Casa Guatemala

Casa Guatemala

Casa Guatemala is an orphanage that cares for the nurturing, health and education of over 250 children. These children come from a variety of backgrounds--some have been abandoned or abused while still others come from families too poor to even provide the basics of a child’s needs.

Casa Guatemala is split into three interdependent sites, each with its own function but working in concert. An infant home/medical centre, located in Zone 1 of Guatemala City, is home to a varying number of children between infancy and 2 years of age. The clinic is in the poorest part of the city and gives aid to children whose parents do not have money. Casa Guatemala cares for these children until they are well enough to go home. It also houses a very busy 24 hour/25 bed on-site medical centre, which extends free treatments to thousands of children and adults per year.

Three-month old boy at the clinic.

An older girls' home/administration office, in Zone 10 of Guatemala City, is home to the older girls of Casa Guatemala who work at the Infant Home/Clinic and who are continuing their studies in the city. They live there under the supervision of a house mother with more independence than when they resided at the Children’s Village. Their work at the clinic provides them with an income and work experience while they continue their studies in the capital.

The children's village, located in Rio Dulce near the Caribbean coast, is home to approximately 250 children between 2 and 16 years of age. These children come to the Children’s Village due to abandonment, abuse, and extreme poverty issues. There is also a number of children whose families live in such poverty and isolation that the Children’s Village is the only hope for the proper nutrition and education of their children.

Children at the orphanage

Below are pictures of the library and computer area at Casa Guatemala.

Public school in Guatemala ends at the sixth grade level leaving students who would like to continue their education to attend private schools. The tuition for these schools is often more expensive than the tuition for elementary public schools because they are private and receive no help from the government. Sharing the Dream has found sponsors for 14 children.

The orphanage receives no government support and is totally dependent upon the donations from people and groups around the world. Some Sharing the Dream profits are given as donations to Casa Guatemala. In 2005 we gave them $6,000 to purchase a generator when theirs went out. We have been buying Spanish books for the school library for several years. In 2005 we supplied Christmas dinner for all the people at Casa Guatemala.

Casa Guatemala helps children born with oral-facial clefts. They seek out children with this problem and work with their families to provide surgeries to correct the problem. Read more about the initial appeal for this very special project and the results of this project.

The Backpackers is a hostel on the edge of the Rio Dulce where people can spend the night. The hostel is run by the orphanage. Starting in 2005 we are supplying the orphanage with crafts, most jewelry, for a store at Backpackers. The profits from the store will help fund the orphanage.

You can learn more about Casa Guatemala at www.casa-guatemala.org.