We are happy to announce that Habitat Guatemala has been named a Bronze Winner of the #WorldHabitatAwards 2019!

This award is a UN-Habitat initiative that recognizes and highlights innovative, outstanding and revolutionary housing ideas, projects and programmes from across the world. 

Habitat for Humanity Guatemala participated with its  Healthy Homes for Humanity  program. This project provides families living in poverty with three basic services to improve their health and quality of life: a smokeless stove, water filter and sanitary latrine. It began in 2019 and is now active across all of Guatemala’s 22 administrative departments. Over the past few years, the number of Healthy Homes solutions implemented has increased by an average of 16% each year, benefitting around 300,000 marginalised and vulnerable people through improved health, dignity and self-empowerment.

Families are involved in the entire process and learn how to assemble, use and maintain each product. Each family makes a 5% contribution to the cost, the remainder of which is funded through the programme’s $675,000 USD annual budget.

Families are involved in the entire process and learn how to assemble, use and maintain each product. Each family makes a 5% contribution to the cost, the remainder of which is funded through the programme’s $675,000 USD annual budget.

“One day when I was having a conversation with my sister in-law about all of the problems that my family faces, she told me about Habitat for Humanity Guatemala. She put me in contact with them and I was happy to participate in different trainings so that I could learn how to use and better care for my products – a stove, a latrine, and a water filter. The best part was that my neighbours and other members of the community were going through the process at the same time – we were able to work as a team to make this project a reality.” – Alain Sicay.

David Ireland, Chief Executive of World Habitat, said: “These simple, low-cost interventions have made a huge difference to hundreds of thousands of people in one of the poorest countries in Latin America.”

The World Habitat Awards judging panel said: “This is a really practical and affordable solution to improve the quality of people’s homes, embedded in the local context and culture. They are achieving basic improvements at the individual house level, and significant scale at a national level. Whilst focusing on the absolute poorest families in one of the poorest countries in South America, they are making a huge difference to the health of thousands of Guatemalans.”

Each year the World Habitat Awards are presented to the most outstanding and innovative housing projects from across the world. In 2019 almost 200 projects and programmes entered the Awards.

You can learn more about this award at the following links:

Habitat Guatemala, alongside Guatemalan NGO Agua del Pueblo and an international donor, formed an alliance to develop a project for the Dry Extended Corridor communities. Its main objective was to give to the community of Los Achiotes access to water, through the restoration of their water supply system.

The lives of 110 families have changed drastically thanks to the implementation of this project. For the past 28 years the community has needed to walk for over 40 minutes, often times twice a day, to fetch water from a water spring to carry out their daily necessities.

One of the beneficiares, Vicky Pensamiento, shares her feelings now that she has running water in her home, “I feel happy! As a women, I suffered a lot because I had to clean the house, wash the clothes, cook… and you need water to do everything! Now we feel free; no more walking to get the water we need.”

The families of Los Achiotes also received different trainings regarding how to maintain the water supply system, water awareness (and conservation), health and hygiene, healthy homes and each family received a Habitat for Humanity Guatemala water filter; making the water potable. Additionally, a Water Committee was created in the community, leaving them with a sustainable and organized structure.

Habitat Guatemala plans to continue implementing projects that address the need of many Guatemalan communities for access to safe water in their homes. Many thanks to all of those who were involved in this project!

Juan lives with his sister, Amalia Catalina (75), his niece Maribel (45), and his great nephew, Ángel Rubén (15), in the department of San Marcos.

As you walk in into Juan’s home, you can smell wood and plastic burning within an open flame. The whole family inhabits a three bedroom house made of deteriorating wood, a leaky metal roof and dirt flooring. Amalia, Maribel and Angel share one room, while Juan sleeps in a separate one. They cook over an open flame in this space, covering the walls and ceiling with soot. This manner of preparing meals has caused several respiratory issues for the family.

The family has few sources of economic income, Juan works as a farmer, when the season permits, and so does Angel, who works at a mechanic workshop and studies in the afternoon. Amalia stays home to take care of Maribel, who suffered a fall four years ago; she fractured her ankle, leaving her with the inability to walk.

Amalia explains that she and her family previously lived in a different location. They owned the land that they lived on, but were accused of invading it and after several years of different conflicts they decided to leave and they moved in with Juan.  The house where they are currently living has belonged to the family for several generations now, “I have lived my entire life here, since I was a child,” says Juan.

At first sight, some may claim that this family is living in poor conditions, but they cease to be happy. They welcomed us with a smile and have learned to face all of life’s difficulties together.

In light of their living conditions, Habitat Guatemala, through its Vulnerable Famillies Fund, is planning to support the family by providing them with a new home. On October 12th, Habitat Guatemala a race (5K &10K) was held in San Marcos to raise funds for the family.

We ask that you consider supporting the cause as well. Join us and be part of the construction of a better Guatemala!