Asociación BPD

Asociación Bienestar, Progreso y Desarrollo (ABPD) and ALDEA partner to carry out important grassroots development work outlined in our joint Strategic Plan.

how we work together

ALDEA raises funds in the United States to support our work on the ground in Guatemala. ABPD field staff implement our work in Guatemala and come from the same areas in which we work, and therefore have intimate knowledge and connection to the language and culture of our partner Mayan Kaqchikel communities. All of our work in the communities is carried out in the Kaqchikel language. Learn more about ALDEA and ABPD’s partnership in our FAQ document here (or in Spanish here).

Your donation to ALDEA benefits the work we carry out together with ABPD.

ABPD field staff come from the same areas in which we work, and therefore have intimate knowledge and connection to the language and culture of our partner Mayan Kaqchikel communities.

how we work on the ground

ABPD staff work on the ground in villages in the Department of Chimaltenango, implementing our vital programs through these positions:

Executive Director

Mario Aragón
Leads ABPD's mission in communities and from the office, supporting staff to achieve the organization’s goals. Directly supervises administrative staff and the program manager. Raises funds and serves as the main contact for the Board of Directors and donors in Guatemala.

Operations Manager

Mildred Tum Olcot
Ensures all procedures for transparency and accountability are set up and working properly. Coordinates with the field staff to guarantee all resources are used efficiently, keeps operations at the ABPD office running smoothly, and organizes logistics for meetings and visits.

Finance Manager

César Romero
Responsible for all of the organization’s accounting, providing financial follow-up for the different projects, receiving all inputs at the office, and making payments to suppliers. Also handles all tax payments and compliance with legal requirements.

MEAL Officer

María Guadalupe Villatoro González
Designs and implements MEAL systems (monitoring, evaluation, accountability, learning), baseline studies, and data-collection tools. Manages/analyzes databases, supervises field data quality, strengthens interventions, and trains community leaders.

Program Manager

Walter Cocón
Oversees ABPD's development programs: coordinates with communities, designs and implements social empowerment, WASH, nutrition, and livelihoods activities, monitors progress, manages budgets and reporting, and provides technical support and capacity building.

Nutrition Program Coordinator

Lucy Andrea Itzol Mucía
plans and implements interventions to reduce chronic malnutrition, coordinates strategic actions with nutrition teams, forges partnerships with key stakeholders, monitors assessments and program progress, and provides technical guidance and training to field staff and families.

Nutrition Specialist

Amy Cristina Quelex Pinzón
Reports to the Nutrition Program Coordinator. Supports ABPD community nutrition programs: develops educational materials, participates in trainings, follows up with beneficiaries and manages area logistics.

Nutrition Specialist

Angelica Magdalena Sotz Calel
Reports to the Nutrition Program Coordinator. Monitors growth and supplementation for children under 5, conducts home visits and individualized counseling, and runs workshops for families of young children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers.

Livelihoods Specialist

Abdías Vásquez Ibaté
Reports to the Nutrition Program Coordinator. Supports the livelihoods program pilot. Facilitates training in soft skills and business models, mentors entrepreneur groups in structuring ventures, and promotes local enterprises through networking, fairs, and community events.

WASH Program Coordinator

Rigoberto Chacach Tartón
Plans and Oversees water, sanitation and hygiene projects. Coordinates technical studies and community diagnostics. Supervises construction of water systems, latrines, stoves, and gray water filters. Liaises with municipalities and community water committees.

Empowerment Program Coordinator

María Ixkik Teny Puac
Leads educational and community engagement processes to empower rural communities. Designs participatory initiatives, provides community accompaniment, facilitates capacity-building workshops, and develops strategic intervention plans tailored to community needs.

Empowerment Specialist

Evelyn Angélica Sujeidy Chalí Sunuc
Reports to the Empowerment Program Coordinator. Implements training for women, youth, community promoters, and local authorities. Facilitates workshops, community meetings, and dialogue spaces to strengthen personal, social, and organizational capacities.

Empowerment Specialist

Virginia Cum Chevén
Reports to the Empowerment Program Coordinator. Organizes local community meetings and field activities. Implements training for women, youth, community promoters, and local authorities. Builds strategic partnerships and prepares reports.