{"id":5847,"date":"2021-10-22T19:06:53","date_gmt":"2021-10-22T19:06:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/globalcommunities.org\/country\/guatemala\/"},"modified":"2026-01-06T21:00:01","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T21:00:01","slug":"guatemala","status":"publish","type":"country","link":"https:\/\/globalcommunities.org\/country\/guatemala\/","title":{"rendered":"Guatemala"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

As the most populous country in Central America, Guatemala faces a combination of socioeconomic and environmental challenges, including food insecurity, high levels of migration, low literacy rates, cyclical weather shocks and health crises. In the Western Highlands region, where drought is worsening every year, over 75% of the population lives in poverty and two-thirds of children are chronically malnourished.<\/p>\n

Global Communities has worked in Guatemala for over five decades to address these challenges and create opportunities for generations to come.<\/p>\n\t

Supporting communities through both crises and long-term recovery in Huehuetenango, Quich\u00e9 and other departments, the strength of our programs lies in deep partnerships with local actors.<\/p>\n

We work closely with parents, teachers and students, national and local governments, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and local leaders to implement a wide range of interventions: from increasing access to healthy school meals and forming savings groups to supporting local entrepreneurs and strengthening disaster risk reduction capabilities.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tCurrent Programs\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\"Hora\n

\n\t\t\tImproving Bilingual Literacy and Nutrition in School-Aged Children\t<\/h4>\n\t

Since 2010, Global Communities has led integrated school meals projects in Guatemala with funding from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program (McGovern-Dole). We implement our current program, Unidos (“United” in Spanish), in partnership with Save the Children, a literacy partner Ju\u00e1rez & Associates, and key partners in government and civil society. Unidos provides daily school meals to preschool and primary school students, improves bilingual literacy in Spanish and Mayan languages (Mam, Q’anjob’al, K’iche’ and Ixil) and ensures that local languages are integrated into the education process.<\/p>\n

Unidos operates in 14 municipalities across 450 schools. In addition to providing USDA-donated food commodities and purchasing locally grown fruits and vegetables, Unidos builds the skills and leadership of local partners to support long-term, community-led school meals programs that also receive national-level support from the Ministry of Education. It also incorporates maternal and child health and nutrition education, upgrades school infrastructure, and supports the development of pedagogical school gardens. To improve household nutrition, Unidos distributes take-home food rations to selected participants.<\/p>\n

Over the course of the project (2021-2026), 94,522 people will receive direct assistance. This includes 65,344 students receiving daily school meals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\"Mencio\u0301n\n

\n\t\t\tExpanding Access to WASH to Improve the Quality of Life\t<\/h4>\n\t

The Integrating WASH Services (I-WASH) project (2022-2027), funded by the Unites States Department of State, works to improve access to safe water and sanitation, expand employment opportunities in the WASH sector and mobilize local investment from the Guatemalan government and private sector. Global Communities implements I-WASH in communities across 13 municipalities in Huehuetenango and 5 municipalities in Quich\u00e9.<\/p>\n

Together with local partners Agua del Pueblo, Mancomunidad del Norte de Quich\u00e9 and Mancomunidad Frontera del Norte de Huehuetenango, I-WASH evaluates and improves local water systems, latrines, and water treatment plants, and establishes critical water and sanitation infrastructure at community health posts.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\"casa17\n

\n\t\t\tProviding Comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health Services for Indigenous Women\t<\/h4>\n\t

Since 2000, Casa Materna (“Mother’s House” in English) has provided care to more than 100,000 Indigenous Mayan and mestizo women with obstetric risks. The program trains community health workers, including traditional midwives, to identify and support women with high-risk pregnancies. The program also uses the Kangaroo Family Care methodology to support infants and their mothers.<\/p>\n

In addition to pregnancy and postpartum care, Casa Materna delivers such sexual and reproductive health services as gynecological care, counseling, family planning, pap smears and cervical cancer screenings.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\"DSC_0285\n

\n\t\t\tEnhancing Food Security and Resilience in Huehuetenango\t<\/h4>\n\t

In the towns of Colotenango, Jacaltenango, and Santa B\u00e1rbara in Huehuetenango, Global Communities is implementing the Podemos Mas (“We Can” in Spanish) program, with funding from USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA). Podemos+ Mas focuses on the most vulnerable households, especially those including pregnant women and mothers with children aged five and under. In addition, Podemos Mas creates savings and lending groups to support members as they save money, invest in productive assets, and improve resilience to food insecurity. In 2024, the program supported food security initiatives and worked to reduce malnutrition by providing multipurpose cash assistance for 3,675 households.<\/p>\n

As part of the HogaRES initiative (a public-private partnership between the U.S. Government, Guatemalan private sector actors, and international and local organizations), Podemos+ Mas is also replacing dirt floors with concrete floors to create clean safe spaces for families to prosper, and reduce vectors for diarrheal diseases, which are a leading contributor to malnutrition in Guatemala.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tPrevious Programs\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\"COPAVIC\n

\n\t\t\tPromoting Worker Cooperatives for Economic Resilience\t<\/h4>\n\t

Studies suggest that worker cooperatives are more resilient than traditional businesses and more likely to care for their member-owners. They create jobs where employees have a democratic say in business management.<\/p>\n

From 2023 to 2025, Global Communities implemented the Cooperative Leadership, Engagement, Advocacy and Research (CLEAR+) Program in Guatemala. Funded through USAID’s Cooperative Development Program (CDP), CLEAR+ promoted the creation of worker cooperatives in non-traditional fields for cooperatives in Guatemala, such as tourism, water systems, domestic services, masonry and construction work.<\/p>\n

The program aimed to create a better environment for cooperatives and enhance the skills and learning opportunities for cooperative members, focused on Mayan women and youth. (Completed in 2025)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\"Beleju\u0301_abril\n

\n\t\t\tProtecting Herds Against Shocks and Stresses with Mobile-Based Insurance\t<\/h4>\n\t

From 2024 to 2025, Global Communities implemented the Integrated Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience (IDR3) project in partnership with the National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (CONRED). Funded by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), the project strengthened resilience and disaster risk reduction (DRR) capabilities of Guatemalan institutions at the national, municipal and community levels.<\/p>\n

At the national level, IDR3 worked with the Executive Secretariat of CONRED. At the departmental level, IDR3 strengthened the DRR networks in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, Huehuetenango and Izabal. At the community level, IDR3 worked to establish and strengthen local DRR coordinators (COLRED) and create community DRR plans.<\/p>\n

This project also utilized Global Communities’ transformative Women Empowered (WE) initiative to create savings groups. WE groups strengthened household economic resilience and helped members – especially women – prepare for and respond to disasters. (Completed in 2025)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\"Group\n

\n\t\t\tStrengthening Disaster Risk Management and Community Preparedness\t<\/h4>\n\t

The SE-CONRED Capacity Strengthening Program (SCSP), funded by USAID\/BHA and executed between July 2021 and July 2024, sought to strengthen the capacity of the Executive Secretariat of the National Coordinator for Disaster Risk Reduction (SE-CONRED) and its partners at the municipal and community levels.<\/p>\n

Global Communities worked with SE-CONRED to update its DRR policies, guides and manuals, and establish DRR models in 25 communities at high-risk of socio-environmental disasters in the Alta Verapaz, Huehuetenango, Izabal and Quich\u00e9 regions of Guatemala. This included the creation of community DRR plans and maps and community-level training to promote emergency preparedness at the community level in hazard-prone areas susceptible to flooding and landslides. (Completed in 2024)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\"Screenshot\"\n

\n\t\t\tReducing Disaster Impact and Supporting Economic Recovery\t<\/h4>\n\t

Between June 2022 and December 2023, Global Communities implemented the Podemos (“We Can” in Spanish) program in the municipalities of Aguacat\u00e1n, Colotenango, Malacatancito and Huehuetenango. Funded by USAID\/BHA, Podemos sought to reduce the physical, social and economic impacts of socio-environmental disasters. The project supported 4,700 at-risk families, including by providing multipurpose cash transfers to households with malnourished children and pregnant women. In addition, Podemos supported economic recovery by forming 150 WE groups.<\/p>\n

Podemos also helped families whose homes were damaged by hurricanes Eta and Iota or heavy rainfall and flooding that made their homes unsafe and undignified. Finally, the project created groups of community volunteers who supported the implementation of interventions related to protection, gender equality, decision-making in couples and the recommended use of cash. (Completed in 2023)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\"Guatemala\n

\n\t\t\tAdvancing Women’s Skills and Development\t<\/h4>\n\t

With the support of Gap, Inc. and the Brighter Together Foundation, Global Communities implemented the WE-PACE project between April 2023 and June 2024. The project combined our signature WE methodology with the Personal Development and Professional Empowerment (PACE) methodology to advance the skills and development of women from the Mixco and Guatemala municipalities.<\/p>\n

We carried out the project in collaboration with local actors, including Fundal, the San Antonio Mar\u00eda Claret parish, the Universidad de San Carlos (USAC) School of Social Work, the Neurological Institute of Guatemala and the departmental Directorate of Education. WE-PACE formed 25 WE groups and trained 338 women in communication, problem-solving, decision-making, time and stress management, and WASH. (Completed in 2024)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\"Guatemala_UNIDOS_Preparacion-de-alimentos\"\n

\n\t\t\tEnhancing School Infrastructure and Women’s Initiatives\t<\/h4>\n\t

Global Communities supported the implementation of the Aprendizaje para la Vida III (APVIII) (“Learning for Life” in English) project led by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) from 2021 to 2024. Funded by USDA, this McGovern-Dole project was implemented in the municipalities of Momostenango, San Andr\u00e9s Xecul, San Bartolo Aguas Calientes, Santa Luc\u00eda la Reforma, Santa Mar\u00eda Chiquimula and Totonicap\u00e1n, in the department of Totonicap\u00e1n.<\/p>\n

Global Communities used its flagship WE methodology, coupled with the “Clean and Happy” methodology, to promote women’s empowerment, financial inclusion, and optimal hygiene behaviors. The initiative formed 90 WE groups involving over 1,000 women. In addition, we performed 190 infrastructure improvements in 58 schools, helping more than 7,000 students access better educational facilities.<\/p>\n

Through APVIII, schools received support with building warehouses, remodeling kitchens, rehabilitating toilets and water projects. (Completed in 2024)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tImpact\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t

17,338<\/h2>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

people reached with
multi-purpose cash assistance
from 2024 to 2025<\/p>\n\t\t\t

51,846<\/h2>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

students receive daily school
meals in 2025<\/p>\n\t\t\t

8,275<\/h2>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

people were able to access
water services in 2025<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tResources\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGlobal Communities Meets with LIXIL to Improve Sanitation in Rural Communities in Guatemala through SATO Products\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n Global Communities is the primary implementing partner of the Integrating Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (I-WASH) project funded by the United States Agency for International Development…\n \t\tGlobal Health<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t \/ \n\t\t \t\tProgram Stories<\/a>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIncreasing Resilience through Preparedness and Gender Mainstreaming Actions\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n The United States Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (USAID\/BHA)-funded SE-CONRED Capacity Strengthening Program (SCSP) conducted a series of interviews with SE-CONRED staff….\n \t\tFinancial Inclusion<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t \/ \n\t\t \t\tHumanitarian Assistance<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t \/ \n\t\t \t\tProgram Stories<\/a>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMujeres Empoderadas: Innovaciones en la programaci\u00f3n de grupos de ahorro\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n Mujeres Empoderadas en Guatemala se implement\u00f3 por primera vez en el a\u00f1o 2012, en Huehuetenango. A partir de entonces se ha vinculado a programas de…\n \t\tBriefs & Case Studies<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t \/ \n\t\t \t\tFinancial Inclusion<\/a>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tExploring Health Provider Knowledge of the Undetectable Equals Untransmittable (U=U) Concept in Central America\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n This poster, presented in 2024 at the 25th International AIDS Conference by IntraHealth International – Global Communities’ subsidiary – highlights the results of an exploratory…\n \t\tGlobal Health<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t \/ \n\t\t \t\tResearch & Publications<\/a>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCooperative Development (CLEAR+) Program\u00a0Project Brief\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n Global Communities’ Cooperative Leadership Engagement Advocacy and Research (CLEAR)+ project (2023-2028), is a USAID funded Cooperative Development Program (CDP) aimed at advocating for the development…\n \t\tBriefs & Case Studies<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t \/ \n\t\t \t\tFinancial Inclusion<\/a>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tReabren los comedores escolares guatemaltecos tras el cierre de COVID-19\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n Por primera vez en casi cuatro a\u00f1os, vuelven a prepararse comidas escolares en las cocinas de las escuelas guatemaltecas tras su cierre total o parcial…\n \t\tFood Systems<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t \/ \n\t\t \t\tGlobal Health<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t \/ \n\t\t \t\tProgram Stories<\/a>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCLEAR+ Gender Analysis and Action Plan\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n Global Communities is implementing the CLEAR+ project (2023-2028), funded by USAID’s Cooperative Development Program, in Kenya and Guatemala. It builds upon the successes, lessons learned,…\n \t\tFinancial Inclusion<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t \/ \n\t\t \t\tResearch & Publications<\/a>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSocial Capital and Resilience in Guatemala\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n Research Brief With support from USAID’s Cooperative Development Program (CDP), Global Communities has been studying social capital and its relationship with individual, household and community…\n \t\tBriefs & Case Studies<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t \/ \n\t\t \t\tFinancial Inclusion<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t \/ \n\t\t \t\tResearch & Publications<\/a>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWomen Empowered: Championing Innovative Approaches to Savings Group Programming\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n Global Communities’ Women Empowered (WE) initiative is a global savings group program designed to promote financial inclusion and the social, economic, and political empowerment of…\n \t\tCapacity Materials<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t \/ \n\t\t \t\tFinancial Inclusion<\/a>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSpecial Study on Migration for the MCGOVERN-United States Program\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n Unidos is a project funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program that aims to…\n \t\tBriefs & Case Studies<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t \/ \n\t\t \t\tFood Systems<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t \/ \n\t\t \t\tGlobal Health<\/a>\n\t\t\n

\n\t\t\tNews\t<\/h3>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"GC-Honduras_Disaster-Response\"\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPreparing for Hurricanes from Forecast to Aftermath\u00a0\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\tJuly 3, 2025\t\t\t\t\t\t\n

As hurricane season barrels into Latin America and the Caribbean each June, communities across the region brace for impact. With an average of 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher each year, the threat is real – even if not every storm makes landfall. That’s why Global…<\/p>\n Read More about Preparing for Hurricanes from Forecast to Aftermath\u00a0<\/a>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"IMG_6073-scaled\"\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMenstrual Health Is Everyone’s Responsibility – A Global Perspective on Girls’ Education\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\tMay 30, 2025\t\t\t\t\t\t\n

By Leonel Arguello, Director, Integrated School Feeding Programs, Global Communities Six years ago, I had the opportunity to visit primary schools in rural Tanzania where Global Communities was implementing a McGovern-Dole Food for Education project. As someone who has spent much of my career designing and leading integrated school meals programs, I’ve long understood that…<\/p>\n Read More about Menstrual Health Is Everyone’s Responsibility – A Global Perspective on Girls’ Education<\/a>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\"Guatemala_School-Feeding-Program-1_International-School-Meals-Day\"\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFive Reasons Why School Meals Matter\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\tMarch 12, 2025\t\t\t\t\t\t\n

School meals are more than just a plate of food; they are the cornerstone of nurturing the next generation in places around the world where children face hunger. That’s why Global Communities is proud to implement integrated school feeding projects that help deliver essential nutrition, education and health services to over 435,000 pre- and primary…<\/p>\n Read More about Five Reasons Why School Meals Matter<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t