Honor the Mother in Your Life by Helping a Mother in Need
Primeros Pasos helps mothers every day. Our mission is to improve the quality of life of the rural communities in Guatemala through integrated health education programs and access to medical services. Through the years Primeros Pasos has identified the most significant disparities among women and children and we have focused our programs to target these vulnerable populations. Each year we give mothers the tools to become active participants in their self-care, and as the primary caretakers, the care of their families. With your gift...
read moreHelp Primeros Pasos End Malnutrition
In 2012 we started our Nutritional Recuperation Program that helped 26 malnourished children recuperate their normal height and weight. We also taught their families about important health topics, ensuring that the children would continue to grow and live a healthy life. This year we’ll expand the program by working in some of the most remote communities in the Palajunoj Valley with a group of 20 low income pregnant mothers and 30 chronically malnourished children under two years. However, to be able to continue our work we need your...
read moreJoin IAHA’s Board of Directors
Our partners in the states, The Inter-American Health Alliance, are looking for new board members. If you are interested, please see the note at the bottom on how to contact IAHA. And please spread the word to any friends, colleagues or family who might be interested! About IAHA: Founded in 2004, IAHA through a rights-based, inclusive approach to healthcare fosters cross-sector collaboration and provides financial and technical support to establish self-sustaining Guatemala-based community health projects serving neglected populations....
read moreTEACHING NUTRITION, A Volunteer’s Perspective
I started volunteering with the Primeros Pasos and the Nutritional Recuperation Program in October. The Nutritional Recuperation Program works with chronically malnourished children and their families in the Palajunoj Valley through medical treatment and health education. At the beginning of working with the nutrition program, my artistic and crafting skills were put to the test when Cindy, the nutritionist, asked me to make fruit and vegetable crowns for the kids in the program. Later that week, the clinic hosted a celebration for the...
read moreGOODBYE, BYRON!
In October the Primeros Pasos team said goodbye to Byron Quixtán, our dental practicum student who worked in the clinic over the last eight months. The celebration was bittersweet because it marks Byron’s graduation as a certified dentist, his practicum here with Primeros Pasos was the final step in his odontology degree and certification process, but also means the loss of a hard-working and collaborative staff member here at the clinic. Byron worked hard in the eight months he spent here with Primeros Pasos, dedicating most of...
read moreSTORIES FROM THE FIELD
“Thank God that there is a clinic with free medicine that is close to the communities in the Valley. It is a great help to us here. There are many children in Candelaria that need to be seen by a doctor. When kids in my class are sick, I tell their mothers that they need to go to the the Primeros Pasos Clinic.” -Lucía, Teacher from Candelaria “‘Zanahoria! Manzana! Aguacate!’ Kids scream out a flurry of fruits and vegetables, practically falling out of their seats to raise their hands to volunteer for the activity...
read moreIMMENSE NEED FOR NUTRITION PROGRAM
Many people don’t know that the overall rate of malnutrition in Guatemala is the highest in Central America and higher than many African countries. Primeros Pasos’ newest program, Nutritional Recuperation, started in January with the mission of supporting chronically malnourished children and their families through medical treatment and nutritional education, in turn improving children’s health and promoting healthy homes. The program is now in full swing and showing great progress. The nutrition team began the year by weighing...
read moreSUMMER UPDATE
Primeros Pasos had a great first half of the year! We have expanded many of our medical services and added two new programs, Nutritional Recuperation and Scholarships for Continuing Education. So far we’ve seen over 4,000 patients in the clinic, including community members and students from the local schools, in addition to providing educational services to over a 100 participants in our programs. With the help of our new doctor, the clinic is now offering our patients new services, testing and materials. Patients can now be tested for...
read moreMEET OUR NEW STAFF
Margarita Pérez joins the Primeros Pasos team as the new Assistant to the Director. Magui is a native of Quetzaltenango and is currently finishing her law degree. She has worked with other NGOs involved in rural development. Primeros Pasos is very excited to welcome Irma Mazariegos as our Laboratory Technician. Irma comes to us with experience not only from having a private clinic but also with years of laboratory experience in both the private and public health systems. Our new Medical Director,...
read moreWOMEN MAKE THE VALLEY GREEN
Thanks to the work of the Women’s Health Education Program (EBS) the Valley is much more green! Two women’s groups in their third and final year in the program came together to address the problem of deforestation, and in March, began planning a community project. They heard from a horticulturalist on the importance of reforestation, which trees are best in the Valley, and how to plant trees correctly. The women then secured tree donations from The National Forresty Association (INAB) and AGRECUA, a local construction company in...
read moreHonor the Mother in Your Life by Helping a Mother in Need
Primeros Pasos helps mothers every day. Our mission is to improve the quality of life of the rural communities in Guatemala through integrated health education programs and access to medical services. Through the years Primeros Pasos has identified the most significant disparities among women and children and we have focused our programs to target these vulnerable populations. Each year we give mothers the tools to become active participants in their self-care, and as the primary caretakers, the care of their families. With your gift...
read moreHelp Primeros Pasos End Malnutrition
In 2012 we started our Nutritional Recuperation Program that helped 26 malnourished children recuperate their normal height and weight. We also taught their families about important health topics, ensuring that the children would continue to grow and live a healthy life. This year we’ll expand the program by working in some of the most remote communities in the Palajunoj Valley with a group of 20 low income pregnant mothers and 30 chronically malnourished children under two years. However, to be able to continue our work we need your...
read moreJoin IAHA’s Board of Directors
Our partners in the states, The Inter-American Health Alliance, are looking for new board members. If you are interested, please see the note at the bottom on how to contact IAHA. And please spread the word to any friends, colleagues or family who might be interested! About IAHA: Founded in 2004, IAHA through a rights-based, inclusive approach to healthcare fosters cross-sector collaboration and provides financial and technical support to establish self-sustaining Guatemala-based community health projects serving neglected populations....
read moreTEACHING NUTRITION, A Volunteer’s Perspective
I started volunteering with the Primeros Pasos and the Nutritional Recuperation Program in October. The Nutritional Recuperation Program works with chronically malnourished children and their families in the Palajunoj Valley through medical treatment and health education. At the beginning of working with the nutrition program, my artistic and crafting skills were put to the test when Cindy, the nutritionist, asked me to make fruit and vegetable crowns for the kids in the program. Later that week, the clinic hosted a celebration for the...
read moreGOODBYE, BYRON!
In October the Primeros Pasos team said goodbye to Byron Quixtán, our dental practicum student who worked in the clinic over the last eight months. The celebration was bittersweet because it marks Byron’s graduation as a certified dentist, his practicum here with Primeros Pasos was the final step in his odontology degree and certification process, but also means the loss of a hard-working and collaborative staff member here at the clinic. Byron worked hard in the eight months he spent here with Primeros Pasos, dedicating most of...
read moreSTORIES FROM THE FIELD
“Thank God that there is a clinic with free medicine that is close to the communities in the Valley. It is a great help to us here. There are many children in Candelaria that need to be seen by a doctor. When kids in my class are sick, I tell their mothers that they need to go to the the Primeros Pasos Clinic.” -Lucía, Teacher from Candelaria “‘Zanahoria! Manzana! Aguacate!’ Kids scream out a flurry of fruits and vegetables, practically falling out of their seats to raise their hands to volunteer for the activity...
read moreIMMENSE NEED FOR NUTRITION PROGRAM
Many people don’t know that the overall rate of malnutrition in Guatemala is the highest in Central America and higher than many African countries. Primeros Pasos’ newest program, Nutritional Recuperation, started in January with the mission of supporting chronically malnourished children and their families through medical treatment and nutritional education, in turn improving children’s health and promoting healthy homes. The program is now in full swing and showing great progress. The nutrition team began the year by weighing...
read moreSUMMER UPDATE
Primeros Pasos had a great first half of the year! We have expanded many of our medical services and added two new programs, Nutritional Recuperation and Scholarships for Continuing Education. So far we’ve seen over 4,000 patients in the clinic, including community members and students from the local schools, in addition to providing educational services to over a 100 participants in our programs. With the help of our new doctor, the clinic is now offering our patients new services, testing and materials. Patients can now be tested for...
read moreMEET OUR NEW STAFF
Margarita Pérez joins the Primeros Pasos team as the new Assistant to the Director. Magui is a native of Quetzaltenango and is currently finishing her law degree. She has worked with other NGOs involved in rural development. Primeros Pasos is very excited to welcome Irma Mazariegos as our Laboratory Technician. Irma comes to us with experience not only from having a private clinic but also with years of laboratory experience in both the private and public health systems. Our new Medical Director,...
read moreWOMEN MAKE THE VALLEY GREEN
Thanks to the work of the Women’s Health Education Program (EBS) the Valley is much more green! Two women’s groups in their third and final year in the program came together to address the problem of deforestation, and in March, began planning a community project. They heard from a horticulturalist on the importance of reforestation, which trees are best in the Valley, and how to plant trees correctly. The women then secured tree donations from The National Forresty Association (INAB) and AGRECUA, a local construction company in...
read more