Health – as important as education
Basic healthcare services are provided in Guatemala. But what happens when your child is born with a cleft palate or unable to read (the blackboard) or his book due to poor eyesight? Besides not having local services in the village to treat these cases, Mayan families do not have the means to travel great distances. The financial cost to not work for a day or two plus securing accommodations and food while away is beyond their means. Many of the Mayan children do not even get basic dental care which can lead to other health issues.
Parents need to manage their meager earnings just to make ends meet. Annual Maya income is about $700 and can barely cover the cost of food and shelter let alone other medical needs. Amigos de Guatemala is helping children receive the medical treatment they need. By partnering with dentists and other healthcare providers, we are able to treat them without any cost.
The midwives, who assist in the majority of births, received life saving training through Project CURE and Helping Babies Breathe. They learned how to address breathing difficulties during the first minute of life.