Chuixil, Guatemala
Status: Ongoing
The Community
The village of Chuixil is located in the municipality of Joyabaj in the Quiche Department of Guatemala. The community has a population of about 200. There is an existing makeshift school, comprised of bamboo walls and a tin roof. This school currently serves about 40 children, and that number is expected to grow in the coming years. Members of the community have been extremely vocal in expressing their desire for a permanent structure in which their children will further their education in a more safe, comfortable environment.
The Project
When EWB-USA withdrew groups from Honduras, in which we had been working on water projects for years, members of the Honduras program began to search for new projects to work on. EWB-NEU applied to partner with the Guatemalan community in June 2018 and immediately began preparing for an assessment trip for December of that year. Upon completion of the trip, EWB-NEU made a “go” decision for the project that will involve the design and construction of a school building, kitchen, bathrooms, and access road. This will be the first time an EWB-NEU program has committed to a structural project, after its long history with water projects. We are very excited to take on this challenge.
The Progress
During the first assessment trip, the team collected soil data, surveyed the site, and visited nearby schools built by other EWB chapters. They gathered input from the Chuixil community through a questionnaire, presented the project at a community meeting, and established a formal partnership, signed in an agreement with the mayor and other stakeholders. In 2020, the team completed phase one remotely, constructing a safe concrete school building with plans for electricity, a gravel access road, and a bathroom. Phase two, planned for next summer, involves adding a bathroom with a wastewater management system. The EWB chapter values the partnership and the opportunity to collaborate with Chuixil to meet these community needs.