Heart to Heart opens office in Guatemala
to manage health programs

OLATHE, Kan./February 27, 2009 — Heart to Heart International Inc., a leading global humanitarian organization, today announced that it has opened an office in Panajachel, Sololá, Guatemala, to manage its comprehensive Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) initiative that addresses access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation.

The office is located in Calle Chavez, Panajachel, Sololá—a community on the ridge of scenic Lake Atitlán in the Sololá region of Guatemala. 

“We are excited that we now have a permanent presence in this region,” said Dr. Jeff DeGraffenreid, Heart to Heart’s chief operating officer. “Not only do we have an office, but we have a qualified staff person with local knowledge running the office and advancing our humanitarian programs in Sololá.”

Heart to Heart is working in partnership with several international organizations, as well as national agencies, local officials and community residents, on a multi-year campaign that seeks to increase access to clean water and improved sanitation. The campaign is comprehensive and involves such initiatives as providing health screenings and de-worming medications; conducting hygiene education; installing latrines, stoves and water filters in schools and homes; and instructing recipients on the installation and use of the filtration systems.

This year, Heart to Heart will mobilize hundreds of volunteers to help with various parts of the community-health campaign, so the organization requires ongoing staff support in the region. To that end, Dr. DeGraffenreid hired Aura Estela Ramos Yach, as Heart to Heart’s Community Facilitator in Panajachel, Sololá. She will provide a vital link to the local health committees in the seven communities targeted by Heart to Heart’s WASH initiative.

People interested in supporting this initiative or traveling to Guatemala to participate in the initiative are encouraged to contact Heart to Heart at 913-764-5200.