In Guatemala City, hundreds of children work as shoe shiners at the city´s historical civic center. Away from all formal education, these children live their entire childhood working on the streets which limit their chances of having a better future. All government attempts to take these kids to school have failed because most of them are the only source of income in their families; they work all seven days of the week.

Zapaterías COBAN created SHINY LESSONS. We made shoe shine boxes with a radio that only broadcasts our signal. A new shoe shine box with its radio was given to every child, and in exchange, they gave us the old boxes they were using. Every day for one hour, these kids listened to a teacher that transmits educational lessons on the radio with material provided by the Dirección de Educación Radiofónica de Guatemala (Radio Education Directorate of Guatemala).

To evaluate the progress, COBAN facilitated face to face teaching every week, were they also gave them shoe shining material, clothes, shoes and food so they can keep working and learning.

We needed the help of the media to let out the news. COBAN got 5 million dollars on free press, surpassing by 6 times the publicity investment for an entire year.

During the first three months, 237 children received daily lessons.

17 of the 22 departments have requested to implement the program.

We created an opportunity so that hundreds of kids may dream of a shinier and better future.

We made shoe shining boxes with a radio device and headsets that would capture only one signal. The broadcast comes from a radio located in the city´s historic civic center. The boxes were given to every kid in exchange of their old box.

With the help of Dirección de Educación Radiofónica de Guatemala (Radio Education Directorate of Guatemala) we develop the content of the lessons and the evaluation program. The lessons will be transmitted for one hour daily and face to face teaching once a week.

To assure the permanence in the program Cobán gave the children shoe shine material, clothes, shoes and food. The project was held for 4 months in Guatemala city helping children in the historical civic center

21 boxes were given the first week. At the end of the first month, 237 children completed the program.

For the face to face lessons, the children were organized in groups of 33 participants.

All the children got their work material. We gave over 2,844 shoe pastes and ink.

We obtained material donations worth more than $10,000, including books, notebooks, pens and pencils.

With the free broadcast of the program we saved up to $20,000.

Radio Universidad (University Radio) contributed with the production and broadcast of the lessons.

The project got more than $625,000 in press and media.

Coban´s website duplicated its views. The social network posts reached more than 1,000,000 users and generated more than 10,000,000 prints.

The project aroused the concern of other educational institutions and the Ministerio de Educación del Gobierno (Government Educational Ministry) is planning to implement the program in other Departments of Guatemala