Christian Aid in Guatemala

Guatemala is a beautiful country, famous for coffee and textiles, known as the centre of the Mayan world. But Guatemala is also country of contrasts: flooding and drought, wealth and poverty, agricultural exports and food shortages.

Inequality: Despite being a middle income country, and fifth largest exporter of coffee and sugar in the world, Guatemala has some horrific poverty statistics.

Fifty percent of all children under five are suffering with chronic malnutrition. This permanently affects physical and mental development. The levels of maternal mortality are among the highest in the region and haven’t dropped in the last 15 years.

Climate: Guatemala is at risk from floods, storms and hurricanes for six months of the year. The UN’s climate change panel has warned that storms will get more frequent and more intense.

In addition, a central swath of land the ‘dry corridor’ suffers from droughts causing food shortages. Locally, deforestation and farming methods on plantations make matters worse for poor communities.

Violence: Guatemala has very high levels of crime and gang violence which affect security and the rule of law.

There are organised civil society groups here trying to combat these problems, like Christian Aid’s partners.

Our work

Christian Aid works with partner organisations that are supporting Guatemalan communities themselves to bring about fundamental change.

• ICEFI believe that tax can be one solution to the problem inequality in the country. Its research, advocacy and lobbying work shows how a more progressive tax system in Guatemala and greater transparency in the international financial system could tackle poverty here.

• A consortium of four Christian Aid partners work nationally to influence government action on disasters. On the ground, they help communities prepare and ease the impacts when disasters strike.

• Caja Ludica use carnival skills as a peaceful way to bring change in urban communities where people see no alternative to violence.