Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, the country’s second largest city, has a population of approximately 250,000, and has an altitude of close to 8,000 ft. The city is surrounded by mountains and is located beside several volcanoes. Quetzaltenango is most commonly known by its Mayan name Xela (pronounced SHAY-la), short for “Xe laju’ noj”, which means “beneath 10 mountains”.

Although Xela is a modern city and most residents have access to the city-provided services of running water and electricity, one only has to travel to the outskirts of the city to find homes that do not have these “luxuries”. While simple homes made of cement blocks are becoming more widespread among those with greater economic flexibility, rural homes are most commonly made from adobe. Although a greater number of families now have access to running water, this generally consists of one faucet that runs into a basin where water is collected for washing clothes or to heat for bathing. Many rural families still cook over open fires, and the poorest families often have to cook and sleep in the same room.

Guatemala has a population of approximately 13 million citizens, and the country is roughly the size of the state of Tennessee. There are 23 officially recognized languages, and more than half of the population is of Mayan descent. Nationwide, 80% of Guatemalans live in poverty, and 62% in extreme poverty (these percentages are even higher in rural areas). According to the ministry of health, 40% of children under age five suffer from malnutrition, increasing to a staggering 80% of children ages 5-12. The United Nations reports that 16% of the population earns less than $1 a day, and 37% earns less than $2 a day, an amount insufficient to satisfy a family’s basic material needs.

Another serious problem that plagues Guatemala is illiteracy. It is estimated that at least 65% of Guatemalans are illiterate. Among the Mayan Indians, only 1 in 8 girls make it to the sixth grade. Unless access to education is increased, the situation of extreme poverty and all that stems from it (poor health, high infant mortality, malnutrition, and reduced life expectancy) will continue to endanger the lives of Guatemalans.