Xela Aid - Partnerships For Self Reliance

VOLUNTEER PROGRAM: Central to our work is providing profoundly enriching experiences for volunteers through service and explore travel. Volunteerism provides youth, families and groups to experience the Mam-Maya culture and to serve in critically under-resourced communities in Guatemela. These experiences are both guided (pre-arranged by Xela AID staff) and independent (self-led), each incorporating experiences and activities that promote cultural understanding and personal growth. These volunteers not only enrich our Guatemalan communities and benefit from personal enrichment, but they often go on to serve within the organization as return volunteers, program supporters, committee members and Board members. Thus, volunteerism is core to our mission.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Empower youth to start businesses & secure fair-wage employment. Develop programs and services that generate revenue to support all programs while providing job training for young adults. (1)Business Development:Provide resources to youth to launch or scale-up businesses. (2)Job Skills Training:Ensure youth are highly sought after. (3)Placement:Train youth in interview skills and developing networks. (4)Eco Guest House:Provide room & board for volunteers serving critically underserved communities. (5)Fresh Food Assistance:Sponsor fresh food assistance to subsidized access for low-income communities to highly nutritious, locally grown and produced fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy and other farm products.

HealthCare Objective:Model Excellence in Health Care in rural Guatemala. 1)Xela AID Clinic: Provides life-saving and preventative health care to a region of more than 35,000 people. Family medicine, OBGYN, dental care, optometry, ultrasound, mental health care, prenatal care, family planning, X-ray, de-louse/de-worm programs serving 1200+ children annually. (continue Schedule O)

Emergency Relief:In addition to its core programs that promote sustainable community development, Xela Aid recognizes that emergency situations arise that require immediate aid, nomally, to provide water, food, shelter, mental health or legal interventions. Programs include: (1) Emergency Food:Since the 2020 pandemic assisting families and communities in their continued recovery. (Continued Schedule O)