NEWS

SCORE

 

Standing committee of Research and Education

Exchange Program

Guatemala PDF Print E-mail
Written by Goce Naunov   
Thursday, 24 July 2008 11:23
GuatemalaAsociación Ak' Tenamit is a non-profit Mayan run organization working to reduce poverty in the rain forests of eastern Guatemala.

When Ak' Tenamit was founded in 1992, our villages had no access to basic services such as medical care or education. Today, we provide the area with education, healthcare and community development, while supporting the sustainable use of national park resources.

However, the majority of Q'eqchi' in the region still suffer from malnutrition, and lack basic sanitation, electricity, and running water. People drink from the same contaminated streams in which they bath and water their livestock. With illiteracy rates of 80% for women and 70% for men, only three primary sources of income exist: slash and burn agriculture, fishing, and timbering tropical hardwoods.

We are empowering our communities by improving access to basic healthcare, education and alternative income sources.

Ak' Tenamit approaches poverty from a multidimensional perspective emphasizing development both in terms of economics and with regard to participation and empowerment.

GuatemalaCurrently, Ak' Tenamit has programs in Health, Education, Income Generation (Sustainable Agriculture, Vocational Training and Eco-tourism), Environmental Conservation, Community Development, Gender Equity, and Mayan Culture.

Ak' Tenamit uses a system of collaboration and credits, in which men and women from the communities earn credits by providing manual labor or agricultural goods to the project. These credits can later be exchanged for education or health services, assuring the communities' continued interest and ownership of the project.

Being a nonprofit non-governmental organization, Ak' Tenamit relies on a wide variety of sources to enable the smooth running of the operation. The long-term goal of sustainability is a very real one, but with the widespread necessities of providing healthcare, education and community development facilities, outside help remains important.

All the local communities play their part by providing manual labor and what they can in terms of agricultural produce, but there is always a shortfall. Donations of materials from both local and international sources take an important role in our daily upkeep, especially of so many boarding school students. The "sponsor a child program" enables children from very poor families to continue their education and provides them a link between life in the jungle and that outside in the form of continual and regular correspondence. A core group of long-term professional international volunteers give their time, energy and experience to the project. There are many necessities, and many ways to help. Please look for a way to make a difference.

E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
WebPage: www.aktenamit.org

Download: Project Life at Ak'Tenamit: Information received September 2006
 

Voluntary Projects

Ghana Dental Outreach Project

"You can make a smile"


Prevention

Prophylaxis in Kindergartens

Women in 2nd stage

Diabetic Prevention

Oncologic Prevention

Publications

aaa

IADS members


ARMENIA

GERMANY

MACEDONIA

TAIWAN

IRAQ/KURDISTAN

CROATIA

GHANA

MALTA

TURKEY

NIGERIA/UNIBADAN

CZECH REPUBLIC

GREECE

NORWAY

UNITED KINGDOM

ROMANIA/IASI

DENMARK

HUNGARY

POLAND

RUSSIA

ROMANIA/BUCHAREST

EGYPT

INDIA

SLOVENIA

FINLAND

SLOVAKIA/KOSICE

GEORGIA

ITALY

SUDAN

NIGERIA

ROMANIA/CRAIOVA

Members of International Association of Dental Students

MALAYSIA/MALAYA

SERBIA/PANCEVO

SERBIA/NOVI SAD

Your are currently browsing this site with Internet Explorer 6 (IE6).

Your current web browser must be updated to version 7 of Internet Explorer (IE7) to take advantage of all of template's capabilities.

Why should I upgrade to Internet Explorer 7? Microsoft has redesigned Internet Explorer from the ground up, with better security, new capabilities, and a whole new interface. Many changes resulted from the feedback of millions of users who tested prerelease versions of the new browser. The most compelling reason to upgrade is the improved security. The Internet of today is not the Internet of five years ago. There are dangers that simply didn't exist back in 2001, when Internet Explorer 6 was released to the world. Internet Explorer 7 makes surfing the web fundamentally safer by offering greater protection against viruses, spyware, and other online risks.

Get free downloads for Internet Explorer 7, including recommended updates as they become available. To download Internet Explorer 7 in the language of your choice, please visit the Internet Explorer 7 worldwide page.