- 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.
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FacebookWe are so grateful to everyone who donated to our programs this last year!
Together we made a difference in the lives of over 1,500 families, working alongside our 16 Guatemalan partner villages as they led initiatives toward healthier, stronger communities. Watch this two-minute video to hear directly from people in one of those communities, Cojulyá, about just what our 2018* donors' support has meant to them.
Video by Javier Borrayo.
*Our 2018 fiscal year was July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018. Our forthcoming Annual Report will share more details about our 2018 impact.
Installing these properly vented, safe, efficient stoves for the 250 families in Xeabaj, Santa Apolonia, was truly a team effort!
As with all our sanitation projects, community members provided basic coordination and oversight, manual labor, locally available building materials, and the full cost of hiring masons for the construction. Our sister organization, Asociación Bpd Guatemala, supervised the project and supported the local development committee in coordinating the process. And in this case the donors from ALDEA's 2018 tour group, who visited Xeabaj in February, provided the remaining resources needed for this project to happen.
Thank you to everyone involved for a job well done!