PRIMEROS
PASOS
(A program of the PASOS Association) Is a Guatemalan women-led non-profit organization that has provided comprehensive health care to the rural communities of Palajunoj Valley in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala since 2002.
“
November 2022
“This year's experience has been good, because sometimes as moms we need to learn many things, there are new things we learned and there are things we already knew but we have been improving. I thank Primeros Pasos for giving us this support, for me it has been good, some of the talks we already know but we don't put everything into practice, but now with this year of workshops I understand new and different things that have made me better.”
Angélica Salcalxot, Xepache community
Angelica joined the Community Outreach project in 2022 with her daughter Ashly, who at the time was four months old and had a diagnosis of severe growth delays and low weight-for-age. At the end of the project, Ashly was one year and one month old with a healthy weight-for-age and moderate growth delays. Ashly will continue to receive treatment through the project in 2023 until she achieves a healthy nutritional status.
Our Impact
We believe in equitable access to health care and a healthy life.
We work to ensure this through our affordable walk-in clinic with medical, dental, pharmacy, and laboratory services and our community outreach program encompassing nutrition mothers’ groups and school-based mobile clinics and health education.
800+
thousand Dollars Raised
From 2010 to the present, thanks especially to our recurring donors, volunteers, and partners.
Despite the difficulties that the organization has gone through, we have been able to continue working with the mission of Primeros Pasos thanks to the unconditional support of the people who recognize our work and the benefit provided to our communities.
18+
Years Serving communities
Thanks to the vision of our founder Brent Savoie, who started the project as a volunteer 4th year medical student at Vanderbilt University. Thanks to his experience with the schools in the 10 communities of the Palajunoj Valley, Dr. Savoie was able to identify the needs not only of the children but also of the families. His volunteer work began in 2002 and 2 years later the organization was founded.
15+
thousand children Impacted
Since its beginnings, the main focus of Primeros Pasos has been children, due to the high level of malnutrition in the 10 communities of the Valley, Primeros Pasos has worked directly with mothers of underweight or stunted children under 5 years of age and with pregnant mothers. In this way, we seek to decrease the rate of malnutrition through health and nutrition education.
Our thoughts
“We believe in equitable access to health care and healthy life. We commit to families having the support they need”
Get Involved
If you would like to support the mission of Primeros Pasos and also help improve the quality of life for those living in the Palajunoj Valley, there are several ways you can get involved.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
All volunteers are expected to be willing to work hard as well as actively participate and contribute to Primeros Pasos’ mission of providing quality healthcare and educational services to the communities of the Palajunoj Valley. Ideal volunteers are flexible, adaptable, open-minded, and sensitive to the ideals, traditions, and beliefs of the people of Guatemala, in particular those living in Palajunoj Valley.
All volunteers must be at least 18 years of age.
MAKE A DONATION
As a small, local community organization in Guatemala, it can be challenging to share widely our important work in ensuring access to quality medical & dental care and supporting young children in nutritional recuperation for lifelong positive impact. With your help in sharing our story and raising funds, we can reach and support more families and children in need!
Please support Primeros Pasos and the Palajunoj Valley by donating today.
Donate Supplies
We are always in need of medical, and education supplies, vitamins and nutritional supplements, and medicines for use in the clinic and our outreach projects.
For more information about our current needs and how to donate, please contact us. You can donate: Medications (generic or name brand) such as Children's multivitamins (gummies, tablets), Prenatal, Acetaminophen (Children´s, Extra strength 500 mg tablets) Ibuprofen (Children´s, Adults 200 mg tablets), etc.