© Rony Mejía/Counterpart International
In the aftermath of tropical storm Agatha, which ripped through Guatemala in late May, Counterpart International (Counterpart) has extended support to cleanup efforts throughout the Lake Atitlán region of southern Guatemala.
Mudslides forced families out of their homes, wind and rain destroyed roads and Lake Atitlán was left overflowing with garbage. While the communities’ basic needs have been met through reconstruction efforts, it is also important that Counterpart focus on the cleanliness of Lake Atitlán to protect the communities’ livelihood. This region is a premier tourist destination for the country, so its appeal to tourists is crucial for the area’s economic well-being.
Counterpart’s work in Guatemala supports a large number of community-based tourism enterprises in rural areas. Our work with small and medium enterprises, in providing marketing, product design and financial services, is only a part of the plan to enhance the capacity of the local community to co-manage and conserve cultural resources through tourism.
On June 10th, we partnered with Sololá’s Tourism Commission, and with help from local municipalities, private businesses, local schools and volunteers, we implemented a massive trash and debris pickup along the edge of Lake Atitlán.
The event attracted much attention throughout the community, and as the day continued, over 700 students and 500 volunteers were present and working hard to collect trash left from the tropical storm.
In all, 12 tons of organic debris, 2 tons of PET plastic, 200 pounds of glass and 1 ton of wood was collected from the area.
Counterpart continues its support to and participation in successive cleanup efforts as well as in strategic planning initiatives focused on reducing future vulnerability.
To learn more about Counterpart’s work in Guatemala, visit our website.