Guatemala

More than a decade after the end of a 36-year internal conflict, Guatemala remains a country of great disparities. Despite the stability of a democratically elected government, the gap between the rich and the poor continues to grow, with more than half of the population living below the national poverty line. The country's poor face the challenges of a highly inequitable distribution of income and land, poor infrastructure, and inadequate health and education services.

While Guatemala has historically relied on agriculture and exports as economic drivers, today the largest source of foreign income is the money sent home by members of the large Guatemalan community living in the United States. Lack of economic opportunities, compounded by the devastating impact of frequent natural disasters, forces tens of thousands of people to leave the country every year in search of work.

Through programs that promote human dignity and social justice, Catholic Relief Services works with the most vulnerable and marginalized populations in Guatemala. CRS has supported programs in Guatemala since 1963. Today, CRS works with church institutions and local partners on programs in agriculture and the environment, health, education, emergency preparedness and management, HIV and AIDS, peacebuilding, advocacy and civil society, and water and sanitation. CRS also supports the Solidarity Development Fund, a microfinance institution run by the Catholic Church that provides impoverished rural people access to loans.

CRS Guatemala is the agency's largest country program in Latin America, with a staff of 57 people. The main office is located in Guatemala City. Our country representative is Lane Bunkers.