About Us
The Association for Health and Development (ASSADE) was established in the municipality of San Andrés Itzapa in 2007, as a socially focused non-profit organization that provides primary care services to the poor and indigenous of Guatemala.
Annually, the clinic receives 8,790 patients of which 45% are women, 40% men and 15% children. Statistics, which are evaluated each year, reveal that the major diseases affecting the population are acute respiratory infections, gastrointestinal infections, and malnutrition.
As 6 out of 10 children die from treatable pulmonary and gastrointestinal infections, these problems top the mortality list of Guatemalan Society. Such a dire circumstance warrants immediate action. Thus, there is a sudden need to establish an integrated health system that transcends society, culture, economy and environment; a health system which begins at a patient’s doorstep, not at a hospital.
ASSADE has created a program which integrates all these factors into a comprehensive development project. The project contains a strong educational component which strides to support preventative health efforts, thus contributing to lower rates of infection and at the same time, expedite and solidify development.
The project is divided into two phases: 1) Immediate solutions to the root environmental causes of health deterioration: water, smoke and poor feeding, 2) Solutions to medium and long term- this phase is comprised of workshops and familial training which provide minimal education and tools to help improve quality of life.
This project is constantly reviewed and evaluated to achieve the highest goals of the project- a positive impact on communities and an awakening to the humanization, freedom, welfare and development of an entire indigenous community.