October 2025 Build Trip

Two homes were built and below is information on each family.

Tuc Morales family
Marvin works as a fumigator on a farm that exports blackberries. He works Monday through Saturday and earns Q1,200 every two weeks. Doña Carla doesn’t work; she only takes care of her home and children. Marvin and Carla have been together for eight years. They began living with Carla’s parents, but later received an inheritance from Carla’s father, who left them a piece of land for which they now have the property deeds in their possession. The family lives in a house made of corrugated metal sheets with a dirt floor, which is in poor condition. They do not have a proper kitchen, so they cook using firewood in the same room, which is really bad for their health. Although they have access to electricity, running water, and sewage services, given their inadequate living conditions and lack of resources to build a proper home, they more than meet the criteria for housing assistance.

Gomez Morales family

Maria is a single mother of two children. When her youngest son was just 7 months old, his father abandoned them. She took legal action for child support, but he has yet to take responsibility. Her son, Oscar, lives with thyroid issues and Down syndrome, which requires therapy every 8 days at the Margarita Tejada Foundation in Antigua Guatemala. The cost for these therapies, along with travel expenses, reaches Q600 a month, creating a significant financial strain for her. Maria works harvesting blackberries on a farm and earns Q1,500. However, this amount is reduced by the days she needs to miss work, which is typically four days a month due to Oscar’s therapy appointments. Maria resides on land that she inherited from her father, and she has the property deeds in her possession. The family lives in a house made of corrugated metal sheets with a dirt floor, which is in poor condition. The house has leaks, and there is a lot of humidity, which leads to frequent respiratory illnesses and mold exposure. They do not have a proper kitchen, so they cook using firewood in the same room, which is really bad for their health. Although they have access to electricity, running water, and sewage services, given their inadequate living conditions and lack of resources to build a proper home, they more than meet the criteria for housing assistance.

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