What We’ve Done in Guatemala and Nicaragua So Far

Our clinic in Guatemala turned 5 years old this year, and the clinic in Nicaragua opened over two years ago. What do we have to show for it? In this time, we’ve treated thousands of patients, upgraded the clinics, and expanded our team. Keep reading to learn more about the work we’ve accomplished. 

Just in 2021, both clinics combined had 5999 patients! We have: 

• treated people in emergencies;
• provided life-saving medication for chronic illnesses like diabetes; 
• diagnosed underlying conditions and referred patients to specialists for treatment that we’re unable to provide; 
• performed routine check-ups; 
• helped women make informed family planning decisions and access birth control;
• organized educational workshops on hygiene and nutrition. 

We’ve continued building connections with local communities and other NGOs, and developed a language school that teaches our volunteers essential Spanish skills. We are currently working on a K’iche’ (local Mayan language) curriculum so volunteers can communicate with patients who don’t speak Spanish. 

During this time, health and well-being data in both Nicaragua and Guatemala have improved. According to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals report, Guatemala has shown improvement in maternal, infant, and children’s mortality rates, death rates related to cancer, respiratory, cardiovascular, and diabetes death rates, infant vaccination rates, and overall well-being. While we can’t take all the credit for these numbers, we’d like to believe our work has contributed to these changes and brought awareness to healthcare issues in Central America. 

What’s next?

Recently, our clinic in Nicaragua has been sending volunteer medic brigades to stay in remote communities and offer medical care to people who are far away from the clinic. We are also planning a campaign against childhood malnutrition as well as partnering with other organizations to provide mothers with infant formula and information about their baby’s health. If you want to help us continue and expand our work, donate at he-he.org!