Guatemala
Approximately the size of Tennessee, Guatemala has a diverse terrain, with volcanoes, mountains, rain forests and beaches. Almost half of the population are indigenous to the area, with roots that can be traced back centuries to the Maya. Guatemala has become a tourist destination, known for its beaches, rainforests, volcanoes and Mayan ruins.
Stories in Guatemala
Elizabeth was 6 when she became a sponsored child. Thanks to a scholarship from Plan, she graduated from high school. Now she works for Plan Guatemala as a sponsorship assistant. The job allows her to pay for university classes, where she is studying to become a psychologist.
Meet former sponsored child Elizabeth
Hurricane Iota swept into Central America just two weeks after Hurricane Eta hit the same stretch of the Caribbean coast, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Together, Eta and Iota have affected more than 1.9 million people across Guatemala.
Hurricane Iota swept into Central America just two weeks after Hurricane Eta hit the same stretch of the Caribbean coast, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. Together, Eta and Iota have affected more than 1.9 million people across Guatemala.
Briseida is one of more than 300,000 people who have been displaced because of the hurricanes. "There is no privacy in a shelter," Briseida said. "There is only one bathroom."
Adolescent girls are especially vulnerable to disasters. They are more likely to drop out of school, suffer from violence and discrimination, marry early, become pregnant or lose their livelihoods during emergencies.
For girls who were already out of school due to the COVID-19 pandemic, learning at home will be even more difficult. “It hurts me to drop out of school, because I want to continue studying," Briseida said. "I don’t know where, but I want to study, I want a better future for myself.”
Plan is supporting families living in shelters with essential supplies including food, cooking utensils, mattresses and hygiene kits. We are also providing families with economic support through cash transfers to repair homes, restart livelihoods and buy household goods. We have reached more than 15,000 families, including Briseida’s, who now have comfortable mattresses to sleep on.
Despite all the hardship she has endured, Briseida remains optimistic about her future, looking forward to returning to her home, seeing her friends and going back to school.
“I want to be a psychologist and will look for ways to make my dream come true,” says Brisaida.
protect girls today
Briseida is one of more than 300,000 people who have been displaced because of the hurricanes. "There is no privacy in a shelter," Briseida said. "There is only one bathroom."
Adolescent girls are especially vulnerable to disasters. They are more likely to drop out of school, suffer from violence and discrimination, marry early, become pregnant or lose their livelihoods during emergencies.
For girls who were already out of school due to the COVID-19 pandemic, learning at home will be even more difficult. “It hurts me to drop out of school, because I want to continue studying," Briseida said. "I don’t know where, but I want to study, I want a better future for myself.”
Plan is supporting families living in shelters with essential supplies including food, cooking utensils, mattresses and hygiene kits. We are also providing families with economic support through cash transfers to repair homes, restart livelihoods and buy household goods. We have reached more than 15,000 families, including Briseida’s, who now have comfortable mattresses to sleep on.
Despite all the hardship she has endured, Briseida remains optimistic about her future, looking forward to returning to her home, seeing her friends and going back to school.
“I want to be a psychologist and will look for ways to make my dream come true,” says Brisaida.
Home is crowded for Amelia. She lives with her father, stepmother, grandmother and eight siblings. Her family runs a traditional sweet making business in their rural community. But business has been difficult due to the pandemic.
"We have not been able to offer all the varieties that we usually produce," Amelia explains. "We can only sell candied sweet potato, because we can’t buy peanuts or coconut, the prices have gone up too much.”
Many Guatemalans have lost their jobs or can no longer access work due to strict lockdown measures. This has led to concern the economic fallout will lead to widespread hunger and malnutrition.
Amelia recently completed her training to become a pre-primary teacher, but she hasn’t been able to find work so far, instead helping her father with the business. “I take turns with my sister to accompany my father when he goes out to sell door to door in neighboring communities.”
Most of her time is now spent inside her home, which has taken some getting used to. “I love being out of the house, I almost never stay at home and I miss going out. Now I stay home and help with the household chores, such as fetching water from the spring, cooking and cleaning.”
While some young people in her community have access to the internet, this is not an option for Amelia. But she tries to stay positive. “It is good to have more time at home, to share things with my brothers and sisters. I try to practice and develop my skills as a teacher with them. I help my little brothers and sisters to go over their classes, learn to read and write and to make progress with their learning. I have a little brother in pre-school, and I enjoy supporting him, which fills my time during this unusual period."
As a member of Plan International’s Leadership School, she has been a spokesperson for the organization for many years. Her commitment to promoting the rights and equality of girls remains strong. “I hope that this time will soon be over, so that I can return to my activities as a spokesperson, continue my search for employment, and feel again how beautiful life can be.”
Meet more young people advocating for change
Many Guatemalans have lost their jobs or can no longer access work due to strict lockdown measures. This has led to concern the economic fallout will lead to widespread hunger and malnutrition.
Amelia recently completed her training to become a pre-primary teacher, but she hasn’t been able to find work so far, instead helping her father with the business. “I take turns with my sister to accompany my father when he goes out to sell door to door in neighboring communities.”
Most of her time is now spent inside her home, which has taken some getting used to. “I love being out of the house, I almost never stay at home and I miss going out. Now I stay home and help with the household chores, such as fetching water from the spring, cooking and cleaning.”
While some young people in her community have access to the internet, this is not an option for Amelia. But she tries to stay positive. “It is good to have more time at home, to share things with my brothers and sisters. I try to practice and develop my skills as a teacher with them. I help my little brothers and sisters to go over their classes, learn to read and write and to make progress with their learning. I have a little brother in pre-school, and I enjoy supporting him, which fills my time during this unusual period."
As a member of Plan International’s Leadership School, she has been a spokesperson for the organization for many years. Her commitment to promoting the rights and equality of girls remains strong. “I hope that this time will soon be over, so that I can return to my activities as a spokesperson, continue my search for employment, and feel again how beautiful life can be.”
Plan International has been working to improve children’s lives in Guatemala since 1978.
:01 (OPENING SLATE) MEET JAROL, A PLAN INTERNATIONAL SPONSORED CHILD FROM GUATEMALA WHERE YOUR SPONSORED CHILD LIVES. WE GAVE HIM A CAMERA TO SHOW US A DAY IN HIS LIFE. <br /> :09 Hello, my name is Jarol, I am 9 years old and I’m from Guatemala. <br /> :12 I have been a sponsored child with Plan International for 5 years now. This is my family! <br /> :16 Hello! <br /> :18 I have 3 sisters and 4 brothers. I have a big family. <br /> :23 This is my father. <br /> :26 My father works in the city as a security guard. <br /> :29 He left because it is too difficult here to find a job. <br /> :34 My mother works knitting on the loom. <br /> :39 She makes handkerchiefs and napkins to cover tortillas. <br /> :49 I like to play football because I have fun with my friends, and exercise my feet. <br /> :59 This is my school. I like it a lot! <br /> 1:02 This is my class. <br /> 1:03 Shhh! <br /> 1:06 I study in 4th grade primary. <br /> 1:08 I like to go to school because at recess I play with my friends, 1:15 and my teacher teaches me to read and write. <br /> 1:18 This is my teacher. <br /> 1:21 When I grow up, I would like to be a teacher. <br /> 1:23 Because I want to teach children how to read and write and to be well behaved, <br /> 1:31 and to learn to respect other people and their parents.<br /> 1:36 (TEXT) MORE THAN HALF OF THE POPULATION ARE LIVING IN POVERTY. <br /> 1:41 (TEXT) NEARLY HALF OF CHILDREN UNDER FIVE SUFFER FROM STUNTED GROWTH CAUSED <br /> BY MALNUTRITION. <br /> 1:47 Plan International has helped us with the health centre, they built a school and the school kitchen, <br /> 1:56 and helped the teachers and children with school supplies. <br /> 2:01 They have also helped because my mother is now able to make money <br /> 2:10 and help our family. <br /> 2:13 This is the health centre in my community. <br /> 2:17 Good morning, Jarol. <br /> 2:19 How are you? <br /> 2:20 Good. <br /> 2:20 Good. <br /> 2:21 Why did you come here today? <br /> 2:22 Medical review. <br /> 2:24 Ah, a medical review. <br /> 2:25 Ok, let’s see your weight, stand up here. <br /> 2:30 35 pounds. <br /> 2:33 I like receiving and sharing letters with my sponsor, <br /> 2:37 because she sends me postcards from places I haven’t seen before. <br /> 2:43 “Dear Sponsor, I hope you are in good health. <br /> 2:48 Thank you for remembering me. <br /> 2:51 I feel happy here in my village and thank you for the pictures you sent me.” <br /> 3:00 Thank you for being a sponsor with Plan International. Good night!
Plan stats in Guatemala
Office & operations
Plan Guatemala’s country office is in Guatemala City, with program offices located in Baja Verapaz, Alta Verapaz, Jalapa, Escuintla and El Quiché.
Technical areas
Plan Guatemala focuses on the following program areas: Education, health, economic empowerment, civic participation and disaster response and management.
Number of sponsored children
As of June 30, 2020, people like you sponsor 30,819 children in Guatemala through Plan International.
Our projects in Guatemala
When you sponsor a child through through Plan, you form an incredible friendship.
But that’s just the beginning. With Plan, you also have the unique opportunity to:
Send her birthday gifts and cards.
Give her special holiday presents called Little Treasures.
Subscribe her to Plan’s educational kids’ magazine, Sunny Days.
— Visit her (when travel restrictions are lifted), with individual travel assistance from us.
Each gift offering is safely hand-delivered by us, and given to your child with personalized cards from you. It’s likely that the child you sponsor will have never seen anything like these gifts, and they’re available year-round to make the bond between you and your sponsored child even stronger.
Meet a child to sponsor