Expand a Vital Village Store in Guatemala

Summary

This project will provide the capital to expand the only grocery store serving eight villages in Guatemala, selling basic staples to over 850 families. Profits go to scholarships for local youth.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

The 850 indigenous families that live in the eight villages surrounding Los Jometes, Guatemala, must travel far to get basic goods such as laundry soap, medicines and crop fertilizers. Local children do not have access to school supplies and often cannot pay school fees. This project will expand a grocery store so that it can provide these goods to the families. Profits will provide scholarships to at least 20 children from poor families.

How will this project solve this problem?

Expand the types of medicines, food and housewares at store. Make school supplies available at an affordable cost. Identify children with the greatest need and motivation; use store profits to pay for their school fees, uniforms and books.

Potential Long Term Impact

The store will provide essential goods to eight villages. The school-supply section will make education more accessible to children who otherwise cannot go to school for lack of pencils and notepads. The scholarships will benefit needy children.

Project Message

This store is serving a huge need in the community and, with just a small investment, has the capacity to do much more.”
- Yael Falicov, Latin America program director, IDEX

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).

Resources