Hiroko Tanaka

Poverty plagues the indigenous in Guatemala with a low level of living condition. Many live in one-room homes made with cane, mad, and tin sheeting with mad floor and lack of access to clean water, sanitation facilities, stoves and furniture.  

ndigenous village San Antonio Palopó in Guatemala sits on the steep banks of Lake Atitlan, the nation’s popular tourist destination located at 40 miles east of Guatemala City. United Nations reports that 80 % of indigenous population in Guatemala are living in poverty, compare to 40 % in the non-indigenous population in the nation.
Poverty plagues many indigenous with low level of living condition. Average houses are made of cane, mud and tin sheeting and the floor is dirt. Many lack of access to clean water, sanitation facilities, stoves as well as necessary furniture such as bed and mattress.
San Antonio Palopó was one of the most devastated villages by tropical storm Agatha in 2010. The village suffered from a huge landslide that swept away 25 homes, killed 15 people and destroyed the water systems. Many of who lost their home had returned to the same land where remains insecure from prospective storm and landslide, as many could not afford to relocated to safer location.