Guatemala Village Health

Public Health Improvement Projects: The Healthy Homes program provides water filters, composting toilets, and smokeless stoves, now with locally made bricks designed with the villagers. Villagers collaborate by paying a portion of the cost, gathering supplies for construction, and labor for construction of toilets & stoves. Villagers are trained in program implementation and construction. Our Permaculture farming program trains villagers to combat malnutrition through farming with edible food forests and kitchen gardens currently including 30 families. Lay Health workers provide education and ongoing supervision once home improvements are completed. Health promotors are given an incentive payment for their work to support these programs through participant recruitment, training and monitoring of use.

Clinic Construction and Operation: We upgraded a clinic building that we previously constructed to fully comply with Ministry of Health standards by adding tile floors, finished ceilings, and filtered water available in exam rooms. The area is now separated from the larger community building/dormitory and being outfitted as a full service clinic which will be staffed by our Health Team and the Ministry of Health, and supervised by our Medical Director. The full scope of primary care will be provided at least weekly by our staff.

Education, Communication, & Village Development - Includes health education for health promoters and community members, and installation of satellite internet connectivity in an isolated village.