Pavit was founded around 1960, 7.5 miles north of the municipal seat of Comalapa. The community is home to 120 families. “Pavit” means “güité” in the Kaqchikel language, which is a kind of tree that was used to be very common in the area. The population is 60 percent Catholic and 40 percent Evangelical.
Agriculture is the main productive activity in the village, and people grow corn and beans but also coffee, squash, and sweet peas. Some families who don’t have access to land work for larger farms, where men are paid $6.50 per day and women $4.00 per day.
Pavit has a primary school, where 120 students attend kindergarten through sixth grade. There is a health post in the community that offers basic medical attention once per week and also vaccines for children. Ninety-five percent homes have electricity, and 85 percent of the roads are dirt.
Our Partnership:
ALDEA and ABPD began working with 120 Pavit families in July 2019. Our goal is to reduce chronic childhood malnutrition now, while supporting the community in building their capacity to address further development challenges on their own into the future. We are working together on:
- Water, Sanitation & Hygiene: A potable water system, sanitary latrines, gray water filters, and efficient vented stoves will reduce the risk of gastrointestinal diseases and improve indoor air quality, improving health and allowing children to make the most of the nutrients they consume. Construction on the water system and latrines is expected to begin in February 2020, and work on the stoves and gray water filters will start as funds become available.
- Family Planning: We provide training and family planning methods so that women and men have the opportunity to decide the number and spacing of their children. Work began in July 2019 with completion expected in June 2021.
- Community Mobilization & Empowerment: Trainings and activities with men, women, youth, and local authorities began in July 2019 with completion expected in June 2021.
- Nutrition Education: Trainings and activities began in July 2019 with completion expected in June 2021.
- Food Security (Sustainable Agriculture): Trainings and activities began in July 2019 with completion expected in June 2021.
- Disaster Risk Reduction: Activities will begin in February 2020 with completion expected in June 2021.