Guatemala is the largest economy in Latin America and its most populous country. At the same time, it is one of the most socially unequal countries in the world: poverty, food insecurity, violence and political instability characterise the country.
Christian Blind Mission (CBM) has been committed to helping people in Guatemala since 1976.
For example, CBM and its partner ADISA (Asociación de Padres y Amigos de Personas con Discapacidad de Santiago Atitlàn) are committed to helping persons with disabilities at various levels, including in education, health, and social and political work.
A look at the situation in the country makes it clear that this is urgently needed: Guatemala has gone through a long phase of violence, dictatorship and civil war, the negative effects of which can still be clearly felt today. A small elite has great wealth, while the majority of the population suffers hardship.
For example, 59 per cent of Guatemalans live in poverty, 23 per cent even in extreme poverty. The majority of them live in rural areas - without access to clean water, sanitary facilities or healthcare systems. This means that extreme poverty, malnutrition and a lack of water and healthcare increase the risk of developing a disability. Today, one in three households has a disabled family member.
Those who live with a disability also have little prospect of a good future. In rural areas, children with disabilities are much less likely to go to school than children without disabilities. As a result, they are less likely to find work to earn a living. This creates a vicious circle of poverty and disability.
Sources:
¹Federal Foreign Office, ²Human Development Index Report 2021/2022; ³World Bank country data 2021; (4) World Bank country data 2020
