Small Beginnings, Greater Ends

Project Managers: Timothy Martiny, Sharie Martiny

Small Beginnings Greater Ends was founded in 2007 by Timothy and Sharie Martiny, who dedicated their service towards helping orphans in Guatemala through education and job training.

There are an estimated 400,000 orphans in Guatemala. For these children the future is an uncertain one. Additionally, almost 60% of children in Guatemala never complete primary school. Among those that do finish, pursuing higher education is difficult. With education as a ladder to success, Small Beginnings Greater Ends has made it their mission to give disadvantaged children the opportunity to climb that ladder.

Among the many educational needs these children face, the focus is on three of the most necessary – learning English, becoming computer literate, and developing the characteristics of personal motivation, determination, and integrity. The goal of their orphan education program is to provide disadvantaged children with the valuable life skills and job training that will give help them succeed in life, despite the innate challenges they face growing up in a third world country.

Additionally, young people are trained in children with woodworking, carpentry and shoe-making. The benefits of the program are many in that they learn a trade to benefit themselves and others, and also on a pragmatic level contribute to the overhead of their orphanages through selling the product.

Small Beginnings Greater Ends also regularly participate in food and clothes distribution to those in need at orphanages, as well amongst the poorer sections of the Guatemala

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Tim with volunteers.

English language class.

Computer training.

New shoes.