Where We Work

Common Hope’s work is centered in Guatemala, which is a beautiful and desperately poor country.

About the size of Tennessee, Guatemala has tropical rainforests, beaches, mountains, and volcanoes. It is home to spectacular Mayan ruins like Tikal, the intriguing colonial city of Antigua, and vast urban centers like Guatemala City.

Thirteen million people live in Guatemala. About half of the population is indigenous (primarily Mayan), and the rest are Ladino/Mestizo. The official language is Spanish, but many people speak different indigenous languages as well. There are over 20 registered languages in the country.

Although many people are farmers and raise crops such as coffee, sugar, and bananas for export, at least 18% of children are malnourished.  For many it is difficult to find work that pays a living wage, and over 56% of the population lives below the country’s poverty line.  Education is not free in Guatemala, and many families cannot afford to send their children to school.  Health care is limited to one doctor for every 1,100 people.   

Common Hope works in a variety of places throughout Guatemala. In Antigua, our Family Development Center is a bustling hub where thousands of people come for medical care, social work support, tutoring, and more. Near Guatemala City, we have built New Hope Village and a new primary school, now attended by 270 students.  In the indigenous village of San Rafael, we have recently affiliated over 150 new students and their families.  In the Ixcán jungle, we help run a school attended by over 80 students.

Primary Sources: BBC, IDEX, U.S. State Department, Population Reference Bureau, CIA Factbook, UN Human Development Report.

back to top