SCAW BLOG: GUATEMALA, 2026: OCTOBER 15
The Final Distribution Day
Today the team left at 6 am to make the journey by bus over bumpy dirt roads to our final distribution at a community school in the remote village of Pumac. This distribution of 723 bedkits only works with the cooperation of the school staff and volunteers. The team of young volunteers from Seed travelled by bus and assisted in organizing and carrying out the distribution.
These volunteers anticipate what is needed and jump right in. It is amazing how the SCAW team with a little bit of Spanish and lots of gestures can communicate.
Today the team worked through a difficult situation where some components of certain bedkits had not been taken off the truck during the delivery to the community. Fortunately they were located and will be given to the children by Noe and his team.
The team visited two modest homes of bedkit recipients.
One interesting component of these homes was the loft for drying corn. Corn is the basis of their diet with corn tortillas eaten three times a day. To reach the loft they constructed a traditional Mayan ladder.
In total, during our time here there were 4000 bedkits delivered and our team will sleep well, knowing that 4000 more children have a chance to have a good night’s sleep. Thanks to our volunteers, our partners and our donors.
Team Guatemala, 2026
Seeds of Innovation for Sustainable Development 🇬🇹 + SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW BLOG: GUATEMALA, 2026: OCTOBER 13
During our time here, I have noticed how vibrant the community is. We have been invited to a party to celebrate the opening of the Main Street that has been under construction for over a year. We have experienced fireworks for the celebration of All Saints Day, there has been a parade of the Church statues, and a 40 km bike race to raise funds for a road safety Initiative for children. We also shared the facility with children practicing chess.
This area of Guatemala is primarily inhabited by Mayan people who speak Poqomchi, one of the 21 dialects of the Mayans of Guatemala. Many of the parents sign for their child’s registration for a bedkit with a thumb print. The small children often spend their first year of school with a teacher who can speak their language and gradually introduce Spanish. Coming to the big community centre with hundreds of strange people was a challenge for parents and children alike. Having their picture taken was a novelty for many.
Many mothers waiting for their child to receive the bedkit carried their babies in a traditional wrap. We rarely heard any crying! The mothers are very gentle and calm with their children. Although the women are often short, they can carry the heavy bedkit on their head with a baby on their back and walk away smiling.
Teachers accompany their students to the distribution. On Sunday, the principal and all the teachers travelled two hours each way to assist their students. What dedication!
Team Guatemala, 2026
Seeds of Innovation for Sustainable Development 🇬🇹 + SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW BLOG: GUATEMALA, 2026: OCTOBER 12
The geography of Guatemala is very mountainous and travel can be a challenge for many people as they do not have personal transportation. After landing in Guatemala City our team of 6 flew on 2 small planes to the city of Coban which took 40 minutes followed by a 45 minute drive to San Cristobal. The other option would be to drive from Guatemala City to San Cristobal which is about 10 hours on a good day.
San Cristobal is the primary site of our bedkit distribution and is comprised of approximately 60,000 residents. Most of the streets are quite hilly.
Some of the children receiving a bedkit travel as far as 2 hours to San Cristobal via municipal bus. They then travel home with their bedkit and a parent either by bus or arrange a ride with neighbours and then walk a distance to their home.
Although we are near the end of their rainy season it is quite cool in the morning and at night. The hooded sweatsuit the children receive as part of the bedkit helps keep them warm and provides full cover to protect them from mosquitoes. The mosquito net in their bedkit will help protect them from Dengue fever. As we walk around town we often see children wearing their new sweatsuits.
Team Guatemala, 2026
Seeds of Innovation for Sustainable Development 🇬🇹 + SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW BLOG: GUATEMALA, 2026: OCT. 11
We finished our third day of distributions at San Cristobal, Guatemala. Five hundred and ninety-one bedkits were given out to children in record time in a smooth and efficient manner.
This would not have been possible without the tremendous help of the volunteers. These kids were from fifteen to eighteen, and were energetic and quick to learn their assigned duties.
Our Volunteers
They helped with everything from administration, handing out the clothing for the children to dress in, assisting children when needed, getting school supplies into their backpacks, getting them into the right position for picture taking, assisting handing over bedkits and finally, making sure the child connected with the right parent or guardian. This area is of great importance and it was most beneficial that the volunteers spoke Spanish and were able to communicate with the children and able to pronounce their names correctly when calling for the parents.
Lining up for picture taking
Assigning changing rooms
Parents/Guardians lined up to get their child
As you can see, to get a child in and out takes many hands and a special thank you goes out to Noe (our guide) for getting alĺ the volunteers (approximately 60 over the course of the distribution period) and being at our beck and call both before the SCAW team arrived and ever since.
Our many blessings to each and every one of them.
Team Guatemala, 2026
Seeds of Innovation for Sustainable Development 🇬🇹 + SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW BLOG: GUATEMALA, 2026: October 10
Wow! We were so impressed to see the young volunteers all set up and we had a steady flow of excited children and their teachers all day.
Each child received a track suit, girls in hot pink and boys in navy or grey. It was a real pleasure to see the pride of the boys and girls as they realized that they now had a hoodie, something warm to wear on the cold mountain nights.
The mosquito nets were well received as the beautiful untouched forests guaranteed mosquitos from dusk to dawn. There were three lined notebooks, a number of pencils and a pencil sharpener, and a pen that we squeezed into their pink or blue backpacks, along with a grey blanket. Each large, thick mattress had a colourful printed exterior and was luckily tucked into a waterproof reusable bag.
Luckily, because this afternoon we had a torrential downpour that was so heavy and prolonged that the community centre in the large municipal office building we were in had water quickly oozing in under each door and some windows. We had to quickly adapt our process to keep the waiting parents and siblings dry.
It was amazing to see the mothers, some carrying a younger sibling, take the huge mattress onto their heads and leave with their happy children.
Team Guatemala, 2026
Seeds of Innovation for Sustainable Development 🇬🇹 + SCAW 🇨🇦
SCAW BLOG: guatemala, 2026: October 9
The SCAW team received a warm welcome to San Cristobal today. We were greeted by hundreds of excited children waving blue, white and red balloons representing the Guatemalan and Canadian flags.
This was followed by live music, a performance of traditional dance, singing of the Guatemalan and Canadian national anthems and listening to endearing words from the town's mayor and the Minister of Education for the municipality.
It was a wonderful first day - particularly for the 310 children who received a bedkit. Details to follow tomorrow about the bedkit contents.
Team Guatemala, 2026
Seeds of Innovation for Sustainable Development 🇬🇹 + SCAW 🇨🇦