More than half of people in Guatemala live below the poverty line. Illiteracy, infant mortality and malnutrition are among the highest in the Americas. Life expectancy is among the lowest. Guatemala is still recovering from a 36 year-long civil war between government and rebel forces, which ended in 1996. The conflict left more than 200,000 people dead and created an estimated one million refugees. Women are especially vulnerable to violence, which has sharply increased in recent years. In many of the world’s poorest countries, millions of families can’t afford to feed their children, send them to school, or provide them with the healthcare they need. But Action Aid’s child sponsorship program is helping change the futures of young girls in Guatemala by helping to provide them with nutritious meals, clean water, healthcare and education. And most importantly, a hope for their future.
