Beneficiaries
Number of people benefited by the Intervida projects: 197,212
Geographic location
QXG, the Quetzaltenango TERRA (Territory of Active Solidarity, in Intervida nomenclature), is located in the central and northwestern part of the Quetzaltenando Department, in Guatemala. The TERRA covers 14 municipalities: Quetzaltenango, San Mateo, Salcajá, Cantel, Zunil, Olintepeque, San Francisco La Unión, San Juan Ostuncalco, Concepción Chiquirichapa, San Martín Sacatepèquez, Palestina de Los Altos, Cajolá, San Miguel Sigüilá and La Esperanza. Its headquarters are located in the municipality of San Mateo.
60.57% of the population is indigenous, a percentage higher than that observed at the national level (41.9%); the K’iche’ and Mam ethnic groups predominate. Spanish, the official language is spoke, as well as K’iche’ and Mam.
List of communities
Aldea Cajola Chiquito; Cantón Xecol; Cantón Xetalbijoj; Caserío La Cruz, Cantón Xetalbijoj; Caserío La Cumbre, Cantón Xetalbijoj; Caserío Los Diaz, Cantón Xecol; Caserío Los Molina, Cantón Xecol; Aldea Chiriquiac; Aldea Chuisuc; Aldea Chuitziribal; Aldea La Estancia; Aldea Pachaj; Aldea Pasac I; Aldea Urbina; Aldea Xecam; Cabecera Municipal Cantel; Paraje Kot Bal Abaj, Aldea La Estancia; Paraje Xeul, Aldea La Estancia; Paraje Xolquiac, Aldea Chirijquiac; Sector Parracana, Aldea Pasac II; Aldea Excomucha; Aldea Los Duraznales; Aldea Telena Tzicon; Aldea Tuilcanabaj; Aldea Tuitzisbil; Cabecera Municipal Concepción Chiquirichapa; Cantón Talmax; Cantón Tuipox; ; Aldea Chuisuc; Aldea Justo Rufino Barrios; Aldea La Libertad; Aldea Las Flores; Aldea San Antonio Pajoc; Aldea San Isidro; Cabecera Municipal Olintepeque; Cantón La Cumbre; Sector Pimut Centro, Cantón La Cumbre; Aldea Buena Vista; Aldea El Carmen I; Aldea El Edén; Cabecera Municipal Palestina Los Altos; Caserío Cruz del Mejicano; Caserío El Carmen II, Aldea El Carmen I; Caserío El Socorro; Caserío Las Delicias, Aldea El Edén; Caserío Las Rosas; Caserío Los Alonzo Nueva Linda, Cabecera Municipal Palestina de Los Altos; Caserío Los Cabrera; Caserío Los Díaz; Caserío Los Gonzales; Caserío Los Laureles; Caserío Los Marroquín; Caserío Los Pérez, Nuevo Palmira; Caserío Mirapeña; Caserío Nuevo Palmira, Aldea El Carmen I; Caserío Sinaí, Aldea El Edén; Caserío Toj Wabil; Aldea Las Majadas; Cantón Chicha; Cantón Chiquilaja; Cantón Chitay Zona 11; Cantón Chitay Zona 5; Cantón Choqui; Cantón Garibaldi; Cantón Llanos de la Cruz; Cantón Llanos del Pinal; Cantón Pacaja; Cantón San José La Viña; Cantón Tierra Colorada Alta; Cantón Tierra Colorada Baja; Cantón Xecaracoj; Cantón Xepache; Aldea San Antonio La Raya; Aldea Santa Rita; Barrio El Carmen, Finca Las Victorias; Cantón Casa Blanca; Cantón Marroquín I; Cantón Rosario; Sector Baños De San Juan, Cabecera Municipal Salcaja; Aldea Chuistancia; Aldea Xeaj; Cabecera Municipal San Francisco La Unión; Cantón Paxan, Cabecera Municipal San Francisco La Unión; Aldea Agua Tibia; Aldea Buena Vista; Aldea El Tizate; Aldea La Esperanza; Aldea La Victoria; Aldea Monrovia; Aldea Nueva Concepción; Aldea Pueblo Nuevo; Aldea Siguila; Aldea Varsovia; Cantón Rosario; Caserío Cánsenle; Caserío Espunpuja; Caserío La Reforma, Aldea Sigüila; Caserío Los Alonzo; Caserío Los López, Aldea La Victoria; Caserío Los Romero; Caserío Tuicutz, Aldea Buena Vista; Caserío Unión Los Mendoza, Aldea Monrovia; Aldea El Carmen San Rafael; Aldea El Rincón; Aldea La Estancia; Aldea Las Nubes; Aldea Nueva Esperanza; Aldea San Martín Chiquito; Aldea Santa Inés; Aldea Santo Domingo; Aldea Toj Alic; Aldea Tuichim; Cabecera Municipal San Martín Sacatepequez; Caserío La Cumbre de Tuilacan, Aldea San Martín Ch; Caserío Loblatzan; Caserío Miramar; Caserío Toj Com Xec Xuc; Caserío Toj Coman, Aldea San Martín Chiquito; Aldea San José Pachimacho; Cabecera Municipal San Mateo; La Soledad; Paraje Los Cayax Zona 3, Cabecera Municipal San Mateo; Aldea El Llano; Aldea La Emboscada; Cabecera Municipal San Miguel Siguila; Cantón La Cienaga; Aldea Chicovix; Aldea Chuimucubal; Aldea Estancia de la Cruz; Aldea La Calera; Aldea Santa María de Jesús; Cabecera Municipal Zunil; Cabecera Municipal La Esperanza.
Úrsula Nemesia Pérez Pascual. 49 years old. Separated. 6 children.
Comunidad San Isidro. Municipality de Olintepeque. Departamento de Quetzaltenango
"I have known about Intervida’s projects for years, watching the schools be built, the backpacks and school supplies be distributed to the children, including mine, as well as school furniture and uniforms. Also, my children and I have received attention from the Intervida doctors, who have given us medicine to cure our illnesses. I participate, along with 21 other people, in various productive projects in which we have pig and chicken farms; we have also had various litters of pigs. Additionally, we have strawberry and flower greenhouses. I think what Intervida is doing is important because it works with small children so that they can have a better future, a good life and can progress. It is also good that they dedicate time to the parents, teaching them how to work so that they don’t need to go look for work in other places. Since Intervida is with us, the children have what they need to study. The Intervida staff is always with us and we know by heart the image of his uniform. Thanks to them, we know things which help us to improve at home and the children, in school.”
Improving educational quality
This program aims to increase educational quality in all school centers in 390 communities in western Guatemala. To achieve this, the organization works on improving school infrastructures, resolving learning problems, strengthening community participation in school issues, and offering training workshops for educational staff using pedagogical tools.
Active learning
One of Intervida’s projects to increase school performance consists in training educational staff on new pedagogical techniques, while also providing them with more modern and effective didactic material. The teachers also receive guidance on how to make the cultural diversity in which they live into one of the basic foundations of their teaching. These efforts encourage shared learning and a respect for values, beliefs, customs and gender equality.
- Promoting reading and research
- Providing didactic material to teacher and technical administrative coordinators
- Providing didactic materials to schools
- Training teachers on how to apply the active learning methodology
- Workshops on intercultural, bilingual education methodology
School continuance
With the aim of reducing school absenteeism, Intervida carries out several actions such as providing materials, books and backpacks; this facilitates better learning while also serving as a an incentive for students. Preventive and curative health days, as well as the promotion of sports as a means of distraction at school, are activities which seek to increase the value both students and parents place on staying in school. To address the problem of extremely poor students who, despite showing aptitude in their studies, must leave school to go to work, Intervida offers scholarships equal to the child’s salary to encourage him to stay in school. This also combats the problem of exploitation through child labor.
- Support for school sports
- Scholarships
- Provision of school supplies to students
- Selection of scholars
- Celebration of Children’s Day
- Improving school health
- Comprehensive medical attention
Improving school infrastructure
The “Improving school infrastructure” project covers both the renovation of school buildings and the construction of new spaces which facilitate the teaching-learning process and promote the security and comfort of the students and teachers. In coordination with the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC), the organization renovates and constructs classrooms and equips these with school furniture, recreational areas, perimeter walls, sports installations and sanitary facilities.
- Care and maintenance of school infrastructures
- Classroom construction
- Construction of perimeter walls
- Comprehensive school sanitary facilities (above-ground water tanks, drinking water systems, sinks and sewage treatment)
- Construction of recreational infrastructures
- Renovation of school infrastructures
- Diagnosis of equipment needs
- Support for administrative school management
- School water supply
Addressing learning problems
The project’s aim is to integrate students with learning problems into regular school courses. To do this, educational psychologists use a series of psychometric tests which enable them to detect possible learning disabilities. When a child is diagnosed with a learning disability, he receives targeted therapeutic treatment. At the same time, 25 mothers in each community are selected and trained in hygiene, nutrition and food preparation, with the aim of improving school children’s dietary conditions.
- Nutritional support for children with learning disabilities
- Detection and diagnosis of students with learning disabilities
- Support for children with learning disabilities
Community participation in school
This project is comprised of two activities: The “Strengthening support for educational organizations” activity seeks to promote direct community intervention and participation in school projects. This project is comprised of four activities: The “Strengthening support for educational organizations” activity seeks to promote direct community intervention and participation in school projects. At the same time, the “Parents’ school” activity encourages parents’ participation in educational activities. Towards this aim, they receive complete information about their children’s educational development and are offered literacy classes, so that they can become more involved in their children’s school work and in their overall educational process. The celebration of “National School Day” seeks to increase the awareness of teachers and parents as to the importance of community participation in school. The parents’ reading-writing and basic math “Literacy” activity encourages parents to get more involved in their children’s school activities.
- National School Day
- Parents’ school
- Strengthening and supporting educational organizations
- Literacy
Promoting cultural diversity
The main objective of this program is to increase municipal investment in those projects which benefit the development of children and adolescents. The program’s main working lines are: raising awareness among the municipalities and civil society through training, the establishment of local commissions, the elaboration of a public policy report per municipality, and guidance on the execution of key projects; The creation of recreational spaces and the provision of necessary resources to facilitate sociocultural exchange between groups, communities and countries; and increasing community participation in the management and enjoyment of both traditional and academic popular culture.
Strengthening community recreation and culture
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- Promoting cultural and artistic groups
- Identifying artistic values
- Museums and exhibitions
- Spaces for dialog and debate
- Cultural communication
- Cultural events (commemorative dates, patron Saints’ days, etc.)
- Cultural management training
- Promoting equality
- Youth leadership
- Supporting public libraries
- Sports and recreational events
- Artistic training
- Basic technical training
Creation and renovation of cultural and recreational spaces
This project consists in allocating funds to the construction, renovation and/or equipping of infrastructures with the aim of promoting cultural and recreational spaces in the communities of western Guatemala, especially in rural areas. Intervida also equips these spaces with libraries, cultural centers, art schools, social youth centers, sports installations and playgrounds.
- Construction and/or renovation of buildings and cultural/recreational spaces
- Equipping cultural and/or recreational centers
- Diagnostic of equipment needs for the cultural/recreational spaces
Intervida Schools
The “Intervida Schools” program arose from the desire to increase the number of students successfully completing their primary school studies, guaranteeing them a quality education. To obtain the desired results, Intervida opted for the creation of its own educational centers, with staff of qualified teachers and a strong pedagogical and management plan.
Intervida Schools
The Intervida Schools are private centers, subsidized and managed by the organization. Its functioning is based on offering a quality educational and pedagogical plan so that children with scarce resources have the opportunity to learn under the most favorable conditions. Apart from the classroom activities, the Intervida Schools also consist in a library, a school transportation service, music workshops and daily nutritional support for the students. A parents’ ‘school’ is also organized in each center, so that they can be directly involved in the schools’ functioning.
- Nutritional assistance
- Educational psychology attention
- Maintenance and equipping of schools
- School transportation
- Promotion of reading
- Training of trainers
- School performance
- Parents’ attention
- Provision of school and didactic materials
- Foreign languages workshop
- Areas of complementary education
- Pedagogical resource center
- Educational preinvestment studies for secondary level
Sponsorship
In response to the poverty affecting the countries in the South, the “Sponsorship” program was created with the aim of materializing the solidarity of the North countries through child sponsorship. The collaborator’s periodic contribution does not exclusively benefit the sponsored child, but rather the whole community in which the child lives.
Uniting our sponsors and children
To form a link between sponsor and child, Intervida establishes first contact between them by sending the sponsor a photo of the child along with a personal profile. This relationship lasts for seven years, while the child is in primary school, or until the sponsorship otherwise ends. An annual “Artwork Collection” campaign is also organized; “artwork” is the term used to refer to the school work which the children elaborate for their sponsors. The sponsors receive a drawing, craft or letter elaborated by their sponsored children in school twice a year. The school work sent is determined by the child’s age and school course level.
- Artwork Collection
- File Collection
Program of Community Business Development
The aim of this program is to generate and increase the economic income of families in all communities. To do this, Intervida offers community members advanced techniques in production and return on investment which are useful for training rural business associations or individuals. At the same time, Intervida promotes the administration, organization and commercialization of agricultural activities. This requires a process of capitalization and self-management through funding which Intervida organizes according to the identified needs. - Seed capital: Intervida provides an external contribution, or start-up capital to be managed by the group, with profits being reinvested in the process. - Fund for Strengthening Businesses: external funding is provided to formal and legally constituted business which seek to improve their productive and commercial conditions.
Productive artisan-industrial and services development
This project aims to strengthen productive development by trainings young people in various aspects of agricultural. Together with the Culture division, the Production team imparts training courses to future business owners with the aim of preparing them to promote profitable productive activities. The final objective is to promote work and the labor supply in the rural areas.
- Artisan-industrial production
- Training to strengthen the commercialization of artisan-industrial products
- Community organization of production
- Strengthening of community organization for production
Productive agricultural and livestock development
The “Productive agricultural and livestock development” project works to equip beneficiaries with the skills needed to increase animal and vegetable production, not only in terms of quality, but also in terms of volume; at the same time, it teaches them how to obtain a maximum yield from the natural resources available. Actions are also organized to strengthen the administrative aspects of productive processes, starting with the identification of those groups with over three years of intervention and which demonstrate a strong level of organization and recovery of the initial capital. These then become beneficiaries of the “Strengthening Businesses” project.
- Crop diversification
- Laying farms
- Implementation of community medicinal gardens
- Management of greenhouse crops
- Handling and exploitation of other minor species
- Agroforestry
- Management of natural resources
- Training on the protection of natural resources
- Community organization of production
- Strengthening of community organization for production
- Training to strengthen the commercialization of agricultural and livestock products
- Establishing commercialization networks for agricultural and livestock products
- Participative rural diagnostic
Strengthening businesses
The “Strengthening businesses” project is directed at groups of producers who have been working together for more than three years and who have demonstrated a strong organizational level and recovery of initial capital, as well as strong positioning of their products in their market segment. This project provides them with the technical assistance necessary to create small and mid-sized rural business.
Mother-child health
The “Mother-child health” program encompasses all those projects aimed at reducing the high rates of mother and child mortality. Educational sessions are offered to mothers on good hygiene and dietary practices in order to prevent malnutrition problems among minors and the prevalence of easily preventable infectious contagious diseases. Pediatric care services are also offered to children under 5 years old. Finally, a midwife training project is implemented to avoid bad birthing practices and to guarantee better prenatal and postnatal care for both mothers and children.
Food security
The project seeks to improve the nutritional state of pregnant women and children under five years old. A diagnostic is made on the population’s health status to be able to measure the project’s progress along the way. A personalized plan for nutritional recuperation is established, including provision of those micro and macro nutrients needed to minimize deficiencies. To ensure the sustainability of the process, production is increased, thereby improving families’ economic conditions through new agricultural and livestock products. Good hygiene practices in food preparation and consumption are also taught, incorporating new local products into the daily diet while monitoring the adoption of dietary habits.
- Nutritional diagnosis of pregnant women and children under 5 years old
- Nutritional treatment
- Diagnostic of productive potential
- Family livestock farms
- Diversified food gardens
- Training in Nutrition, hygiene and food preparation
Environmental sanitation
The project aims to improve communities’ environmental and sanitary conditions as a strategy for fighting against the proliferation of easily preventable infectious contagious diseases. Towards this aim, the organization improves the communities’ infrastructures, constructing drinking water systems, latrines, garbage dumps and drainage systems. At the same time, Intervida organizes educational activities aimed at teaching the population how to optimize their natural resources without endangering them, with special attention on their conservation.
- Planning of Drinking Water Systems (DWS) and basic sanitation infrastructure
- Construction of comprehensive drinking water and basic sanitation systems
- Environmental health training
- Natural resources training
- Environmental health committee
- Protecting water sources
- Controlling water quality
- Administration of basic sanitation services
- Construction of basic sanitary infrastructure
- Environmental prevention studies
Obstetric care
Intervida offers obstetric care to women of child-bearing age and expecting mothers, monitoring the gestation process to guarantee that children enter the world in the best possible conditions. Midwives will also receive specific training on the risk of mortality during childbirth, difficult births, or when a mother is past a certain age or suffers from a chronic illness. Finally, necessary care is provided to mothers and their newborns in order to prevent postnatal complications in the 40 days following birth.
- Prenatal care
- Postnatal care
- Training on obstetric risks
- Training of traditional midwives
- Monitoring of midwives
- Training and organization of a local health committee
- Training of the health committee on the identification of the “four delays”
- Elaboration of an emergency obstetric plan
- Strengthening the organization of local health committees
Pedriatic care
The aim of this project is to provide medical attention to young children, following the protocols of the strategy for the ‘Integral Management of Common Childhood Illnesses (AIEPI)’. Among the activities included in this project, we highlight the following: - In each community, a ‘health monitor’ is selected and trained who is responsible for monitoring sick children and documenting each case with a clinical history. - Trainings are organized for health team staff and volunteers on the AIEPI strategy. - All children under 1 year old are vaccinated. - Talks and trainings are organized so that mothers can recognize the warning signs in their children and seek help at specialized centers. - Finally, talks are organized for mothers on preventive health.
- Training of institutional staff on the Integral Management of Common Childhood Illnesses (AIEPI) strategy
- Care for children under 5 years old
- Training of volunteer staff on community Integral Management of Common Childhood Illnesses (AIEPI)
- Training of mothers on preventive health