Patricia Arzu

Patricia Arzu, former First Lady of Guatemla

Patricia Escobar de Arzu, former First Lady of Guatemala, has constantly worked to benefit the needy in Guatemalan society.

In 1987, she was the founder and the General Coordinator to the Secretary of Social Affairs of the Municipality of Guatemala.  She created three Day Care Centers which continue to provide for hundreds of needy children.

In 1991, when Mr. Arzú was the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, she completed the restoration of the Maternity Department at the San Juan de Dios Hospital. From 1996 to 2000, when her husband, Mr. Alvaro Arzú was the President of Guatemala and she was the First Lady of Guatemala, she coordinated and organized many Community Homes to be enlarged. She also founded other programs such as an Old Age Program, Prevention and Eradication of Domestic Violence, Principals Promotion, and Country Women Promotion.  She founded and is the current President of the Childrens Museum of Guatemala.

Mrs. Arzu is presently the Secretary of Social Affairs of the Municipality of Guatemala, in her role as the Mayor’s wife of Guatemala City.  She manages five Day Care Centers, five Municipal Libraries, three Municipal Schools for Children and Teenagers at risk of being on the street, and a very large number of lady volunteers. She is thankful to the Lord for what she considers one of her greatest  accomplishments, which is to teach the World of God in each one of these programs.

Recently she inaugurated the program “With your children you must meet” designed to care for children from 0 to 6 years old who do not have the opportunity to go to a child educational space because they live in a distant or in a impoverished zone of the city. This program is focused on teaching mothers to stimulate the development of their children. She also has a private foundation, which solely supports and manages three Christian schools for over 800 at risk children, providing a quality education, nutrition and a safe place to be during the day.

She feels a major purpose God has for her life is being a companion in the public job of her husband and being a mother. They have seven daughters and sons, and ten grandchildren.

Mrs. Arzu´s life is an inspiration to many throughout Guatemala. She has an incredible faith which is the core of everything she does in her service to thousands of children and families in Guatemala City.