“I have more strength to fight every day”

In Guatemala, Covid-19 has brought about high levels of unemployment, reports of increased domestic violence, and limited access to health, education and protection services. Teresa lives with her 11-year-old grandson, Bautista, in Guatemala City. Working in the cemeteries provided Teresa with a steady income until the pandemic came, and the government closed the area. Teresa […]

Time to redefine priorities

BY CARMEN ALVAREZ Central America faces two pandemics: COVID-19 and hunger. We cannot speak about the impact of the pandemic on the economy without mentioning the structural problems that people face. Several issues include high levels of unemployment, increased violence towards children and women, and limited access to health, education and protection services due to […]

Finding life in the cemetery

Liz Cross, Viva’s Supporter Care Co-ordinator, writes about her recent trip to visit Viva’s partner network in Guatemala City and about finding positive stories in difficult places. A cemetery is one of the last places I expected to be standing when visiting Viva’s partner network in Guatemala City. However, over 2,000 people live on the […]

Dotting I’s and crossing T’s

BY LIZ CROSS Imagine walking eight hours to register your child’s birth. You arrive at the government centre and it’s crowded with people. They are all waiting to do the same as you – there’s only one registration centre to serve 200,000 people. The queue is long. You hear stories of how the internet connection […]