People for Guatemala
Guatemala
People for Guatemala is a non-profit organization founded in 2010 by Ken and Lois Werner that aims to help improve the living conditions of poor villagers in Jilotepeque, Guatemala.
There are more than a hundred Maya villages in this mountainous region, with a total population of roughly ninety thousand. Most villages are small, families averaging six to ten people, and almost all fathers work in the fields, earning only six to eight dollars a day. Many of them have no running water, poor medical care, and limited education. The homes consist of small huts built from corn stalks, and the kitchens have a hole in the ground with a grate over it for a stove with no chimney. The rainy season lasts four to five long months, leaving six to ten family members crammed inside these smoky little huts.
Through People for Guatemala, Mike and Anne have helped improve conditions for these villagers, including providing fresh running water, establishing a health clinic, and building schools. In addition to financial contributions, Mike and Anne also have made regular trips to Guatemala to help Lois and Ken define and design some of the organization’s many projects.