CARE International’s history in Guatemala
CARE started working in Guatemala in 1959 to support school meal programs for children living in poverty. One year later, CARE and our partners launched a pilot school feeding program in 100 schools across the country.
Over the following decades, we expanded our work to address a wider range of urgent needs. This included improving access to safe drinking water and sanitation, supporting primary health services, and helping families access small loans to start or grow businesses.
After the massive earthquake in 1976 – the largest in the country’s recent history – CARE worked alongside affected communities to save lives and help communities recover.
Today, CARE Guatemala focuses on addressing the root causes of poverty, inequality, discrimination, and violence, which remain among the highest in Latin America. Our work prioritizes women, Indigenous Peoples, and young people, who are disproportionately affected by poverty and injustice.
CARE and partners’ work in Guatemala today
CARE Guatemala and our partners place women and girls at the centre of the work. We focus on helping communities build safer, more stable futures through two interconnected pillars:
- Sustainable Futures: focuses on strengthening livelihoods, leadership, and economic opportunities for women and young people.
- Resilient Communities: supports communities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters and climate-related challenges.
Across these pillars, CARE’s work includes:
Making the economy work for women
CARE works with women and young people, especially in Indigenous and rural communities, to expand livelihood opportunities and strengthen leadership. Programs support families to improve food security and nutrition, build small businesses, and develop skills that help them earn stable incomes. We also support access to markets, financial services, and digital tools that expand economic opportunities.
Food and water
CARE supports communities to improve food security and nutrition, particularly for families facing poverty and limited access to resources. We help strengthen local food production and support women producers and caregivers who play a key role in feeding their families.
Climate
Many communities in Guatemala face increasing climate pressures that affect farming and livelihoods. We work with communities to protect natural resources and promote sustainable livelihoods that help families adapt to climate change.
Crisis response
CARE partners with communities to prepare for and respond to disasters and other crises. We support emergency response and help families rebuild their livelihoods after disasters.
Focus on women and girls
Women and girls are central to CARE Guatemala’s work.
Women and girls often experience the greatest impacts from poverty, disasters, and inequality. At the same time, they play a key role in strengthening their communities and driving change.
CARE and our partners support women and girls to:
- Strengthen economic opportunities and take part in decisions within their households and communities
- Contribute to community efforts to prepare for and respond to disasters and climate impacts
- Improve food security and nutrition by supporting women producers and caregivers
- Strengthen women-led and women’s rights organizations
For example, CARE works with AMMUDIS (Asociación Multicultural de Mujeres para el Desarrollo Integral y Sostenible), a women-led organization based in Livingston, Izabal, that works to protect and promote women’s rights. Together, we support community-based protection services and help strengthen the organization so it can continue expanding its work, including raising awareness and preparedness around disaster risks that affect women most.
For recent updates on CARE Guatemala, see here.
