Heart for the Nations

Lake Atitlán pictured above, is the main source of water for the women who work with Maya Traditions. The lake is their water source for drinking, the place they wash their clothes and the place where they wash their children. It is also the place where algae, fecal coliform,

Guardia, and e coli wash into every year during the rainy season. The situation has gotten even worse since Hurricane Stan hit in 2007 when one town on the lake was literally washed away into Atitlan. The town, built at the bottom of a volcano, was washed away in a massive mud slide, burying 1000 people underneath 20 feet of mud. Since then, the lake has developed an algae bloom making the water more deadly than before. Living in this type of polluted environment results in chronic diarrhea for the children which leads to malnourishment and death.

On their trip in 2010, Ambassadors Jean Schlegel and Joann Rivera delivered 100 water filters to weavers and their families who are employed by Maya Traditions. The group of women pictured here were at a training session learning how to make rugs from scraps of material at Maya Traditions headquarters. Social worker Marcelle Rankin introduced the women to HEART and told them about all the benefits of using a ceramic water filter. Marcelle trains the women how to use the filter properly. In addition, Marcelle coordinates the child scholarship program through the Maya Foundation..

Heart for the Nations realizes that half of the malnourishment in Guatemala and other developing countries is due to polluted water which causes malaria and diarrhea. Because of this chronic malnourishment dilemma, Casa Jackson , another non-profit organization, was founded in Antigua, Guatemala as an extension of The God's Child Project headed by Patrick Atkinson.

A 2008 census in the school system of Guatemala revealed that 49% of the students are chronically malnourished. Among the indigenous population, the rate reaches a staggering 80% in some areas. As of 2002, the infant mortality rate was at 44 per 1,000 births while the under-five mortality was 59 per 1,000 births. In conjunction with proper nutrition, many children are affected by illnesses that could have otherwise been prevented with an adequate daily diet. Over 50% of the deaths of young children are caused by infectious diseases such as malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia, and the measles, all diseases that can be easily fought with good nutrition and medical resources.

A malnourished baby can survive, but often that child grows up with impaired brain activity or stunted growth. This is a problem which World Vision states “affects some 178 million preschoolers in developing countries.” Estimates posit that over 50% of the children of the country are malnourished. The consequences of the condition include: stunted growth, brain damage, xerosis, follicular hyperkeratosis, fatigue, emotional distress, and death.

The Fundación Tradiciones Mayas (FTM) Community Health Program promotes preventative health and treatment of common illnesses through the use of medicinal plants and education with Maya families; simultaneously rescuing and preserving invaluable ancestral knowledge.

Goals

The primary goals are to empower, educate, and train traditional healers, as well as emerging Maya youth in the use of medicinal plants. Through these cooperative and participatory efforts we will help restore and preserve the knowledge of traditional Mayan medicine that is in danger of becoming a lost cultural practice. Furthermore, the project aspires to restore faith in Mayan medicine, and provide access to affordable health care in rural indigenous communities surrounding Lake Atitlán.

Health Promoters

FTM works with women weavers from six rural, indigenous communities in the Lake Atitlán region. The FTM staff will work together with these weaving groups to identify recognized traditional healers in their communities who after training and educational exchanges of indigenous knowledge will form a cohesive team of health promoters providing affordable, culturally appropriate consultations and natural medicines to their communities.

Education

In 2009 the FTM will provide four educational training workshops, to increase knowledge of Maya medicine practices and encourage consistent group communication and unity. The content of educational training workshops for participants include the following: Exploration of the Distinct Types of Medicinal Practices, Conventional Medicine, Natural and Maya Medicine, Prevention and Treatment of Common Illnesses, Identification of Local Natural Resources for the Treatment of Common Illnesses, Exploration of Traditional Practices Related to Medical Intervention, Making Medicinal Products: teas, tintures, and pomadas and The Promotion of Traditional Medicine in Communities.