Along the northern shore of Lake Atitlán, 99% of residents are indigenous Kaqchikel Mayan.  Among these communities, 70% of people live in poverty, 66% of children under age 5 are stunted due to poor nutrition, and only 8% of women are employed.  Environmental issues compound the region’s economic and social challenges. Lake Atitlán is Central America’s largest drinking water source.  However, threats to environmental and human health include untreated sewage, habitat degradation, loss of forest cover,  and vulnerability to climate change. 

One Day’s Wages partnered with WellKind Guatemala to empower Kaqchikel communities to lead social and environmental programs that enhance ecological and economic diversity, resilience and integrity.  Through our partnership, WellKind’s fair-trade artisan cooperative expanded to include 55 new members who are earning income from beaded products.  To improve health outcomes, women participated in nutrition workshops and learned climate-smart methods of food production through WellKind’s demonstration permaculture garden.  In addition, ODW grant funds enabled community members to plant 22,000 multi-purpose trees that enhance erosion control, water filtration, and carbon sequestration, and provide a sustainable source of firewood and nutritious fruits.  Reforestation has resulted in a 33% increase in the volume of water available at the local spring, and a much stronger understanding of the connection between forest cover and water availability!