Homes for Homeless Families in Guatemala

This year our housebuilding programme has been expanding to areas outside of Sacatepéquez. We have been working closely with the Centro De Salud (Health Center) in Masagua, Escuintla, in various ways as part of our Food and Nutritional Security aims and decided to look there for a housebuild and future housebuilds in 2024.

In September 2023 a Service Team made up of staff and some volunteers from Spain travelled down to Cuyuta, Escuintla, to build a house for a family in need. The family is led by Don Rolando*. Of his 7 children, 4 have formed their own families and the rest of his children live with him and his wife. One of his daughters, Jenifer*, a widow and mother of 4, has struggled to provide for her family. Her oldest daughter, Maria* has a husband and a baby who are also living in the small space. The houses of all the family members are made of sheet metal, wood and tarpaulin with dirt floors. There is serious overcrowding in the small rooms and most of the families do not have adequate sleeping conditions.

The first visit with the family was in May 2023 to check for malnutrition in the babies that live on the land. Two of the children, including Doña Jenifer's grandson, were identified as malnourished, but were not deemed at a high enough risk to come to our Malnutrition Rehabilitation Centre, Casa Jackson. In August the babies were brought to a health brigade that we ran in conjunction with Centro De Salud and the children were better.

In September we returned to the land with the aim of finding families in need of homes. After our previous visits the family was very high on our list of priorities. We had received a donation to build just one house, though the plan is to return to the area to build further housing in 2024. It was decided to build a house for Dona Jenifer and her family. That way 7 people could benefit from the single house.

Over 3 days at the end of September, our Service Team worked hard in the scorching heat to build the house. In Masagua temperatures reach 100°F which means that it is very important for our staff and volunteers to drink large amounts of water and to protect themselves from the sun regularly. After the three days were up, the Bolivar family had their own brand new home to live in. There were many tears of joy and grattitude as the family received their new home.

In addition the their new home the family received a bunkbed, stoves, solar lamps and water filters. This will help to improve the living conditions of the family in addition to their new house. We also held a medical day and invited 22 of the family members, providing medical checks and medicine for the different family members. It is a good start to our support for the family but we still have more to do. 

The GOD’S CHILD Project has been working for 30 years to break the chains of poverty through education, housing and healthcare. Please click the link below to donate to support us in our ongoing mission.