Guatemala Reforestation Program: How Wellkind Works From Seed to Forest
A conversation with Antonio Canel Sipac, Executive Director of Wellkind Guatemala In the western highlands of Guatemala, the reforestation program run by Wellkind moves on the rhythm of the rainy season. When the clouds gather and the soil softens, Wellkind’s reforestation teams spring into action. Timing is key since trees planted in dry ground do […]
Reforestation in Guatemala: The Story of Wellkind Guatemala
How one organization is combining indigenous land knowledge, conservation science, and community ownership to lead reforestation in Guatemala’s western highlands The western highlands of Guatemala are among the most visually stunning landscapes in Central America. They are also among the most ecologically stressed. Decades of deforestation driven by agricultural expansion, fuel-wood cutting, and land fragmentation […]
Actions Speak Louder Than Words: What Service Learning at Casa Guatemala Looks Like
Four travelers reflect on an eight-day impact adventure in Guatemala with Somos and Sage International School Casa Guatemala, the nearly 50-year-old NGO educating Indigenous Q’eqchi’ Mayan children on the banks of the Rio Dulce, welcomed a group of students, parents, and educators from Sage International School in Boise, Idaho this past April. Their itinerary included […]
Shoshanna Sumka Joins Somos as Senior Advisor, School Partnerships & Global Learning
We’re excited to welcome Shoshanna Sumka to the Somos Impact Travel team. Shoshanna is joining us for a focused two-month engagement as Senior Advisor, School Partnerships & Global Learning. She’ll be working with us on schoolpartnership development, our educational framework, and helping connect the right institutions with the programs we’ve built on the ground in […]
Rio Dulce, Guatemala: A River Town in the Jungle
Rio Dulce, Guatemala is not the first stop on most itineraries. Most travelers who come to Guatemala head west. They land in Guatemala City, head to Antigua, then continue to Lake Atitlán. The tourist infrastructure pulls them in that direction, and the rewards are real. Most tourists skip the east, which is home to one […]
Education in Guatemala: The Malnutrition Crisis Holding Children Back
Education in Guatemala’s rural indigenous communities begins with a problem most people don’t see. In Guatemala, roughly one in two children under five suffers from chronic malnutrition. Guatemala ranks first in Latin America and sixth in the world for child malnutrition (ReliefWeb), and the burden is not evenly distributed. Among indigenous children, the rate of […]
Built to Last: How Casa Guatemala Has Educated Children for Nearly 50 Years
There is a stretch of Guatemala that most people never see. Rio Dulce, in the humid lowlands of eastern Guatemala, far from the volcanoes and colonial cobblestones that draw most visitors, is a region that is often overlooked by government services and international attention and thus an ideal spot for service learning in Guatemala. The […]
Guatemala’s All Saints Day: 3,000-Year-Old Kite Tradition vs Halloween
As autumn winds sweep across Guatemala’s highlands, small kites begin to appear in the sky. Children run through streets with homemade creations. Meanwhile, vendors sell colorful tissue-paper kites on every corner. Families gather in open fields to practice their flying techniques. This is kite season in Guatemala. It serves as a prelude to one of […]
Building Cultural Bridges: How to Travel Respectfully in Central America
In Central America, a region rich with indigenous traditions, complex colonial histories, and vibrant contemporary cultures, the way we engage as travelers can perpetuate harmful stereotypes or create meaningful connections that benefit everyone involved. Building authentic cultural bridges is about approaching every interaction with respect, preparing yourself to engage thoughtfully, and understanding that true cultural […]
5 Ways Your Guatemala Service Trip Creates Lasting Change
When you plant a tree in the Lake Atitlán basin, you’re not just adding one sapling to Guatemala’s reforestation efforts. Your action would ripple through the community for years to come—supporting local employment, protecting watersheds, strengthening food security, and inspiring other people to become environmental stewards. This is the hidden power of well-designed service trips […]