On October 16th 2011, Guatemalan President Colon declared state of emergency for the entire country due to the continuous rains caused by Tropical Depression 12E that has caused flooding, landslides and deterioration of the road infrastructure.
Terri McCaffrey, a nurse at the St. Cloud Hospital, was given national recognition in early July, as she was named the 2010 Spirit of Women’s Healthcare Hero.
"HELPS International gave me the most incredible experience of my life. The physicians, the cooks, the members of the stove teams, the translators, the Guatemalan people, and everyone involved in the organization reminded me that even within the darkest corners of this world, there is a solemn glimmer of the sun. That glimmer is hope."
I'm a Guatemalan citizen who had the privilege to work as a volunteer-translator with HELPS International in its first annual medical mission. Destination? Nebaj - Quiche: the poorest of the poor, the forgotten ones. This one week experience changed my life forever.
We returned to Santa Avelina for our second in-service to find out how effective our training had been the previous year. The birth attendants in Santa Avelina had many success stories to share.
HELPS International was honored by hundreds of donors who chose HELPS as a means to alleviate the suffering of the people of Haiti. From all parts of the world we received over $34,000 in donations to send ONIL Water Purification Systems to Haiti.
HELPS International needs your help as we respond to this crisis. We are in a race against time and disease. If you can help, please do so. Each water filter costs $35 and should produce clean water for 20 people each day.
Jose Castro, a teacher from Joyabaj who has no arms due to an electrical accident, heard about HELPS' prosthesis team from people in his town. He decided to visit the HELPS office in Guatemala City to see if the doctors could fix his prosthesis.
As we enter another year, I marvel at what you all do through HELPS year after year. Maybe I can sum up the year through the life of a young eighteen-year-old boy from Joyabaj named Juan Castro.
Juan Castro is an 18-year-old young
man from Joyabaj. He was born with spinal bifida and has never been able to us his legs. Thanks to HELPS' prosthesis team, he received new legs during Thanksgiving week.
Eighteen-year old Juan Castro lives in Joyabaj, Quiché. He was born with cleft spine and has never been able to walk. Because infections in his legs were threatening his life, Juan had his legs amputated. He will receive prosthetic replacements on November 21, when his doctors, Brandon Freeman and Robert Dirksen, will return to Guatemala with a HELPS team. The hope is that Juan will learn to walk and have the opportunity to live a normal life.
Cheryl Weeks-Rosten, a HELPS Volunteer who directs PEPS (Partners in Education Program) and visits Guatemala about three times yearly, changed a grown woman's life, and her own, by giving away the shoes on her feet. By giving up her shoes to this woman in need, Cheryl opened a door of love and trust, which led to an inspiring friendship.
Last night, the Fundación Juan Bautista Gutierrez awarded HELPS International Q300,000 ($37,500) for its education programs in Guatemala. Overall, the foundation awarded Q1.2 million ($150,000) to three social organizations that promote programs in education and/or health care in the rural communities of the country.
This past July (2009), the construction team from San Antonio ventured into a new project—home makeover, Guatemala style. One woman who received this service, displayed unbelievable humility and selflessnes. She taught our volunteers that giving is truly better than receiving.
The San Antonio medical team, led by Dr Mike McCord, traveled to Uspantan, Guatemala on July 11-22. The 80-member team included an instructor and five baccalaureate nursing students from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. The students were fulfilling requirements for the program elective “Primary Health Care in Global Community: An International Experience.”
HELPS International received 100,000 Euros from the Henkel MIT (Make an Impact on Tomorrow) Initiative. The “HELPS Changing Lives” project in Guatemala was chosen out 86 entries for this grant project. This project will be implemented in Santa Clara La Laguna, Sololá to benefit 120 families through programs of preventative health, home transformation, and participation in HELPS’ Corn Program.
Despite threats of rain, 171 golfers enjoyed perfect weather at HELPS International’s 9th Annual Golf Tournament on July 27 at Pebble Creek Golf Course in Becker, Minnesota.
We are half way through the 2009 school year at the HELPS William M. Botnan Primary School in Santa Avelina. This year, thirty master educators have worked with our teachers to improve instructional strategies. The goal is that the HELPS school will become a teacher learning center where rural teachers can observe the best practices. We hope the ultimate product will be a blueprint for how other rural schools can succeed.
Six-month-old Jennifer Lopez weighed 6 pounds when HELPS staff member, Rudy Gonzales, found her at the local hospital. While her mother underwent and recovered from gallbladder surgery, team members took turns caring for "baby JLo." At the end of the week, the team raised over $1,000 to purchase groceries, baby formula, and a water filter for the Lopez family.
TOLUCA, MEXICO--June 17, 2009. The first Lady of Mexico, Mrs. Margarita Zavala de Calderón, visited the HELPS ONIL Stove Factory. The purpose of her visit was to show support for the ONIL Stove project and to see the factory first hand. Since the inauguration of the factory, over 10,000 ONIL Stoves have been installed in Mexican homes, preventing children from falling into open fires, and allowing over 60,000 Mexican people to breath clean air.
On April 7, 2008, President Felipe Calderon Hinojosa provided an Ecological ONIL Stove to a Mexican family in Zinacantán, a municipality in the State of Chiapas. The installation of the ONIL Stove is part of the project "Let's Share," implemented by SEDESOL (Secretary of Social Development.)
The First Lady of Mexico, Margarita Zavala de Calderon,invited HELPS to expand its operations into Mexico. On November 16, 2007, HELPS officially opened an office in Mexico City
El pasado 15 de julio se llevó acabo en el Instituto Linguístico de Verano (SIL) en Dallas, TX el primer Taller multi-linguístico. Para mayor información, oprima "more"
Five participants from Guatemala attended a week-long professional development event in Dallas, Texas, as on-going training for their bilingual education program in the Ixil language area.
In an effort to consolidate support, avoid duplication of efforts and maintain consistency between program goals and local priorities, the HELPS field office in Guatemala makes a concerted effort in this regard.
Over 85 HELPS' volunteers worked at the Hospital de Día on the grounds of the Universidad del Valle in Sololá, a remote indigenous community in the highlands of Guatemala and were visited by Ronald McDonald
The Interamerican Development Bank donates 100 ONIL Stoves on the occasion for the 48th and 22nd annual meetings of the IDB and IIC Board of Governors that took place on March 18, 2007 in Guatemala City.
El lunes 18 de febrero 2008, Galavisión en los Estados Unidos presento la serie de cuatro programas filmada por el reconocido periodista Alberto Tinoco Guadarrama y sus camarógrafos en Enero del 2008.
El Equipo Médico St. Cloud, lidereado por el Dr. Paul Schultz, estaba programado para viajar a La Tinta el 26 de Enero 2008, para una estancia de 10 días, pero por acontecimientos fuera de nuestro control, que al final resultaron en una gran bendición, como nos lo platica el Dr. Schultz.
HELPS INTERNATIONAL is proud to represent the investment of Guatemala’s current and future leaders in the urgent priority to reduce the levels of poverty in the country’s rural population.
Texas-based group fires up a revolution in Guatemala
Safer, efficient cookstoves made available by Helps International are changing lives.
By JENALIA MORENO
I travel to Guatemala in my role as an educator. Twice a year a team of six to eight American teachers draw on their experience to help the school’s young Mayan teachers become better teachers.
HELPS International is proud to announce its recent alliance with the Ronald McDonald Children's Foundation in Guatemala. The Global Ronald McDonald House Charities are known for their tireless work on behalf of children throughout the world.
Hurricane Stan, one of the strongest storms to hit Central America in the past year, caused floods and avalanches killing more than 1,500 people, in the Guatemalan departments of Sololá, San Marcos, Suchitepéquez, and Quetzaltenango. Kraft Foods contributed 2,308 cases of food supplies including cookies, cereals, and beverages. PHARMED Group donated medical and surgical equipment to theses departments.
The need continues to provide short term relief for the victims of Hurricane Stan. In addition, the medium and long-term solutions for housing, infrastructure, crop sustainability, schools and other developmental problems will require attention for months to come.
HELPS International, has teamed up with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network to present the Mayan Artist Demonstration, “Indigenous Vestures and Weavings” on Friday, April 21, 2006 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. at The Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) Orientation Theater.
Una jornada médica en la que participan 94 estadounidenses y 20 guatemaltecos está siendo efectuada por Helps International en la cabecera departamental de Sololá.
The Medical team from Saint Cloud, MN, led by Dr. Paul Schultz, had a very successful mission trip to San Marcos. This medical team saw many miracles happen during their Medical Mission to the Guatemalan Highlands last week.
Friday, March 3 2006 The First Lady of Guatemala joined by Several Board Members of HELPS International meet for the celebration of the ribbon cutting for The Rio Bravo ONIL Production Facility.
Several communities received donations and social services from Kraft Foods, Inc. and Pharmed Group valued at over $60,000, facilitated by the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) with logistical support from HELPS International and the Guatemalan Secretary of Social Works of the President’s Wife (SOSEP).
Mrs. Wendy de Berger meets with Mr. Stephen Miller to request the support of HELPS in the emergency relief precess and long-term reconstruction efforts taking place in the devastated regions of Guatemala.
In coordination with the Guatemalan First Lady's office HELPS sends aid to the victims of Hurricane Stan. In addition HELPS Ft. Worth Medcal Team will be available in Uspantan for medical assistance.
