El Durazno is a village of 600 families, or approximately 2,300 people. The community was founded in 1978 by 6 families. It is located 2.5 miles from the municipal seat of Chimaltenango. The name “El Durazno” or “the peach” wsa given to this community because there used to be a farm with the same name in the area. 6 of the employees of the farm were let go and the owner donated a small parcel of land to each of them where they built their homes and founded the community of the same name. El Durazno has 1 Catholic church and 9 Evangelical churches; about 40 percent of the population is Catholic and 60 percent is Evangelical. 30 community members speak the Kaqchikel language, and most can speak Spanish.
Agriculture is the primary productive activity in the community, specifically corn and bean production with smaller crops of tomato and potato. Some people work as day laborers for around $9.50 per day, nurses, teachers or in small businesses.
El Durazno has one school serving 600 children from preschool through 6th grade. There is a health post in the village, run by a nurse, that offers basic medical attention Monday through Friday. 95 percent of the homes have electricity, and 90 percent of the roads are dirt.
Our Partnership:
ALDEA and ABPD began working with El Durazno families in May 2022. 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. These projects began in May 2022, with completion expected in June 2024.
- 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 May 2022 with completion expected in June 2024.
- Community Mobilization & Empowerment: Trainings and activities with men, women, youth, and local authorities began in July 2022 with completion expected in June 2024.
- Nutrition Education: Trainings and activities began in July 2022 with completion expected in June 2024.
- Food Security (Sustainable Agriculture): Trainings and activities began in July 2022 with completion expected in June 2024.
- Disaster Risk Reduction: Activities will begin in February 2023 with completion expected in June 2024.