Moose Jaw Wakamow Rotary Club member Glenn Hagel was recently making a difference in Guatemala.

The Rotary club partnered with the Ripple Effect Program whose aim is to increase education in countries with difficult environments.

"50% of them (population of Guatemala) are under the age of 22, so it's a very, very young nation," said Hagel. "It's good news and it's bad news combined. The bad news is education is a real challenge, but the good news is that it is the optimism and the energy of their youth that I think will become a significant part of a more positive future for Guatemala."

Hagel was a part of a successful project that completely renovated an existing school which houses youth from Kindergarten- Grade six, as he said not many children exceed Grade six. 

The Ripple Effect added two school rooms as well as televisions, books, projectors, a cement pad for a playground and a kitchen  which he hopes will help Guatemala with its challenge against malnutrition.

"Every single family that had a kid in that school gave five days of volunteer manual labor to make those things happen, it was done in cooperation and its a part of their future. And they were all out in large numbers in their tradition Guatemalan dress it was a magic day that we had for the official opening for the new school's facilities."

After completing their goals of renovations and additions to the school, Hagel said he was honoured to be a part of the end of the school year which included Grade six graduation for some of the children.

Glenn with proud mother whose daughter just graduated from Grade 6 and two of her classmates.

"When I had a chance to get a picture with a mom wearing her traditional Guatemalan dress and she was so proud, (be)cause when we were there it was the last week of school and her daughter was graduating (from) grade six and this a proud mom who sees a future for her daughter that's more than she has and at the end of the day that's what its all about."

Continuing with this hard work Hagel says that the Moose Jaw Wakamow Rotary club will continue their hard work to contribute to our community as well as helping other struggling areas grow as well.