Ending Poverty for Guatemalan Communities

Rhonda Davison is Western Canada Partner Engagement Lead for Food for the Hungry (FH) Canada.

Malnutrition rates across Guatemala are shockingly high. Fifty percent of Guatemalan children under the age of five suffer from delayed growth. Among the indigenous population specifically, 58 percent of children are stunted. Access to clean water is limited. Over 90 percent of Guatemala’s indigenous survive on an income well below the poverty line. Children struggle in school, and parents struggle to see the point of an education when the needs at home are so great. 

FH started operating in Guatemala in 1976. FH Canada was formed in 1994 and very quickly joined in the fight to end poverty for families in Guatemala, especially for those suffering the consequences of civil war and political oppression.

Today, FH Canada is walking with 12 communities in the Quiché region—8 within San Juan Cotzal and 4 within Nebaj.  It has been a joy to see communities move out of stuck and into thriving. To date we have celebrated the graduation of 10 communities since 1994.