Many remote villages in Guatemala have virtually no access to emergency medical transport.  Mayan women eat very little during pregnancy due to fear of having large babies and risking complications.  Villagers may be stranded in isolated areas for days with injuries, complications surrounding child birth, or other severe health conditions.  Because of extreme poverty (70% of the indigenous population earns less than $2.00/day) few villages have  a vehicle, and the few vehicles there are are seldom available or equipped for transport.

This project provides for emergency medical evacuation for villages in the Polochic area by establishing a fund, identifying and equipping a vehicle, training a village health promoter for patient evacuation and the provision of medications.  Villagers who utilize the service are expected to repay full or partial repayment to the fund.

Costs per village:

$200       Emergency fund (Cost for each transport $50.00)

$500       To equip a vehicle (pick up truck) + medications

$100       To train a health promoter