Guatemala…is made up of 22 departments (states), 23

different languages and a wide variety of terrain, ranging from hot, dry plains to cool, green

mountains. With over 14 million people, it makes up 40% of Central America’s population.

It is largely an agricultural and Christian society…

…50% work in agriculture, 49% live in rural communities, and 99% identify as Christian (roughly

40% Evangelical, 60% Catholic).

Fifteen years have passed since the end of Guatemala’s 36-year-long internal conflict, but the country still faces difficult challenges, both new and old. With some of the highest rates of illiteracy, malnutrition and economic inequity in the world, the average Guatemalan faces an uphill struggle to make a better life for his or her family.

Colonized by the Spanish in the 1500s,Guatemala did not become an independent state until 1821. After a century of attempting

to establish a stable democracy, Guatemala

enjoyed “Ten Years of Spring,” a period of free speech and political activity that lasted from 1944 to 1954. A coup

upon the democratically elected government in 1954

plunged Guatemala into a 36 year civil war ending in

1996. Guatemala is still recovering from these four

decades of instability.

Sadly, Guatemala’s past has had lasting impact, leaving the country with extremely low education and literacy rates, poor health indicators, and high crime. Discrimination against indigenous communities and endemic poverty affecting over 50% of the population are among the challenges Guatemalan families face.

The challenges that Guatemalan families face are many. Chief among them are a lack of access to health care and education, natural disasters, and poverty and inequality.

• 16% of Guatemalans and 50% of children under 5 suffer from malnutrition, one of the highest rates in the world.

• As of 2000, only 11% of the population lived within an hour of a healthcare facility.

• The average Guatemalan has attended school for only 4.1 years.

• 30% of Guatemalans can neither read nor write in Spanish.

• 40% of the population is under 15 years of age, with over 20% of children between 7 and 14 years old employed as child workers.

• The population is growing rapidly, with women of child-bearing age having 3.6 children on average and uneducated women having 5.2 children. Guatemala has the highest birth rate in Central America.

The challenges that Guatemalan families face are many. Chief among them are a lack of access to health care and education, natural disasters, and poverty and inequality.

• Over 90% of the damage left by 2010’s Tropical Storm Agatha remains unrepaired. The storm left over 110,000 people in shelters, 160 dead, nearly 40,000 with damaged homes, affected 1,100 schools and affected or damaged over 150 bridges.

• 51% of the population lives in poverty (less than $2.5 per day), and 16% lives in extreme poverty (less than $1.25 per day and is unable to afford the basic basket of food deemed necessary to feed their families).

• Guatemala’s income distribution is among the 15 most inequitable in the world.

• 62% of the land in Guatemala is owned by only 1.2% of the population.

There is a shortage of over 1.7 million homes in Guatemala.

Almost 60% of the housing deficit is made up of families living in inadequate homes built of unsafe materials (such as mud, straw or stick), and overcrowded homes. The other 40% consists of families paying high rents in homes they don’t own, of families living in homes without access to basic utilities, of families living in low-quality homes (leaky roofs, dirt floors, etc).

Habitat for Humanity Guatemala was founded in 1979 in response to a major earthquake that

had claimed the lives of over 25,000 Guatemalans. As Habitat for Humanity’s oldest international affilite, we have spent 33 years

working hard to fulfill our mission of making sure every Guatemalan has access to safe, decent housing.

Habitat Guatemala has 17 local offices, serving families all over Guatemala. It is a Guatemalan led and run organization. Foreigners are less than 10 of its over 140 employees.

To date, Habitat Guatemala has built over 43,000 housing solutions, over 75% of these within the last decade.

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March 2011

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35 Housing Solutions Built, 1996-2010

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75% of HFH Guatemala homes

have been built in the last 10 years!

Despite this incredible accomplishment over the last decade, there are still too many Guatemalans living without dignified housing. There is still a lot of work ahead of us.

Habitat Guatemala offers many solutions to the housing crisis

Standard Homes

Progressive Homes

Colonies

Home Improvements

Most of the housing solutions Habitat Guatemala has offered

to date are standard homes. We have eight different designs selected based on family preference and terrain.

Typically they include two bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, and a bathroom, and are 484 ft2 in size. In 2011, the average

price of a Habitat Guatemala home is $4,800.

In order to serve families who do not have the financial resources to qualify for a standard home loan but who are in need of a safe place to live, Habitat Guatemala offers

progressive homes. Progressive homes are smaller, having two rooms and sometimes a bathroom. Once the family pays of half of their loan, they can apply for an additional credit to add on to the progressive home.

Colonies, or housing communities, allow Habitat Guatemala to reach those families who do not own land on which to build a home. Land is purchased, subdivided, and equipped with basic services such as water, drainage, electricity and streets. Families take out a loan to pay back the cost of both the land and

the house. To date, Habitat Guatemala has developed 21 colonies.

Home improvements help transform substandard homes into housing. Our solutions include cement floors, new walls, additions, roof replacement, smokeless stoves, and the installation of new doors and windows.

This year we’ve begun construction on our 22nd and 23rd housing communities in Usumatlán, Zacapa. Together, these communities will provide over 100 needy families with new homes

Habitat Guatemala is always exploring future possibilities, testing new technologies and building materials, and piloting new projects to continue changing the lives of the communities we serve.

Bamboo homes

Metal homes

Water Filters

Latrines

We also have some specific projects that address the needs of our families

Small Change, Giant LeapThis five-year project aims to provide extremely poor families with energy efficient, smokeless, wood burning stoves. The stoves not only provide energy and economic savings, but also save lives by keeping smoke out of the eyes, lungs, and homes of partner families.

Regardless of the project, all our efforts work toward a single goal: offering comprehensive housing solutions that are accessible to a variety of economic levels so that all Guatemalans have access to a safe, dignified place to live.

The Guatemalan Dream Projectis a project that seeks to serve the poorest families in Guatemala by building homes in the seven poorest departments of the country. To date, the Dream Project has financed nearly 500 homes.

But what’s a project without IMPACT?In addition to serving an average of 3,000 families per year, Habitat Guatemala delivers financial management, natural disaster response, home construction and maintenance training to all its partner families.

We host an average of 1,400 international volunteers annually. In addition to helping our families build, these volunteers are crucial advocates of both housing rights and Guatemala, sharing their experiences with their friends, family and coworkers.

Habitat positively affects the local Guatemalan economy. All our materials are made and purchased within

Guatemala, usually from local distributors. Last year we spent an estimated $8 million on building materials

alone. Our international volunteers invested an estimated $1 million in the tourism industry.

We also host a growing number of national volunteers, promoting a culture of service and volunteerism. Our

180 local volunteer committees throughout the country help us find partner families and promote Habitat’s work in their communities.

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Nearly 7,000International Volunteers in 5 years!

Habitat Guatemala considers our international partners to be extremely important. Between

2001 and 2010, we have donated around $338,000 to other Habitat affiliates around the world. We have been blessed with a number of incredibly generous and faithful partners, and believe strongly in investing in other communities in need. The current Habitat offices we financially invest in are Tajikistan, Ghana and Paraguay.

As Habitat Guatemala moves forward, we’ve set the ambitious goal of achieving housing solution 50,000 by the end of 2013. It’s a crazy goal, we know. But with 15 years and nearly 20,000 housing solutions under his belt, Executive Director Luis Samayoa says, “We must have faith.” We agree.

We invite you to join us in our celebration in April 2013, reaching a total of 50,000 families served here in Guatemala. With your continued commitment, faith and support, we know we can.

Doubling 32 years of service in 5:

35,000 new housing solutions

in five years!

On behalf of all those whose lives have been changed by your support…

¡Muchas gracias, y que Dios les bendiga!Jamil BartonManager, International Donor RelationsHabitat for Humanity GuatemalaEmail: donor@habitatguate.orgOffice (011.502) 7931 3131, Ext. 422Mobile (011.502) 4740 6234