A carton of eggs and a few tomatoes

Who remembers a warm meal in the school cafeteria?

For many of us, it was something we could count on each day.

In March, a small delegation of cooperative representatives from Oklahoma, Iowa and Colorado traveled to rural Guatemala to prepare for a life-changing project this fall bringing electricity for the first time to two remote villages.

While visiting the area, the group met a woman carrying a carton of eggs and a few tomatoes. Trying to make conversation, they asked if the food came from her home — perhaps from chickens she raised or a small garden she tended.

Her answer was not what they expected.

The eggs and tomatoes had been provided by the government to prepare meals for children at the local elementary school. Guatemala now requires schools to have operational kitchens so students can receive meals during the school day.

But when the group visited the school, they discovered the kitchen was anything but operational.

The stove was broken. The sink barely worked. There were no utensils, shelves or refrigerator. The room looked more like an abandoned storage closet than a place where meals could be prepared for children.

In that moment, the mission became about more than electricity.

Yes, cooperative lineworkers will travel to Guatemala this fall to bring power to two villages for the very first time. But alongside them, a small team of cooperative representatives will work to transform that school kitchen into a functioning space where meals can finally be prepared for students.

They plan to provide basic equipment, supplies and a refrigerator — one that can finally be plugged in once electricity reaches the village.

Through our 501(c)(3), the Oklahoma Energy Trails Foundation, we are raising funds to help make this possible.

Would you consider helping?

A gift of $40 can make a meaningful difference, but every donation — no matter the size — helps bring light, nourishment and opportunity to these children.

We often reflect on the blessings we have at home and the opportunities we work hard to provide for the next generation. Together, we have the chance to extend those opportunities to children in Guatemala — ensuring they are not left behind.

By Nicki Fuller

General Manager | Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives

To give:

To send a check to help prepare the school, make it payable to: Oklahoma Energy Trails Foundation, P.O. Box 54309, Oklahoma City, OK 73154-1309

To give digitally: Visit the Energy Trails page, scroll to find and click on the “Donations” dropdown.