- Home - ALDEA – formerly known as Behrhorst Partners for Development – has been strengthening Mayan communities since 1967.
- Who We Are - ALDEA and Asociación BPD are sister organizations working together to address the principal needs of rural Mayan communities in Chimaltenango, Guatemala.
- About Us - ALDEA organizes their work around one overarching objective: to reduce chronic childhood malnutrition in Mayan communities in Guatemala.
- Our Founder, Dr. Carroll Behrhorst - Behrhorst Partners for Development – now known as ALDEA – began in 1962 when Dr. Carroll Behrhorst founded Behrhorst Clinic and Hospital in Chimaltenango.
- Board of Directors - Meet the Board of Directors of ALDEA – formerly known as Behrhorst Partners for Development – partnering with indigenous Guatemalans for fifty years.
- Our Partner Organization in Guatemala, ABPD - Asociación BPD is our partner organization–they are on the ground in Guatemala, carrying out this important work as outlined in our joint Strategic Plan.
- Our History - For fifty years, ALDEA has partnered with indigenous Guatemalans to strengthen communities and enhance the health and well-being of families.
- Our Work - At ALDEA, we organize our work around one overarching objective: to reduce chronic childhood malnutrition in Mayan communities.
- Our Partner Communities - Learn more about each of the Mayan communities that ALDEA has partnered with to improve their quality of life.
- Chipatá, Santa Apolonia - Chipatá was founded fifty years ago by 10 Maya Kaqchikel families. Now, the village has grown to 280 families.
- Chuacacay, Santa Apolonia - “Chuacacay” means “the place of the shelter” in Kaqchikel (“Chua” means “place”; “Cacay” means “shelter,” or “hut.”). The town was named this way because there was a shelter where traders traveling from Quiché to Tecpán spent the night.
- Chuachun, Santa Apolonia - Chuachun is located three miles from the county seat of Santa Apolonia and 28 miles from the departmental (state) capital of Chimaltenango.
- El Garabato, Patzún - El Garabato is a small Maya Kaqchikel village nestled in the mountainous highlands of Guatemala.
- Parajbey, Santa Apolonia - Parajbey is in the municipal district of Santa Apolonia. It is close to other Santa Apolonia villages and also those from other two municipalities: San José Poaquil and Tecpán.
- Saquiyá, Patzún - About 100 Maya Kaqchikel families live in Saquiyá. Its total population is approximately 525 people, more than half of whom are children and young adults.
- Xepatán, Patzún - The largest of our partner communities to date, Xepatán is comprised of 380 families. Although no official census exists, the population is estimated at approximately 1,900 people.
- Our Integrated Approach - ALDEA’s goal is to decrease the rate of chronic childhood malnutrition in children under five in rural, Mayan villages in Chimaltenango, Guatemala.
- Nutrition Education - ALDEA’s education program focuses on nutrition during pregnancy, exclusive breastfeeding for six months, and introducing foods after six months.
- Disaster Risk Reduction - ALDEA is working with communities to adapt our processes to new weather realities so that emergency response doesn’t become our modus operandi.
- Empowerment - ALDEA strives to mobilize the entire community to address health issues – focusing on empowering women and youth to participate in local development.
- Family Planning - When families can determine the number and spacing of their children, the youngest and most vulnerable in the family have greater access to good nutrition.
- Food Security - ALDEA is introducing ecologically sustainable agriculture techniques to improve the production of basic grains through the use of sustainable fertilizing.
- Monitoring and Evaluation - Continuous monitoring and evaluation allows ALDEA to introduce new techniques or reinforcing existing ones that are producing positive results.
- Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene - ALDEA works with communities to design the most appropriate water and sanitation solution for that community based on an environmental assessment.
- Our Partner Communities - Learn more about each of the Mayan communities that ALDEA has partnered with to improve their quality of life.
- About Us - ALDEA organizes their work around one overarching objective: to reduce chronic childhood malnutrition in Mayan communities in Guatemala.
- Media - Follow ALDEA on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to keep tabs on how we’re helping Mayan communities in Guatemala.
- Donate - Learn more about donation options and donate to ALDEA today to help us put an end to childhood malnutrition in Guatemalan villages.
- Get Involved - Find out how you can get involved with ALDEA to help improve the quality of life in Mayan communities.
- “Glimpse of Guatemala” Tour – March 16-23, 2019 - ALDEA’s annual Glimpse of Guatemala tour is a 7-night/8-day tour highlighting rural Mayan village partners coupled with the culture of colonial Antigua.
- Volcano Challenge - ALDEA and Asociación BPD challenge you to help us raise $25,000 to climb 25,000 feet on a volcano to commemorate 25 years since Dr. Behrhorst has passed.
- Guatemala Anniversary Celebration – Supporting 50 Families
- Learn More - Learn more about the work ALDEA does to improve the quality of life among Mayan communities in Guatemala.
- What Is Chronic Childhood Malnutrition? - Chronic childhood malnutrition is a debilitating consequence of poverty – causing cognitive impairments and stunted growth.
- Financial Reports - View ALDEA’s financial reports and audited financial statements from over the years.
- Newsletters - Read all of ALDEA’s past quarterly newsletters to find out what we’ve done to help different Mayan communities in Guatemala.
- Contact Us - Contact ALDEA today to find out how you can partner with us to put an end to childhood malnutrition.
- Site Map - Behrhorst Partners for Development – now known as ALDEA – began in 1962 when Dr. Carroll Behrhorst founded Behrhorst Clinic and Hospital in Chimaltenango.
Site Map
Donate Today!
We are a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization. Partner with us to end childhood malnutrition.
Get Social
FacebookOur episode of the Visionaries Public Television Series has several new airings coming up! Please help us spread the word to friends in Salt Lake City, Southern Oregon, Central Indiana, Eastern Georgia, Charlotte, NC, and South Carolina so they can tune in.
Here's the schedule: aldeaguatemala.org/get-involved/visionaries-documentary/Q: When is "It Takes a Village," the Visionaries Public Television Series episode about ALDEA, showing on my local PBS station?
A: For our friends in NW Ohio, San Bernadino/L.A., Oregon, and Syracuse, NY - SOON!
Check this page for details on when and how to tune in: aldeaguatemala.org/get-involved/visionaries-documentary/
“It Takes a Village” tells a story that begins with ALDEA’s founder, Dr. Carroll Behrhorst, who realized fifty years ago that rural Guatemalans have the capacity to solve their own development problems. Capturing ALDEA’s continued focus on empowerment, the episode highlights two communities at different stages of building a healthier future through clean water, sanitation, hygiene, food security, and nutrition.
(Image by Visionaries)
Dear ALDEA Friends,
We are thankful to all of you who have contacted us to ask if and how the Fuego Volcano's eruptions on June 3rd and 5th are impacting our partner communities, and the people of Guatemala in general. We want you to know that our communities, our staff, and our board members who live in Guatemala are all fine. They are cleaning up the gritty ash that has fallen over the past four days, but they have not been directly impacted by the death and destruction that the communities on Fuego's slopes have faced.
We know that many of you, and your family and friends, want to help those who have suffered devastating losses by donating to organizations participating in disaster relief efforts. Right now, the Guatemalan Government is in charge of evacuations, search and rescue, and shelters. As the process advances to relief and recovery, individual organizations will decide if/how they can help, depending on their skills and resources, and they will structure their appeals for funds and other support accordingly. Once we have credible information from local NGOs who are engaged in relief efforts, we will share their appeals for funds with you.
For those who wish to donate funds right away to U.S. non-profits, we know the Red Cross is involved in current relief efforts. The Guatemalan Red Cross has asked for international support via wire transfer (see twitter.com/CRGuatemalteca/status/1004364017295593473), and the American Red Cross is accepting donations dedicated to Fuego Volcano relief in Guatemala (see www.redcross.org/). We should point out that ALDEA is not recommending or endorsing the Red Cross; please do your own research to help you make an informed decision. Over the coming days and weeks, other organizations will surely begin their efforts on the ground.
We are deeply saddened to hear the stories coming from the communities on the slopes of Fuego, and we express our love and solidarity to everyone who is struggling in this aftermath to face devastating losses.
twitter.com
“#VolcanDeFuego | If you would like to make an internacional donation this is the information you ...Dear ALDEA Supporters, We are thankful to all of you who have written and/or called us to better understand the impact of Fuego's eruption on our partner communities, and on the the people of Guatemala in general. The communities in which we work, our staff, and our board members are all fine. Their homes and towns have a dusting of volcanic ash but are otherwise not impacted. Shelters have been set up to address the immediate needs of affected families. Early reports from today indicate 69 people have died, and that number is expected to rise. We are deeply saddened to hear the stories coming from the communities on the slopes of Fuego, and express our love and solidarity to everyone as they struggle in this aftermath, and have to face devastating losses.
Entire families buried as Guatemalans battle to recover the dead after volcano eruption
cnn.com
A sudden, violent eruption from Guatemala's Fuego volcano spewed a fiery mix of ash, lava and gases ...