With only one doctor for every thousand residents and severely limited medical care in rural areas, persistent health crises threaten Guatemala’s social and economic progress. Maternal and infant mortality, malnutrition, communicable diseases, parasites and diabetes are high, especially in indigenous communities.
That’s why HELPS volunteers are working to fill the gaps in health care in underserved, rural areas of Guatemala.
With a network of U.S.-based volunteer medical teams, we’re providing preventive care, surgery and community education to those who need it most. Every year, eight to ten medical teams spend a week working in remote areas of Guatemala to serve people who often have no other way to access quality health care. Each team is made up of several dozen volunteer physicians, nurses and support staff.
Program Impact
327,116
is the total number of patients from clinics and surgeries, attended over 33 years.
US$266
million in direct medical aid since 1988.
266
medical teams have traveled to Guatemala to serve.
25,192
surgeries have been performed in patients and 301,924 people have been evaluated in the clinics through our medical teams.
"To the people who support HELPS International and the volunteers who travel from far away to help my country, thank you and God bless you. You changed my life, not just because you helped my daughter, but also because seeing your kindness and open hearts gave me hope."
