INVESTING IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN LATIN AMERICA

GUATEMALA

Reclaim work in Guatemala focuses on providing a range of programs, including Disability Services and Health Education.

A fascinating mix of peoples and cultures

FULL OF LIFE AND ADVENTURE

Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America and the 11th most populous country in the Americas. On the basis of cultural traits, the population is divided into two main ethnic groups — Ladinos and Maya, who make up the vast majority of Indigenous people in Guatemala and form several cultures. Guatemala also has one of the highest numbers of spina bifida per capita in the world.

Speaking the local language

¡Aguas!
Look out!

If you’re thinking that agua is water, you’re right. But when it comes to Guatemalan words and slang, it means “look out!” So if someone tells you ¡Aguas con el tráfico! don’t start looking for a puddle on the street, keep your eyes open and watch out!

Get ready to be blown away

A land full of ups and downs

There are 37 volcanos in Guatemala, but only three of them are active. The tallest volcano is Tajumulco – 4,222 meters (12,529 ft). It is the highest peak in Central America. Fuego, 3,763 meters (12,346 ft), is the most active volcano; it explodes around 5-9 times per hour. Mountains cover some 60 percent of Guatemala, making it difficult for people with mobility disabilities to navigate the hilly terrain.

Reclaim provides whole-person care for people with disabilities through training, resources, and locally appropriate assistive technology devices.

Sample a local delicacy

Try Pepián, mixing vegetables + culture

Pepián is a thick, meat-based stew influenced by a mixture of Guatemala's Spanish colonial past and indigenous cuisine. It’s part stew, part curry, and is served with rice and corn tortillas.

FINDING SOLUTIONS
IN GUATEMALA

At Reclaim we work with local communities and partners to identify specific barriers to dignity that arise out of the cultural context. Together, we implement expert, programmatic solutions that result in appropriate and meaningful impact that serves the community as a whole.

CHALLENGES + OPPORTUNITIES

Social stigma around disability

Barriers to opportunities for persons with disabilities

Many people with disabilities, or those who have a family member with a disability, are treated as outcasts. Feelings of shame, embarrassment, and helplessness are common. A lack of resources and funding for equipment like wheelchairs in Guatemala limits individuals with disabilities from having a job, going to school, and participating in the community.

Providing more than just training + equipment

Providing training and certifications to local people helps them meet the physical and spiritual needs of those who come to receive care and equipment. Local teams build sustainable and appropriately applicable programs that grow to reach all parts of Guatemala and can become a model for similar programs throughout Latin America.

Providing disability services and support

Support Reclaim Work in Guatemala

Help support our work in Guatemala.

Reclaim work in Guatemala provides whole-person care for people with disabilities through training, resources, and locally appropriate assistive technology devices. Our programs address medical and mobility needs and invite people into a community where they are loved and valued. Our team works to help people experience the fullness of their God-given dignity.

Removing barriers to experiencing dignity

Wheelchairs + care leading to an abundant life.

AT Catalyst facilitates the proper provisioning of assistive technologies and physical, social, and spiritual long-term care for individuals and communities impacted by disabilities who are isolated and not reaching their social, intellectual, physical, and spiritual potential due to a lack of resources and training.

In one year

165

children were equipped with technologies to assist with their disabilities.

  • "Jose Hernandez is 15 years old. He was born with cerebral palsy. A wheelchair was tailored to fit Jose, changing his health and his life. He can now eat, paint, and play with his dog. It is much easier for his family to move him around the house, and his brothers can bring him to the park to play."

    Program Director

  • "My mother said I was a mistake. My father said that I was not his daughter. Everything changed when I received a wheelchair. Reclaim helps people like me experience the fullness of our God-given dignity. I am no longer confined by my disability. I am free to dream, learn, work, and embrace the world with joy!"

    Alma, Guatemala

  • "Dariana Valentina was born with microcephaly and cerebral palsy. Before her wheelchair, her parents carried her all day. Now she has mobility and freedom to visit her family and friends."

    Program Director

JOIN OUR WORK IN GUATEMALA

We’d love to have you join our family!

Reclaim is looking for qualified professionals in community development, community health, assistive technology, or anti-human trafficking who are ready to serve. Our application process introduces you to Reclaim values and methodologies, matches your skills to Reclaim programs, and carefully walks you through steps to discover if you and Reclaim are a good fit.

APPLY

Complete application.
Initial conversation. Assessments.
Interview with leadership.

PREPARE

Create job description.
Develop budget.
Cross-cultural training begins.

JOIN YOUR TEAM

Book your plane ticket. Join your team.
On-site orientation.
Let’s go!!

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See our locations

At 12,340 feet, Agua Volcano dominates the skyline of Antiqua, Guatemala. Despite its lack of eruptive activity, the volcano can still produce debris flows that inundate nearby populated areas.