Blog – Página 160 – Hábitat para la Humanidad Guatemala

World Toilet Day

19 noviembre, 2014/en News EN /por admin

Today is a day to celebrate the ability to use a sanitary toilet — and to make a commitment to bringing toilets to all those who do not have one. Today, there are 2.5 billion people who are toiletless.

Only 54% of Guatemalans have access to proper sanitation services. The remainder of the population uses poorly constructed latrines or nothing at all.

Sanitation is a clear issue considering that an estimated 85% of waste water is left untreated and often just dumped into local water sources. As part of our Clean Water Project, Habitat Guatemala’s sanitary latrines reduce contamination, while our classes educate families on maintaining healthy homes and good hygienic practices.

You can learn more about our Clean Water Project below:

You can help. Give a sanitary latrine today.

2015 Calendars For Sale!

17 noviembre, 2014/en News EN /por admin

Thanks to your amazing photos that you submitted to our competition, our 2015 calendar is filled with beautiful images from your experiences! For only $15 you can ensure that each day next year is filled with joy.

Please place your order by e-mailing donor@habitatguate.org with the desired number.

Thank you!

GT Week 4: Water Filters & Community Gardens

14 noviembre, 2014/en News EN /por admin

For the fourth week of our Giving Tuesday campaign we are talking about our water filters and community gardens projects. With these programs we home to assist Guatemalan families who live in extreme poverty.

Water Filters

Over four million Guatemalans living in rural areas do not have access to potable water. And while five of the top twenty causes of death can be related to water contamination, only 3% of the population regularly uses water filters. It’s for this reason that Habitat Guatemala started the Clean Water Project, giving families in extreme poverty access to clean drinking water, and consequently, healthier lives.

Only 54% of Guatemalans have access to proper sanitation services. The remainder of the population uses poorly constructed latrines or nothing at all.

Community Gardens

Guatemala has the fourth highest rate of chronic malnutrition in the world and the highest in Latin America—reaching up to 69% in poor, rural, indigenous areas. The problem, however, is not due to a lack of calories, but rather a deficiency in essential vitamins and nutrients that come from balanced diets.

To combat this dire situation, Habitat Guatemala uses community gardens to teach families about improved gardening techniques, vegetable varieties, water management and nutrition which they can then put into practice in their own family gardens.

GT Week 3: Housing Communities

10 noviembre, 2014/en News EN /por admin

For the third week of our Giving Tuesday campaign we are talking about our housing communities and their ability to provide families who do not own land, with access to land rights.

Our partner families receive low-interest loans to purchase a plot of land and to build their home, while we facilitate access to utilities and services that help promote the growth of a harmonious community. Many families in Guatemala lack the resources to find and attain tenure to land on which they could build a home. To remedy this problem, Habitat Guatemala invests in tracts of land large enough to build new communities of 20 to 100 houses and develops the infrastructure and public areas necessary to create a thriving neighborhood.

To learn more, see the images below:

GT Week 2: Natural Disaster Prevention and Relief

31 octubre, 2014/en News EN /por admin

For the second week of our Giving Tuesday campaign we are talking about our involvement with natural disaster prevention and relief. Habitat Guatemala supports Guatemalan families in the most challenging times to rebuild their lives. But we could not do this, sometimes lifesaving, without the faithful support of our partners.

Habitat Guatemala is well qualified to deliver natural disaster programs having:

– Been a leader in the provision of sustainable housing solutions in Guatemala for decades.
– Trained more than 15,000 people in disaster preparedness and mitigation since 2012
– A comprehensive ground up committee structure that connects Habitat to community leaders who can influence change and inform us of current need (A 2005 study revealed that local community committees are the most active bodies in Guatemala).
– An established project methodology born from experience.

View the images below to learn even more about the programs we have created:

Giving Tuesday: What is giving?

23 octubre, 2014/en News EN /por admin

Each week leading up to Giving Tuesday (December 2nd, 2014) we are going to share our ideas about giving, and where Habitat for Humanity Guatemala could use your giving heart to benefit families across Guatemala. To start week one we wanted to share some of our favorite quotes about what it means to give, and why it is important to give.