbooks and libraries and all 367 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:12,440 Speaker 1: of the stuff for granted, and it seems like, you know, 368 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:14,800 Speaker 1: kind of a no brainer, like oh yeah, I mean, sure, 369 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:19,080 Speaker 1: provide provide textbooks for poor children. That's great, but no, 370 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:21,480 Speaker 1: I mean, like, really, I do encourage you guys to 371 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:25,240 Speaker 1: to check out the site, because, um it's it's pretty 372 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:29,119 Speaker 1: powerful when you find out just what a single textbook 373 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 1: in the hands of a child can do. But then, 374 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 1: to take it back to the beginning of the podcast, 375 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:35,119 Speaker 1: the whole reason we went through all those you know, 376 00:19:35,240 --> 00:19:38,040 Speaker 1: fairly dismal statistics is you can read that website and 377 00:19:38,119 --> 00:19:39,480 Speaker 1: just think about it in terms of a child, but 378 00:19:39,520 --> 00:19:41,800 Speaker 1: when you think about it in terms of a whole 379 00:19:41,880 --> 00:19:44,359 Speaker 1: culture of women that you can help by just by 380 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:47,119 Speaker 1: giving a child a textbook. That's what's really remarkable to 381 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:49,080 Speaker 1: me is again, you know, we've always said it several 382 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:51,680 Speaker 1: times on this podcast in the abstract about how educating 383 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:54,959 Speaker 1: women in the developing world has this huge impact on poverty. 384 00:19:55,480 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 1: But to read about coeds work and then to place 385 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:00,119 Speaker 1: women sort of in the center of your thoughts as 386 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:02,560 Speaker 1: you read it, and knowing that that textbook and the 387 00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:05,600 Speaker 1: scholarships that are available at co ED and that fostering 388 00:20:05,720 --> 00:20:08,880 Speaker 1: of a love of knowledge, when that can really change 389 00:20:08,960 --> 00:20:13,200 Speaker 1: a whole society's perception of women, that's a huge, huge thing, right, 390 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:16,120 Speaker 1: And when the perception changes, you also see the tangible 391 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 1: effects in you know, the health of the community's violence 392 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:25,760 Speaker 1: and communities, birthrates, maternal health, children, sell everything, you know. 393 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:28,320 Speaker 1: I mean, it's there's really no no aspect that it 394 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:31,480 Speaker 1: doesn't touch. So now, if you listen to Josh and 395 00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:34,639 Speaker 1: Chuck's podcast on their trip, and I encourage you to 396 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:36,280 Speaker 1: do so so you can get more information on the 397 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:39,000 Speaker 1: programs in the country. Um, you know that there's a 398 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:42,639 Speaker 1: text campaign going on where if you text stuff to 399 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 1: two zero to to two, co ed gets a five 400 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 1: dollar donation. You can also make donations on their site, 401 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:53,119 Speaker 1: which again a c O E d uc dot org. 402 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:56,560 Speaker 1: And uh, you know, co ed is getting a tremendous 403 00:20:56,600 --> 00:20:59,119 Speaker 1: help from all the s Y s K fans and 404 00:20:59,359 --> 00:21:01,800 Speaker 1: we want to give them some help. So if you're 405 00:21:01,800 --> 00:21:04,080 Speaker 1: a fan of ours and you haven't donated yet, please 406 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:07,800 Speaker 1: check out their site or text again the words stuff 407 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:12,520 Speaker 1: s t U F F two q oh too to too. 408 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:15,240 Speaker 1: You'll receive a text back asking you to confirm the 409 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 1: donation and simply reply with the word yes to complete 410 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:21,520 Speaker 1: your donation. Messaging and data rates may apply. And remember 411 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:25,719 Speaker 1: the campaign only runs through July Cermainly, since we've been 412 00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: talking a lot about the power of reading in books, 413 00:21:28,119 --> 00:21:30,200 Speaker 1: I thought it would be good for our listener mail 414 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 1: segment to maybe share a couple of reading lists. Reading lists. 415 00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:39,960 Speaker 1: We've gotten so many, we love them, keep them coming. Yes, um, 416 00:21:40,080 --> 00:21:42,760 Speaker 1: and this one is from Angela and she is reading 417 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:46,440 Speaker 1: right now Pride Prejudice in Zombies, which was very popular 418 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:49,680 Speaker 1: last summer as well. She says after that I'll probably 419 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 1: move on to Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter. She said, I 420 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:58,840 Speaker 1: will also read books by Sherylyn Kenyon, Janet Ivanovich and 421 00:21:59,560 --> 00:22:02,639 Speaker 1: jennef for Cruzy. All right, and who was that ring 422 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:05,040 Speaker 1: list from? This was from Angela. Okay, I've got one 423 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:07,879 Speaker 1: from Lori, who says, based on your obvious love for 424 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:09,680 Speaker 1: the Romana books, I want to raft men to you 425 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:12,560 Speaker 1: for your summer reading list, Beverly Clary's two memoirs, The 426 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:14,879 Speaker 1: Girl for Me, Mhill and My Own Two Feet. I 427 00:22:15,040 --> 00:22:16,800 Speaker 1: was delied to find out that some of my favorite 428 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:19,840 Speaker 1: details from Clary's fiction came from our own experiences, such 429 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:23,359 Speaker 1: as naming a doll Chevrolet. Beyond that, though, Clary was 430 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 1: very cool woman who had just as much funk as 431 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:29,000 Speaker 1: her fictional heroines. So if you're looking for summer reading list, 432 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:32,880 Speaker 1: The Growth, Meanhill, My Own Two Feet Alright. To cap 433 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:35,600 Speaker 1: things off, I've got a reading list here from Jim 434 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 1: and he is going to read Collapse by Jared Diamond, 435 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:43,040 Speaker 1: The Heretics Daughter by Kathleen Kenter, Men with the Golden 436 00:22:43,280 --> 00:22:47,320 Speaker 1: Torque by Simon R. Green, The Poisoner's Handbook by Debord Bloom, 437 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:52,200 Speaker 1: and The God Engine by John's scalz The God Engines 438 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:56,680 Speaker 1: sounds interesting interesting, so again, keep the summer ring list coming, 439 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:59,399 Speaker 1: keep any emails coming to us at mom Stuff at 440 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:02,080 Speaker 1: house stuff where dot com, and during the week you 441 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 1: can get in touch with us via our Twitter which 442 00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:08,520 Speaker 1: is at mom Stuff Podcast, for our Facebook which is 443 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 1: stuff Mom Never Told You, And during the week you 444 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 1: can also check out our blog also titled stuff I've 445 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 1: Never Told You at our website which is how stuff 446 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 1: Works dot com. For more on this and thousands of 447 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:25,640 Speaker 1: other topics, is it how stuff works dot com. Want 448 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:28,320 Speaker 1: more how stuff works, check out our blogs on the 449 00:23:28,359 --> 00:23:35,200 Speaker 1: how stuff works dot com home page. Brought to you 450 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:38,600 Speaker 1: by the reinvented two thousand twelve camera. It's ready, are 451 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 1: you