Meet Our Partner: WellKind Guatemala
We are very proud to partner with the NGO WellKind for our Guatemala Yoga Retreats, visiting their team and donating 3% of trip sales. Wellkind provides leadership training and ecological and economic resources from a perspective that recognizes local leadership, systems thinking, and our inherent connection to nature in Lake Atitlán. Visiting this group of game-changers and donating to these life-changing efforts is one of the highlights of our Guatemala Trip.
We spoke with Kyle Weinstein of WellKind to learn more about the history and the future of their non-profit organization.
WELLKIND’s Mission
Wellkind Guatemala, a non-profit pilot program under parent NGO – WellKind – based in California, is currently working in 8 towns along the northern shore of Lake Atitlán, empowering Kaqchikel Maya locals to enhance the region’s economy, ecology, and community.
What are the primary objectives, projects, and goals of Wellkind?
WellKind Guatemala is a grassroots NGO that empowers the indigenous communities around Lake Atitlán, Guatemala through solutions that are holistic, integrative and community-led. We collaborate with local communities on permaculture projects, reforestation drives, and other initiatives to build sustainable solutions to the region’s environmental and economic challenges. Our team is formed almost exclusively of local Kaqchikel youth leaders who have witnessed first-hand how their communities grapple with challenges in deforestation, pollution, nutrition, food security, and education.
history
How did WellKind Guatemala start and a bit about its history up to the present time?
WellKind Guatemala started 3 years ago, with only 3 staff members, and began by conducting an in-depth community census, as well as meetings with indigenous leaders, to try and create solutions for the communities in which we work. Starting these dialogues with local people led to the creation the social and environmental initiatives that our team of 6 Kaqchikel Maya youth leaders carry out in their communities. Two years ago, our artisan cooperative had 15 women creating crochet products in 1 village. Currently, that same program employs 120 women from 5 different villages with fair trade work.
Similarly, our Reforestation program began with planting 3,500 trees in 2021, and this year, we are scheduled to plant 50,000 native trees - thanks to our close ties with the community and our incredible team. Our organization has grown a lot and continues to develop deep connections with the people and local institutions to be able to better serve the environment along with their people.
THE TEAM
The WellKind team is composed of 6 young local leaders that have helped to create the programs that they currently oversee in their communities. On our team, we have 3 men and 3 women who were all born and raised in the villages and neighborhoods that we are now working in and therefore have close ties to all of our beneficiaries., Four work full time and the other two are part time employees. Our team meets regularly in our office to work together and support each other with our mission of creating a better future for the people and environment in the communities where we work.
Each person has a program or initiative that they oversee but we are all working towards a common goal. We believe firmly that having an all local staff is our key to success, as they have an intimate knowledge of the complex community dynamics in the villages we are working in.
IMPACTS & ACHIEVEMENTS
With these leaders and local families, through their Ecology and Economy Programs, they have planted 35,606 trees, built 35 organic family gardens, and recruited 140 women to earn fair trade wages in our artisan co-operative business. They have helped 17 women start sustainable local businesses and supported 155 people through vocational education programs.
Lake Atitlán, a crater lake surrounded by 3 volcanoes, is considered to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. Yet, since 2009, it has been considered a contaminated water source.
Lake Atitlán - WellKind Clean Water Project
WellKind has joined forces with Atitlán Water Protectors to develop nature-based, localized solutions to minimize runoff and clean the water going into the lake. The goal is to create an impactful, low-cost, scalable model that can be adopted by towns around the lake.
WellKind also provides scholarships to young people from Tzununá, Lake Atitlán, and its adjacent communities to either a vocational training school or high school. They have already given scholarships to over 160 people and continue to offer youth opportunities to further their learning.
WHAT wellkind guatemala ACHIEVED IN 2022 ALONE:
20,546 trees planted with 161 families (1,300 people).
35 organic home gardens built with 35 families (175 people).
2 mushroom growing businesses started, managed by 7 women.
140 women working in our artisan co-operative.
40 women artisans organized into a savings group to help them get the most out of their wages.
Scholarships and guidance provided to 87 locals pursuing vocational education.
15 environmental education workshops given at local schools, reaching 90 kids.
challenges
What have been some of the biggest hurdles you've overcome with your mission?
One of our major challenges has been working with the local government institutions of the area as their bureaucratic systems can sometimes be tough to work with. At first we found the local municipalities were not cooperating in trying to bring positive change to the communities that we are working in.
Working with the indigenous leaders and government institutions that are dedicated to environmental work we were able to enact change and collaborate with these local groups in several different villages. Thanks to the fact that our local team has such close ties with the indigenous leaders and community members at all levels we have achieved great success. We have been able to create partnerships with the national forestry association (INAB) to help our reforestation beneficiaries receive economic incentives for planting trees on their land. Our team has also coordinated reforestation and environmental education projects with the local schools in the area together with the national conservation association (CONAP) and we have also received donations of trees from them.
partnership with traverse journeys
What they are most looking forward to about this collaboration with Traverse Journeys and sharing the details of your projects with our guests?
We are really looking forward to this collaboration with Traverse Journeys because it is a chance to connect with more like minded people and share about the work we are doing in Guatemala. We are excited to get some support in our community nursery which drives our reforestation efforts. We also really feel aligned with the purpose at Traverse Journeys and feel that we have similar values when it comes to helping local communities. For this reason it is really exciting to be able to present more about our programs and work with indigenous communities in the Highlands of Guatemala. Our team really believes that travel can be a force for good and we connect with the way that these tours can bring back more than they take away from a community. Tourism can be a great way to redistribute wealth in the world and we are glad to be able to share more about what we are doing with your travelers.