Blog – Página 137 – Hábitat para la Humanidad Guatemala

The Ixcol Ixcol Family

10 mayo, 2017/en Meet our families, News /por admin

When he isn’t teaching music theory to elementary school children, Herber Fernando Ixcol Ixcol (24) makes his own. “My favorite instruments to play are guitar and saxophone,” he says proudly to us. Sitting on a stool in the living room of his Habitat Guatemala home, Herber strums a few chords, tapping his foot and humming in due accordance.

Music and Habitat for Humanity Guatemala have played a central role in Herber’s life. For fifteen years, he composed and performed music in his mother’s own Habitat for Humanity Guatemala house, filling the space with melodies and harmonies that echoed throughout the Santa Lucía Utatlán countryside. Although he liked living there, Herber and his wife, Yolanda (24) desired a place of their own.

“Space was the reason we wanted to move,” Herber says. “It was the three of us living there, me, my wife, and my mom, but my wife and I want to have kids. My mother gave me this land so that we could build our dream.” He points through the window, where his mother’s house stands merely steps away. “Family is close, but there are no problems. We can be ourselves in this house.”

There have been a few changes, Herber notes. “This house is a bit bigger, but it feels the same way as it did when I was younger. We have a lot of confidence in this house. It’s comfortable, and it has a lot of room.”

It took about three days for Herber and Yolanda to submit the paperwork for house. Soon after, construction began. When asked about the group who came to work with them, Herber beams. “They were so much fun! We told jokes all the time, but they were so humble in what they did by working. The week passed by so quickly, and because of them, we were able to finish our house in thirty days.”

Herber is grateful for the group’s hard work and dedication. “Thank you for building with us,” he says.

Smokeless Stoves: the de León de Tay Family

10 mayo, 2017/en Meet our families, News /por admin

Isabel de León de Tay’s happiness is contagious. She has lived in Santa Lucía Utatlán, Sololá, for over thirty years with her husband, Eduardo (59), and their three children, Josue, Cecia, and Elia. Entering the community, it is easy to spot Isabel, who waves furiously to someone she may (or may not) recognize.

For this reason, when a group of Habitat for Humanity volunteers came to help her family build their first stove, Isabel says that she was over the moon. “Five people came to construct the stove. It took about fifteen days to cut the blocks. Then about half a day to put them together.” She grins at the memory. “They chatted a lot and played with my children. They were so happy.”

For over thirty-two years, Isabel (50) prepared meals in the ground. Speaking K’iche, an indigenous language to the area, she recounts that her old way of cooking was a nightmare. “I used to cook in the earth before, with no grill atop.” She draws block shapes in the air as she speaks for emphasis. “It was a few bricks stacked on top of one another, then lined with a piece of iron, and that way, I cooked my tortillas.”

She feared for her health and her children. “The stove bothered my eyes tremendously. It cost me so much to cook—my health, my work. Everything took so much more time. I couldn’t leave my children for a single moment, because they would always grab at the pieces.” She giggles, cutting the story short. “Now, they still try to touch the stove, which I let them do, because I’m no longer afraid that they will burn themselves!”

The new stove has made an enormous difference. Isabel holds her arms out as if she were about to embrace a large person. “When I cooked in the ground, I needed this much wood every single day. I had to buy it.” She notes that although the new stove still needs wood as fuel, it uses so little that she no longer has to purchase it. Instead, she only has to look for wood once a week. With the extra money she saves, Isabel can buy maize. “So much more maize!” she beams.

We ask if she has something that she would like to say on the experience. She claps her hands together in appreciation. “I don’t have many words to say in Spanish, but in K’iche, I thank you for your hard work. I’m so happy with the stove. When are you all going to come back to visit me?”

Colegio Americano de Guatemala

27 abril, 2017/en Noticias /por Hábitat Guatemala

Hace más de 10 años establecimos una alianza con el Colegio Americano, porque creen y confían en el impacto que producen nuestros proyectos en las comunidades. Con esta alianza también se busca generar conciencia sobre la problemática de la vivienda en Guatemala a cada uno de los estudiantes y a la vez generar en ellos una acción de cambio y desarrollo comunitario.

Uno de los eventos más grandes que coordina la Asociación de Padres y Maestros es la “Noche de Luces”, evento que se realiza con el fin de recaudar fondos para ayudar a las personas más vulnerables de nuestro país; durante los últimos años la recaudación generada ha sido destinada a ayudar a la Fundación a generar más proyectos de ayuda social.

Los fondos recaudados benefician aproximadamente a 25 familias, ya que la donación recibida es una vivienda y 25 kit saludables que incluyen un filtro, una estufa mejorada y una letrina.

Voluntariado

El servicio a la comunidad es una de las experiencias que genera las actividades de voluntariado en los alumnos, así como el sentimiento de ayuda que los hace parte del desarrollo de muchas familias guatemaltecas, creando en los jóvenes la necesidad de darle algo a su país; así cuando se conviertan en profesionales ya tendrán esta conciencia social pues lo han vivido de primera mano.

Otras actividades que se llevan a cabo en el Colegio para la recaudación de fondos con participación de los alumnos:

Tienditas especiales, en la que se venden productos de interés para los estudiantes.

Construcción de ladrillos de papel en primaria, cada niño va comprando su ladrillo para formar una casa, la compra de cada ladrillo va al fondo de donación.

Actividades especiales, todas las secciones tienen actividad especial durante el año previo a “La noche de luces”, siempre con el objetivo de aportar.

Servicio social, los estudiantes que están a punto de graduarse hacen servicio social, deciden donar su tiempo haciendo servicio a la comunidad.

“Hacemos un llamado a la comunidad escolar, a las familias y empresas para que apoyen La noche de Luces, ya que es un esfuerzo en conjunto con el colegio para contribuir con la causa de la vivienda adecuada a través de los proyectos que desarrolla Hábitat para la Humanidad. “ – Denise de Alvarado (miembro de APM).

«Gracias al Colegio porque reconocen que con una acción, el mundo puede cambiar y en este caso se le cambia el mundo a una familia, a través de contribuir con estos programas de reducción de la problemática de la vivienda». -Hábitat Guatemala.

Alumnos del Colegio Americano
en el Proyecto de Instalación de Estufas Ahorradoras:
:/https/www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hyZ1UDIBds&t=3s

Torneo de Golf “8°. Open para la Humanidad”

27 abril, 2017/en Noticias /por Hábitat Guatemala

El pasado 31 de marzo se llevó a cabo nuestro torneo anual de golf, “Open para la Humanidad” en el Guatemala Country Club.

Durante 8 años, hemos contado con golfistas que compiten por los premios en pareja e individuales, el hoyo número 12, es el más esperado pues ellos pues tienen la oportunidad de ganar un Volkswagen Amarok como premio al “Hole in One”.

El evento no se podría llevar a cabo sin las empresas aliadas que creen en la causa de una vivienda adecuada, la cuales se hicieron presentes en el área de la casa club, acompañándonos con su marca.

Después de 4 horas de juego y espera por los participantes, llega el momento más esperado, la premiación individual y en parejas, seguido de un almuerzo donde se compartimos un almuerzo, mientras se realizaba una rifa de más de 40 premios.

Este evento tiene el objetivo principal de contribuir con las comunidades de nuestro país, ya que lo recaudado se utiliza para continuar con los proyectos de construcción y programas como el de salud a mi casa lo que es equivalente a:

Agradecemos a todos nuestros patrocinadores por volver a confiar en los proyectos de Hábitat para la Humanidad y cada uno de sus proyectos y a nuestros jugadores por participar este año, ya que gracias a todos el evento fue un éxito.

Habitat Guatemala Goes International

21 abril, 2017/en News EN /por admin

In late March, Habitat for Humanity Guatemala participated in the Habitat for Humanity International Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. For the first time since 2001, over 2,500 attendees from 1,000 USA affiliates and 50 global affiliates regrouped for a week of learning and engagement. Habitat Guatemala’s Executive Director, Victor Martinez, Board President Renaud Cuchet, and Director of International Resources and Development, Steven Cook, all attended.

The week presented several learning and brainstorming opportunities. Habitat Guatemala worked with colleagues to develop new strategies for finding passionate partners that hope to positively impact lives with sustainable housing solutions. Additionally, we discussed our unique role with Solid Ground, a global advocacy campaign that works with Habitat for Humanity International to provide secure land tenure across the globe.

There were several other exciting moments from the week. We had the chance to hear former President Jimmy Carter speak. At ninety-two years old, President Carter remains involved with Habitat for Humanity.

Lastly, Habitat Guatemala reconnected with partners from all over North and South America. The meeting felt like one, big family reunion. On Wednesday evening of the conference, we dined with over 30 friends from 15 affiliates in the states and invited them to join us for the Spring 2018 building of Habitat Guatemala’s 100,000^th Housing Solution. In addition to meeting with old friends, Habitat Guatemala made new many friends who are passionate about serving others in need of housing solutions. Overall, we enjoyed a highly successful week in Atlanta. We have since returned home more energized and excited in our task to serve Guatemalan families.

Did you want to meet up with us, but didn’t get the chance? We would still love to hear from you! Please send your questions or comments to Steven Cook at donor@habitatguate.org.

Smokeless Stoves: Erika Marlena Lopez

21 abril, 2017/en Meet our families, News /por admin

Erika Marlena Lopez (24) walks with a spring in her step. She is one of the most energetic members of her village and is always looking to get more involved with new community development projects, usually while balancing her youngest child, three-year-old Mabely, on her hip and her five-year-old son, Eliasa, tagging at her heels. The smokeless stove from Habitat Guatemala was just what she and her family needed.

“Our stove was smaller before. It was terrible,” she remembers. “We couldn’t make tortillas with it. It didn’t have a chimney, so smoke poured out of it. Plus, it was borrowed from a family member, so it wasn’t even something that we could call ours.”

Erika explains that the new smokeless stove has saved her family’s life. The new stove is taller, so her children cannot grab the burning logs. And they no longer have to walk thirty minutes to the nearest doctor in case they get sick.

The stove has also saved her family a bit of money and has made educational opportunities a bit more accessible, especially for her oldest daughter, Leidy (7). “Whatever money we don’t spend on firewood, we use for her so that she can go to school,” Erika says proudly. “We can buy her books, her materials, or other little things that she may need.”

When asked about the team that helped build her stove, Erika’s eyes light up. “May they keep fighting for us. We want to thank you for the work that you did. We have nothing to pay you, but thank you for giving us this stove. May God bless you. We are so grateful for your help.”

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The Ixcol Ixcol Family

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