How to donate school supplies in Guatemala: what to bring, when, and how they reach kids

Where can I donate school supplies in Guatemala?

Through Start with a Smile Project, Amalia Jarquín's community initiative. Amalia was born in Las Delicias del Jobo, in Taxisco, Santa Rosa. She won a scholarship to train as a teacher at the Escuela Normal in Jalapa and went back to her village to improve education and life for its children. Today she lives in Antigua Guatemala, where we coordinate donations for the 7 schools we support in the village, primary schools and telesecundarias (lower secondary schools), with more than 700 children aged 6 to 16.

Families have few resources, and many kids walk dirt roads in the sun or the rain to get to class. Las Delicias del Jobo is about 90 km (56 miles) from Guatemala City, roughly a two-hour drive. Get to know those schools on Help Las Delicias and in our guide to Las Delicias del Jobo.

What school supplies do kids in Guatemala need?

This is the school supply list we share with travelers:

• Notebooks.
• Pens and crayons.
• Markers and paints.
• Backpacks.
• Children's books in Spanish.
• Used computers that still work.

So far the project has delivered more than 4,000 notebooks, and the schools still need supplies, backpacks, shoes, desks, recess games for the primary schools and a computer. If you bring a used laptop, wipe your data and don't forget the charger. For storybooks and novels, see where to donate books in Guatemala.

When does the school year start in Guatemala?

Not in August or September. Guatemala's school year follows the calendar year. Under the Ministry of Education's 2026 school calendar (Ministerial Agreement 4817-2025), public schools opened the 2026 school year on February 2, and the last day of classes for weekday schools was set for October 30. The agreement requires at least 180 effective days of class.

That makes December and January the best time to donate supplies, right before the year begins. The Ministry publishes each calendar in the official gazette, the Diario de Centro América; the 2026 calendar came out on December 22, 2025. Supplies that arrive later still help, since notebooks and crayons run out all year long. If you're planning around the new school year, read back to school in Guatemala.

Does the government give school supplies in Guatemala?

It does, and it matters. The Ministry of Education runs a school supply program that gives public schools a set amount per student. According to Guatemala's official news agency, AGN, in 2026 the program allocated 344.2 million quetzales: Q100 (100 quetzales) per preschool and primary student and Q200 per middle and high school student. That amount went up in 2024: before, it was Q50 per preschool and primary student in urban areas and Q55 in rural areas, and it was the first increase in 15 years, AGN reported.

That amount covers the whole year. What you donate adds to it: an extra notebook, a backpack that lasts several school years, crayons a whole class can share.

Should I pack school supplies or buy them in Guatemala?

Both work. If you're flying in from the US or Canada with spare room, crayons, markers and pens weigh almost nothing and fit in any corner; notebooks are heavier, so keep an eye on your bag's weight limit. If you bring supplies, keep the customs rule in mind: Guatemala's tax and customs agency, the SAT, lets you bring in goods worth up to US$500 duty-free, as long as you haven't used that exemption in the previous six months and have been out of the country for at least 72 hours.

No room in your luggage? You can buy supplies here; should you bring donations or buy them in Guatemala? helps you decide. Want to collect supplies with your school, team or office? See how to run a school supply drive for Guatemala.

How do I know donated school supplies reach the kids?

Amalia and volunteers hand them out in person at the schools, and we post photos of the deliveries on Facebook and on Instagram (@proyectosonrisas.gt). Besides notebooks, the project has brought those schools more than 100 desks, more than 120 pieces of school furniture, electricity, a kitchen, blackboards, roofs and toilets. Browse past deliveries in Photos and read what happens to your donation.

How do I donate school supplies to Start with a Smile Project?

1. In kind: message us through the contact form, on WhatsApp at +502 5562 3313 or at amaliajarquin@gmail.com. Tell us what you're bringing and when you arrive, and we'll arrange how to receive it in Antigua Guatemala.
2. Online: give on GoFundMe to fund the school projects.

We're a nonprofit community initiative, not a registered NGO, and the GoFundMe is a personal fundraiser, so donations are not tax-deductible. The full list of what helps, including hygiene items and toys, is on How to help.