Country: Guatemala

Organization: Director of Development,Transitions Foundation of Guatemala

Idea: Mobilizing disabled Guatemalans through health, rehabilitation, education, spiritual development, leadership skills and social integration.

47% of Guatemalans are illiterate. The average Guatemalan makes less than $150 per month. Disabled Guatemalans get no financial aid from the Guatemalan government and must rely solely on poor family members. The Transitions Foundation is committed to making a difference in the lives of people who may otherwise have no opportunities to grow, to learn and become productive contributors to their own culture. We show that individuals with disabilities can lead producitve lives given equal opportunities. As Alex Galvez, our co-founder says "We don't just treat the disability, we treat the whole person. "

How do you do it: We take medically fragile individuals, get them the necessary interventions and treatments they need to bring them back to a stable condition and continue rehabilitation as needed. We then put them into education programs in the community at whatever level they need to be according to past education (if any). We also, if it appropriate, get them into job training programs. Currently we support a wheelchair workshop (where there are people in wheelchairs building wheelchairs) a prosthetic and orthotics shop and a graphic design and printing program. We now support 75 individuals in primary and secondary education and 6 at the University level. In certain cases, we also support and even employ family members in our programming.

Innovation: This program takes invdividuals that have severe medical conditions- gunshot wounds, car accidents, birth defects and other severe disabilities that they or their own family cannot care for and get them to a point medically where they are out of danger. Continued rehab and special equipment is often neccessary for a complete recovery and full independence- wheelchairs, prosthetic and orthotic equipment and other assistive devices are provided by us to the individual. We also provide that person with a place to live in a supportive environment and get them the training and skills they need to become fully independent and an active part of society, whether it be with us, or back with their families in their original town or village

Impact: Transitions Foundation has had a wide impact not only on systemic attitudes towards individuals with disabilities, it has also had a huge impact on the medical situation as a whole in Guatemala. Through our container program, we have supplied not only needed items for daily living, we have also supplied complete medical clinics and programs in conjunction with other medical organizations. We work with many NGO's in Guatemala. We are funded by individuals, Rotary clubs in the US, Canada and Guatemala and by generous foundation support . The Rotary program gets Rotarians involved locally.

Many of our founding members are known as leaders in the Antigua area and represent Transitions in the US and Canada as well as here in Guatemala.

Ethical Action: One local father in the town of San Antonio Agues Calientes had a dream for his son, Henry, born with spina bifida. He wanted his son to walk, but also to break the normal cycle and make sure Henry was not hidden in the home like most kids with disabilities. Henry's father wanted him to also have educational opportunities he never had. Henry was one of the kids we were helping at the time. Through other people, along with Henry's father, Transitions was asked to support a special ed school in San Antonio. Henry's father and mother searched out kids with special needs in the town who were hidden away and the program began.

Now, Henry is in a regular school, walks with assistive devices and our special ed program continues with 14 kids.

Replication: It is not yet being replicated. However, we always welcome the opportunity for others to see what we do and use our model in their countries

Sustainability: We have been in operation for over 10 years and while we are not yet self sustainable, we are moving rapidly in that direction. With a new team of individuals in management and consultants and the founding members of Transitions, we are working to take the 7 workshop and residential properties we currently rent, purchase one large property and create a disability community just outside of Antigua, Guatemala. We are currently in the process of taking step-by-step action to carefully meet this goal in a responsible manner, not only using our members with disabilities, but including the local community as well. We are also seeking outside support to make our workshop programs more like real businesses so they become more self sustaining.

Position in the Ethics Mosaic of Solutions:

Factor: Individualism

Principle: Enabling self-permission to change oneself or one'