Charitable clinic in Guatemala | MARTLET Architects

Deep in the mountains of rural Guatemala, where access to health services is located hours away, a group of international volunteers founded their own non-profit clinic to provide medical care for thousands of habitants living there.
It becomes the reality for Chuinajtajuyup, a village in Totonicapán Department, home to 5,000 people. A couple of years ago the nearest access point to health services of this village was located several hours away; the lack of medical services, prevention programs and the simple possibility of seeing a doctor usually caused complications and deaths for a simple and preventable illness.
With the support of international fundraising campaigns, volunteers from around the world worked closely with the people of the community and have achieved the goal of building a medical clinic in Chuinahtahuyup.
Recognizable look of the building achieves by decorative and sun-protection screens. Its design inspired by local handicrafts and symbolizes one of the main Mayan symbol which is colorful corn. The different parts of the building correspond to its own purpose and gather around the inner garden. Clinic has examination and treatment rooms, wards, laboratory and pharmacy. Several bedrooms and a kitchen was also built because all doctors in the clinic are international volunteers. There is a cozy and peaceful private garden in the center of the building to have a rest.
Architectural proposal is simple to build by hand. Structure consist in load-bearing concrete frame and hollow cement blocks with reinforcement. Walls are covered by stucco and painted. Light wooden shell encloses the terrace and casts shadow. Terrace is an open gallery along the building. It also serves as a reserve ward in a case of epidemic.
Today the clinic makes consults, gives out medications, conducts small surgical operations, supervises births and perform gynecological examinations. This is the only diabetic center within a 3-4-hour radius and in addition to medical care they conduct educational programs focused on healthy living, nutrition, disease prevention and contraceptive methods. Medical team attends about 50 patients per day, and this clinic is the only access to medical services for the 5,000 people in the village and it also provides services to the neighboring villages, which is total about 20 000 people.