Covering basic needs of families in Guatemala

Nearly three years after the start of the COVID pandemic in 2020, Guatemala is slowly recovering from its impact. Nevertheless, the country continues to have an extremely low minimum wage compared with the increasing cost of living. Poverty and climate disasters drive high chronic malnutrition rates in the country. Especially in the rural areas, there are still various vulnerable families who are confronted with difficult financial, housing and nutritional problems whose situation worsened due to climate shocks by the hurricanes ETA and IOTA and Julia.

Through regular home visits and a diagnosis of the social needs and well-being of CasaSito’s scholars and their families, our team identified poor conditions of the infrastructure of houses, the lack of a dignified and adequate places to sleep, clean cooking infrastructures and clean water supply, especially in the rural areas of Guatemala. 

Through its Social Fund, CasaSito was able to support 18 scholars with a donation of adequate bedding, water filters, blankets and basic food packages. In total, 117 people benefitted from the help provided. Material, financial and emotional support give parents the resources to better protect and support their children in their education, and as a consequence children’s emotional distress decreases. The families expressed that they feel less stressed and being able to meet some of their basic needs, and knowing that someone cares, encourages them to look to positive changes in the future. The scholars highlighted that they feel more productive and can concentrate better in school since they received an adequate bed. 

Against this background, CasaSito is planning to further help vulnerable families of their scholars to meet their basic living needs in 2023, in order to promote their childrens' academic and personal development.