Health Prevention & Development : A Little Bit About the Problems Facing Guat
Guatemala has a population of over fifteen million people, of which more than half are indigenous and poor. The country faces countless problems, and decades of war and instability has not made a difference – until now. Guatemalan society is stagnant, where the problems are known, but almost nothing is done about it. Any relief effort is disorganized, top-down, and paints a meager picture for the future state of the country. In addition, the societal dynamic is dehumanized where selfish crimes are thought of instead of work. Social welfare, which includes group work and capitalizes on the close society of Guatemala, is a far cry away. It is, however, the indisputable solution to such a complicated and long list of problems.
In a country where the long list of problems is only getting larger, an era of complacency is seen as permanent. In a quasi-lawless society, corrupt politicians and leaders of narcotraffic organizations are respected more than non-profit organizations. Lives of crime are romanticized more than those based on education. The population blames the current state of crisis and anarchy for their problems, but never attributes causes to these problems. Fortunately, this crippling era has created something truly amazing in people- the birth of creativity, where people find it in their best interest to develop strategies and find solutions to transform the social, economic, and environmental standard of a dying Guatemala.
Almost two decades after the civil war ended, it has become clear that the status-quo is not working. A vast change in perspective is necessary to achieve a transformation that will make a real difference. The current health care system in our country is deplorable, exclusionary, and inaccessible. It prioritizes health as a final product without consideration of the environmental and monetary costs. Ironically, this hurts healthcare even more. For many years, The Asociación para la Salud y el Desarrollo has been developing this change in perspective in the municipality of San Andrés Itzapa, Chimaltenango. A vertical transition of gender, socio-cultural, economic, and environmental conditions in San Andres recognizes that change is possible and obtainable. We work tirelessly to create a physical, social, and mental norm for the people of San Andrés Itzapa; a right we feel is their basic human right.