HABITAT FACTS
Date when Habitat started working in the country
1979
Individuals served in FY18
53,865*
Volunteers hosted in FY18
23,920
Housing solutions
New, rehab, repairs, incremental
* 200 individuals served through market development
Habitat for Humanity Guatemala
Habitat for Humanity Guatemala is a nonprofit organization that aims to improve the quality of life of Guatemalan families by partnering with them to construct, incrementally improve or repair homes across the country.
For more information, visit: www.habitatguate.org/eng.
The housing need in Guatemala
According to the Central American Association for Housing (Asociación Centroamericana para la Vivienda - ACENVI), the housing deficit in Guatemala exceeds 1.6 million households, including inadequate, rented and overcrowded housing. In addition, the need for basic services such as drinking water, sanitation, electricity and safe stoves in rural areas is very high.
Habitat’s contribution in Guatemala
Habitat Guatemala has contributed to the reduction of the country’s housing deficit, both qualitative and quantitative. Our commitment is that all Guatemalans have an adequate home. As of June 2018, Habitat Guatemala has helped families, with construction, improvement and home repairs, as well as Healthy Home Kits.
Our programs
Volunteerism
- Local: These are volunteers from local committees who promote community development and represent Habitat in their communities.
- National construction: These are groups of people who have the desire to support families in the construction process. This opportunity is open to educational institutions, businesses, organizations, embassies, individuals, etc.
- International construction: These are groups of between between 8 and 80 international volunteers who donate their time and energy, typically for five days, eight hours a day. Without their support, the families might have to bear the cost of unskilled labor.
Financing for housing
Funding for families is more accessible than the traditional one found in the national financial system, with affordable installments, few requirements and ease of payments.
Healthy homes
Habitat Guatemala helps families to build, improve or repair their homes, meeting national quality standards and those proposed by Habitat for Humanity International. Monitoring of the construction process by trained personnel is also offered. Quality materials and structural systems that comply with the rules of AGIES (Guatemalan Association of Structural and Seismic Engineering) and ICCG (Institute of Cement and Concrete of Guatemala) are used.
Extreme poverty
This program supports communities and families living in extreme poverty by providing partial subsidies to access products that improve their quality of life, this includes: improved stoves, ventilated pit latrines, water purifiers, water filters and training to prepare families for homeownership.
Meet a Habitat family
Carlos and Clementina’s primary motivation in building a new home was to improve the lives of their three children: Carina, Elvis, and Eddi. When they learned about the low-interest loan that Habitat for Humanity Guatemala offers families, they knew that this was a way to make their dream a reality. In order to qualify for a Habitat Guatemala home, families have to be able to make monthly mortgage payments. Carlos works selling food and refreshments, so the family was able to make this commitment.
When the couple talks about their new home, their joy is obvious. “Before we all shared one bedroom,” Carlos explains. “Now, the boys share a room and Carina has her own room. They were so excited! She was especially excited to have her own room -- they even picked them out while the house was under construction!”
“We moved into the house on September 28th,” he continues. “And we’ve worked hard to save and buy new furniture for our children, such as this couch.” Clementina jumps in and talks about how much she enjoys the style of the house. “When people come over they always complement our house, and we love it, too,” she says. “We are so proud and happy to be here.”
What can you do?
We build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter. You can help us do it with the following actions:
DONATE
https://www.habitatguate.org/payment/
www.habitatguate.org
VOLUNTEER
Join one of Global Village’s scheduled trips to Guatemala or organize your own brigade.
For more information, go to: habitat.org/gv/catalog/lac
HABITAT’S OFFICE
To learn more about Habitat’s programs in Guatemala, please contact:
Victor Velasquez / National Director
Phone: 47406639, e-mail: vvelasquez@habitatguate.org
Steven Cook / Resource Development Director
Phone: 47406732, e-mail: donor@habitatguate.org
