Paquixic is a village of 300 families, 1,500 total inhabitants, located seven kilometers north of the municipal capital of San Juan Comalapa. The area surrounding community is known for having a large population of eagles, a fact reflected in the name of the village. In Kaqchikel, “paqui” means “place where there are many” and “xic” means eagles, or “place of many eagles” when combined. Paquixic was founded over 150 years ago in 1860 by six families.
The cultivation of corn, beans, peas, potatoes, and strawberries is the principal means of subsistence for most families in the village. Some inhabitants work as day laborers, nurses, teachers, and police officers in the municipality or elsewhere in the department of Chimaltenango. The average daily wage of a day laborer is about Q50 or $6.36.
There is one primary and one secondary school in the community serving 275 and 50 students, respectively. There is also a health center that offers general medical services and vaccines five days per week. 95% of families have access to electricity in the home while the remaining 5% do not have access to this service. Only 10% of the community’s streets are paved, the other 90% being earthen roads. Most inhabitants use public transportation to enter and leave the community. 100% of the village’s inhabitants speak Kaqchikel. 70% identify as Catholic and 30% identify as evangelical Christian.
Our Partnership:
ALDEA and ABPD began working with 80 families in Paquixic in November 2020, expanding the cohort by 80 families in April 2022 and again in April 2023. 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 upon completion of our program in 2025. 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 in Paquixic and beyond!