Guatemala Mission Trip with Hands of Esperanza

**You will see this fundraiser "On Behalf of Natasia Schaefer" who is our Treasurer and handles GoFundMe donations**

Every year, a group of 20+ physician assistant students in Orlando, FL help organize a Medical Mission Trip to the Alta Verapaz region of Guatemala where they work with the PA-led nonprofit group, Hands of Esperanza, to provide medical support and healthcare to members of a unique indigenous community. During the week-long trip, students are able to work alongside licensed clinicians to see and treat approximately 500 patients, many of which travel long distances by foot to reach the clinic and have limited access to healthcare otherwise. While on the trip, students are also allowed the opportunity to work with a local orphanage called Casa Gloria that provides shelter to children from dire situations with little to no support.

Funds raised on behalf of the students will be used to purchase all medical supplies needed for the trip. Additional funds will go towards public health projects such as the purchase and install of wood-burning stoves that divert smoke outside of the families' homes and durable water filtration systems. Hands of Esperanza’s newest project includes building a multi-specialty medical & surgical clinic to support this patient population throughout the year!

We appreciate any and all support received for our mission to provide accessible and sustainable health care to this community in need. In addition to this GoFundMe, be on the lookout for additional fundraisers including our annual Shark Stride 5K, hosted in June 2023 - website to be posted in the new year. For more information about Hands of Esperanza, you can visit their website at https://www.handsofesperanza.org/.