Guatemala Signature Site

About the project

History

Our center, in partnership with Children's Hospital Colorado and AgroAmerica—a Guatemalan banana and vegetable oil agribusiness, created the first ever international public-private partnership at the University of Colorado. Together, we created the Trifinio Center for Human Development in 2011 to promote population health and sustainable development in an extremely poor, rural region of southwest Guatemala (Trifinio).

Challenges and opportunities

Decades ago, agribusinesses transformed cattle and pasture lands into cultivated crops for export, attracting approximately 25,000 people who now live in Trifinio. Given their recent migration and diversity, these “aldeas” (small communities) lack the community cohesion, shared tradition, and culture of older communities. The region is susceptible to flooding due to its low elevation and close proximity to the Pacayá River, which cannot contain the runoff from Guatemala’s high mountains to the northeast. Since most families use pit latrines for waste disposal and shallow wells as their source of water, flooding contaminates the water supply, spreading gastrointestinal disease and promoting mosquito borne infections.

Our impact

We provide clinical care as well as maternal and child health; reproductive health; and youth leadership programs. Prior to the opening of our clinic, no physician care was available in the community. A trip to the nearest city, Coatepeque, to see a doctor was one hour away and costed more than a month’s wages in travel and visit fees. Thanks to our strong partnerships in academia, medicine, private industry, and the community, we are able to conduct research, education, and service projects that advance health in the Trifinio region.