Medical Teams International
Public Action Project
March 2015
Carla McMahon
Evanta: Guatemala Community Work
 Doing my internship at
Evanta, I was able to
experience the
preparations, excitements
and how rewarding it was
for 14 Evantians to
experience a Guatemala
Mission with Medical
Teams International.
What is MTI
Medical Teams International provides medical and
dental care, humanitarian aid, and holistic development
programs to all people in need, regardless of religion,
nationality, sex, or race.
They respond to disasters around the world to care for
the sick and injured. They also mobilize long-term health
promotion initiatives, collaborating with established
partners within each community to ensure that the
programs have a sustainable impact.
What Makes MTI Unique?
 The work of MTI is supported by volunteers and
leveraged by in-country partners to deliver more care
and more humanitarian aid per donation dollar.
 The volunteer opportunities are typically 1-4 Week
engagements. This gives professionals the ability to
integrate volunteering into their busy careers.
 For every MTI staff member, there are approximately
4 volunteers.
MTI started as a local non-profit organization to become
Global with offices in 9 countries and 5 states. Ron Post
founded Northwest Medical Teams (now Medical Teams
International) in 1979, in response to reports of
thousands of Cambodian refugees escaping the killing
fields.
Action
Medical Teams International teams help will...
 Provide medical and health services, training and
supplies to the most vulnerable in the world’s most
impoverished regions.
 Mobilize expert volunteers and staff to respond to
disasters where needs outstrip capacity to provide
care.
 Deliver dental care to children and adults in our own
communities who can’t afford or access services.
2014 Accomplishments
Throughout 35 years of operation, MTI has earned various
accomplishments:
Evanta and Its Mission
Summary of Mission
The community health project consists of building
latrines alongside an indigenous community called Saca
in the El Quiche department of Guatemala near the
town of Chicaman.
Fact
 According to the Medical Teams International project proposal, “the
main causes of morbidity in children 5 and under are respiratory
infections (41% of death) and diarrhea (17% of deaths).” Only
45% of the families in the 22 communities in which MTI works
have pit latrines.
 This means over half of the families practice open defecation near
their homes, water sources, and in fields around the community.
This unsanitary practice spreads disease via the transfer of
particulate fecal matter to food by flies or to the mouth via hands.
Improved pit latrines coupled with education have changed this
behavior and improved the health of children in communities that
have built the new latrines.
Goals/Objectives of Mission
 Goal: Improve the physical, social, and spiritual health of
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the people in Chicaman
Objective 1: Reduce the incidence and improve case
management of pneumonia in children under 2 years old.
Objective 2: Reduce the incidence and improve case
management of childhood diarrhea in children under 2
years old.
Objective 3: Reduce stunting and underweight in children
under 5 years old.
Objective 4: Improve health of pregnant women and
mothers.
Finished Project: The team will build latrines which will
serve 57 families (269 people).
First Day of Adventure
 We started our adventure Saturday morning, when we landed in
Guatemala at 6am. We traveled an hour to the city of Antigua, and
although most of us barely slept on our flight we ate breakfast and
then went on a hike up a hillside to get a good view. We spent the
day exploring and shopping and getting to know the MTI team.
 Sunday was spent traveling closer to our community so after 8
hours on a bumpy, winding bus ride, we made it to the town of
Chicaman for MTI orientation. The mayor came out to greet us!
 Today, we stuffed into three pickup trucks for a four hour drive to
meet our families. This community had never seen Americans
before so they were in awe and it took a few hours for them to
warm up. They had a celebration planned with a huge feast and
after showing the kids what it looks like to have their photos taken
on our phones, we stayed work. We built three latrines so lives
have already been changed!
More Stories Told from Afar
 We had more folks line the streets to see "the gringos" so
we waved a lot on our hour ride to the village. Our
community anxiously awaited our arrival and the women
hosted a lunch at one of their homes today for all of us as a
thank you.
 We built 8 more latrines and had another unforgettable
day. We blew bubbles, put bows in the ladies hair, gave
more manicures, played ball, taught them high fives and
hot potato, and entertained them with our silliness in
countless other ways.