Simajulehu was founded in 1902 by 6 families, and it has grown to 700 families, or approximately 4,340 residents. The community is located 7.5 miles north of the municipal seat of Comalapa. In the Kaqchikel language, “simaj” means “stake” and “ulehu” means “land.” Half of the population is Catholic and half is Evangelical, and they have one Catholic church and 11 Evangelical churches.
Agriculture is the main productive activity in the village and they grow primarily corn and beans, but also coffee, raspberries, sweet peas, and potatoes. Some people work on larger farms and get paid about $5.00 per day for their labor.
The community has a primary school where nearly 500 children attend kindergarten through sixth grade. A secondary school serves 150 students in grades 7 through 9. Simajulehu also has a health post that is open from Monday through Friday, which offers very basic medical attention and vaccines. Nearly all (98 percent) households have electricity, and 85 percent of the roads are dirt. Daily public transportation is available to Comalapa.
Our Partnership:
ALDEA and ABPD began working with 150 Simajhuleu families in July 2019, adding an additional 150 families in July 2020. All families completed our integrated program in May 2023. Click here to learn more about how we work with our partner communities and visit our blog to stay up to date with the latest developments on the ground in Guatemala!