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Guatemala

guatemala volunteering, volunteer guatemala, volunteering projects in education, environment and community infraestructure guatemala, reto juvenil internacionalGuatemala is a showcase of natural history and dramatic landscapes, yet its most distinguishing asset is the rich and colorful traditions of the various ethnic communities. Each group has its own language, its special folklore, yet they share a common ancestral heritage expressed in religion, music, dance, foods and even social organization. Guatemala's abundance of biologically significant and unique ecosystems also contributes to Mesoamerica's designation as a biodiversity hotspot.

Guatemala is a country characterized by income disparities and extreme poverty. It has suffered periods of political instability and turmoil. Although Guatemala still boasts vast original-growth forests and an incredible variety of flora and fauna, it faces numerous environmental problems. There are also many social issues facing rural communities, including a lack of access to health care, clean water and education.

Major contemporary challenges include accentuated inequality, poor rural community infrastructure, lack of qualified teachers, unequal access for the indigenous people, and poor health and nutrition.

Our work:
Reto Juvenil has been present in Guatemala implementing programs focused on education, skills development, community infrastructure and local environmental protection to achieve better community conditions. Together with the RJI staff, volunteers have contributed with their time and skills to improve the social and economic welfare of the area.

Our current projects in Guatemala include:

  • Environmental education programs.
  • Support to community ecotourism projects.
  • Organic agriculture projects.
  • Support to indigenous communities.
  • Gender and women empowerment initiatives.
  • Educational infrastructure in rural communities.

 

Our communities:
During our trajectory in Guatemala, RJI has brought assistance to several communities of the country to improve their education and build life-skills in the youth. To avoid dependency, we normally work for periods of 3 to 5 years in a community, and after it is empowered enough to continue developing by itself, we continue our assistance to another community.

Currently, RJI is working  in the next communities:

  • Quetzaltenango
  • El Progreso
  • Retalhuleu
  • Utatlan