Bunk Beds

A typical home in rural Guatemala consists of one room measuring 9 feet by 12 feet. This means families sleep together in one room, with many people sharing one bed or a mat on the floor.

Bunk beds make better use of the floor space in these small homes and provide a way to separate adults from children as well as boys from girls in the family’s sleeping arrangements.

Our bunk beds are built by Walter Lopez for $420 CAD each. This cost includes two new mattresses.

Shelving Units

Families often have no storage in their homes for clothing or other personal items. Their practice is to keep their belongings on the bed during the day and then move them to the floor each night.

One shelving unit built by Walter Lopez can be provided at the cost of $270 CDN.

Solar Bottle Lights

Most homes do not have windows and are dark inside, even on a sunny day. Electricity is available throughout Guatemala, but it is expensive for those who are struggling to feed their families. Solar bottle lights are a source of light that can help alleviate this cost.

A 3L pop bottle, filled with water and a little bleach, is fitted into a panel that is then inserted into the roof of a house. Sunlight shines through the bottle and provides the same amount of light in a room as a 55 watt light bulb.

One solar bottle light costs $5 CAD and can be installed in 30 minutes.

Pila with Running Water

Pilas are outdoor sinks with a reservoir. They are used for washing dishes, doing laundry, and often to bathe. One pila may be shared by several families. Whenever possible, LMR tries to provide drainage to nearby grey water sewage infrastructure.

A cement pila can be built at a cost of $195 CAD. Pilas made of PVC are more expensive and cost $350 CAD.

This family has no running water and fills a water barrel from a neighbour’s water source. They do their washing at this make-shift structure.
Pilas

Water Filters

Municipal water filtration in Guatemala is not at the same standard as it is in developed countries. As a result, gastrointestinal ailments from unclean water are common.

Water filters provide a family with clean drinking water and can prevent many of these health issues. The cost of one filter is $80 CAD.