Imagine not having the ability to lock your home to protect the few belongings you have struggled to accumulate. Imagine living in a house with a dirt floor, walls made from sticks, mud or plastic sheets, no running water or indoor plumbing or electricity. Unfortunately, this is the reality of the poor in Guatemala where more than 6 million people live in extreme poverty, and all of them live in houses that do not meet the minimum conditions of a decent home. The Guatemalan government has a building program that will provide 83% of the cost to build homes for the poor. The target recipients of these homes do not have the knowledge and funds to start the application process with the government. The goal of this Project is to facilitate the application process and pay the approximately $75 application fee. Volunteers from a Guatemalan organization, APDGUA, will interview each family to determine that they own the property where the house is to be built and that they have the ability to save the required 17% of the new house. The government supplies the remaining 83% of the cost of the house. There will be some that cannot save the 17% that we will assist. They will complete the applications, have them reviewed by a lawyer and submit them with the application fee to the government. The goal of this project is to coordinate the building of 400 basic but safe and decent homes for families in 4 communities in Santa Rosa, Guatemala. The homes will be made of concrete block, concrete floor, metal front and back doors, crank open windows, a metal roof, indoor toilet and shower, two bedrooms, a living room and a concrete slab with a pila outside the back door for washing. The homes will also have electricity. These families are not asking for a hand out, just a hand up to have the chance to live with dignity. The power is in your hands is to support many impoverished families by collaborating with this project. The goal is to build 400 dignified homes and thus benefit more than 3 thousand people that live in extreme poverty. Simply click on "donate now" and you can change the social reality of many families. Every penny counts, remember that the hands that give will never be empty. Thank you for your collaboration.

Eliu Lemus

Eliu Lemus is the Founder and President of APDGUA. He owns a carwash and small store and willingly donates his time and resources and provides great leadership and motivation to this organization. This is a 100% volunteer organization made up of approximately 500 volunteers covering 30 municipalities in Guatemala. They are committed to helping the vulnerable in their communities.

There are 10-15 local volunteers in each community who get to know the needs within the community. The volunteers’ areas of expertise include medical, dental, legal, entertainers and love of their fellow Guatemalans. They host clinics and projects at least weekly. They also have a youth chapter who assists in various projects.