Mil Milagros

Guatemala’s Children

Historical Context of Guatemala

A combination of historical and contextual factors has profoundly influenced Guatemala’s performance in key human development areas such as education, health, and nutrition. Policies in place since colonial times have limited the country’s economic growth and productivity. Today, Guatemala’s income distribution is among the most unequal in the world, with the wealthiest ten percent of the population owning about 42.5% of total income while the poorest ten percent—primarily rural and indigenous—earn only 1.3%.

The effects of the civil war that lasted nearly four decades (1960-1996) continue to be felt to the present day. The war, which resulted in 200,000 deaths and many more displaced persons, was triggered primarily by the fear of “mounting communist influence” and guerrilla movements that had become active in rural areas throughout the region. All of Guatemala suffered, but the greatest impact was felt in the Highlands region, which was and still is predominantly Mayan.

Poverty

According to government statistics, 56% of the Guatemalan population of 13 million lives in poverty.  However, non-governmental organizations estimate that up to 80% of the population is poor, particularly among the Mayan people with whom Mil Milagros works.

Starvation and malnutrition

Guatemala has the fourth highest rate of chronic child malnutrition in the world and the highest in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the World Food Programme (an agency of the United Nations). UNICEF concurs, stating that Guatemala has the worst malnutrition problem in Latin America, even higher than the 35.2% average in Africa.  The situation is worse in rural areas of the country where the indigenous population is concentrated (some 50% of the total population.) While it is estimated that nearly 80% of Mayan children are malnourished, we believe that percentage to be much higher.

On of the major factors contributing to the high rates of malnutrition is that most rural areas in Guatemala still lack water and sanitation systems and many families have very limited access to an adequate diet due to economic and environmental limitations. Malnutrition is often a product of the condition of being “food insecure,” in which individuals or families—particularly those who have found themselves in a chronic state of economic hardship due to a variety of political, social, and environmental factors—have a limited ability to produce or purchase a sufficient amount of food. In rural areas where a majority of the population is dedicated to agricultural activities, families’ income may vary substantially due to price fluctuations of basic food staples on the global market. At the same time, any basic minimum wage they may receive often covers up to only 75% of the basic food basket, making it nearly impossible for these families to afford a sufficient amount of food. Moreover, environmental factors often damage the livelihoods of families living in vulnerable areas and whose well-being depends primarily on the seasonal harvest of certain crops such as corn, beans, and squash. The most common types of natural disasters that occur in Guatemala include hurricanes, earthquakes, floods and frosts. In 2010, Tropical Storm Agatha left behind severe damage all over the country, affecting communications, infrastructure, food security and livelihoods.

Effects of childhood malnutrition

In addition to the devastating human consequences of malnutrition, a study by the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC/CEPAL) has determined that the economic impact of child malnutrition in Guatemala is 10% of the country’s annual gross domestic product (GDP). The study further suggests that if there was a commitment to eradicating child under-nutrition by 2015, Guatemala would realize a savings of over one billion dollars. WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran called the study, “a wake up call to the international community that widespread child hunger is not only a moral and humanitarian issue, but has economic consequences as well… Clearly we will not be able to eradicate poverty in the region or in the world for that matter, until we take effective steps to tackle hunger and malnutrition.”

Ironically, the Latin American region produces three times the amount of food needed to feed its population. “Any program that can effectively reduce the levels of under-nutrition will not only improve the quality of life of those affected, but will also increase productivity,” according to Jose Luis Machiena, CEPAL Secretary General.

School Drop-Out Rates

Only 30% of the children in Guatemala complete sixth grade. Among Mayan girls, 79% do not finish primary school. Without education, these children have very little hope of thriving.

Our Mission

Mil Milagros, Inc.™ partners with schools and families in Guatemala to improve the nutrition, health, education and life prospects of children from impoverished, predominantly Mayan families in the Guatemalan Highlands. Our goal is that all children in Guatemala graduate from sixth grade healthy and able to read. Only 30% of children in Guatemala currently graduate and up to 80% of Mayan children suffer from chronic malnutrition – the sixth highest rate in the world. By feeding the children, we are working to ensure that they complete primary school.

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