Oxfam has been working in Guatemala since the late seventies. We have focused on humanitarian aid programmes alongside our partners over the past thirty years, supporting, for example, victims of earthquakes and of Hurricane Mitch.

We have worked with Guatemalans that were displaced due to armed conflict, helping them back into society.

We have also concentrated on increasing the ability of the most vulnerable people to make themselves heard, particularly women and the indigenous population in the regions of the Central Highlands, Peten and the Southern Coast.

In 2003, Oxfam GB-Guatemala reformulated its programme framework with help from its partners, seeking to concentrate its efforts on the following programmes:

Sustainable Livelihoods in Guatemala

Oxfam has accumulated wide-ranging and successful experiences in this area and will continue to give priority to issues such as food security, access to markets and the implications of trade regulations on people’s lives.

We are currently supporting projects in Quetzaltenango, Huehuetenango, Sololá and in some communities in the central part of the country.

This aid encompasses approximately 60 associations and several groups of small producers of grain, coffee and vegetables, among other products.

Investment in technical assistance for sustainable agricultural production, training, the organisation of businesses and access to the markets is complemented with research and participation in debates on trade, public policies and ecology.

Peten- Belize: Development and Peace Among Peoples

The distinguishing feature of this border fringe is that it is the poorest zone in either country. Since 2000, Oxfam has supported projects for agro-ecological production and the trade of indigenous products, primarily in the Peten area.

However, with the aim of intensifying its development programme in this border zone, Oxfam is setting initiatives in motion that incorporate subjects such as the search for sustainable livelihoods, the handling and reduction of social conflicts, as well as the promotion of a rule of a law that gives priority to gender equality and the rights of indigenous people.

Reconciliation, Justice and Security

This programme focuses on access to justice, the right to security and the protection of vulnerable populations in areas of conflict, as well as seeking alternatives for reconciliation. The aim is to support different efforts to overcome the exclusion and discrimination of indigenous peoples and women.

Through this programme, Oxfam supports different projects in the capital city and in the northwestern part of the country, where there is the highest index of gun-related violence.

The projects contribute to:

• the strengthening and consolidation of the justice system;
• the eradication of armed violence;
• the education and sensitising of youth and children; the development of leadership;
• the education and fostering of the rights of indigenous people;
• and gender equality.

As well as providing support for development and humanitarian aid projects, Oxfam GB-Guatemala contributes to and receives feedback from the work of Oxfam International’s global campaigns, fostering the participation of Guatemalan partners in global conferences and other channels, lobbying in forums related to trade and the support of international civil society agencies.

Last updated: Feb 06