Antonio and Catarina have three children and live in a small house made of tin walls and a tin roof.  They have no stove, water, or electricity, and use candles for light.  Antonio has an FTF sponsor who helps with tuition for a course to enhance his weaving skills so he can earn more money.  He would like to build a more habitable house with a stove, cupboards, and laundry tub.  Building a house costs about $3500, so the $40/mo from Antonio's sponsor is not enough. Donors who want to help families construct safer homes may contribute to the FTF housing fund.  

Latrines, Stoves, and Chimneys

The availability of latrines improves sanitation and living conditions. Family to Family has constructed more than 300 latrines.

Chimneys and stoves are provided to reduce the incidence of lung disease from the smoke of an open cooking fire within the house.  To date, over 450 chimneys have been constructed.  The two older photos below show a room before a chimney was installed and the same room after the construction of a stove and chimney. Now, FTF purchases stoves that are prefabricated and ready for installation.

Emergency Relief

In 1998, Hurricane Mitch caused massive destruction in the highlands with heavy rains washing out the huts and crops of residents of ten villages on the steep mountainsides.  The refugees moved what little they had up to flatter, but barren and cold land at the 11,000-ft elevation level.  FTF helps these families with emergency food, clothing, and longer-term housing.  (Some building materials are from FTF reforestation projects.)  Insofar as the families are a long distance from the patches of land they had, Family to Family is helping them learn income-producing skills such as weaving, carpentry, and livestock production.

Community & Emergency Centers

FTF encourages families in remote villages to improve and strengthen their communities.  The photo at right shows some of the nearly 100 men who volunteered to help with the cement work to construct a community center for their village.  FTF donors provided $10,000 in funding to help complete this community project. When hurricanes and tropical storms batter the mountains of the Highlands, people have no safe haven.  FTF worked with the leaders of the remote village of Antigua Ixtahuacan to convert an abandoned municipal structure into an emergency storm center where village residents could go when storms and earthquakes bring rain and mudslides to their village.  Within a year after the center was completed, a 7.4 earthquake hit Guatemala and leveled several homes in this village.

Support Housing & Emergency Programs