PROJECT WASTELAND- JALAPA,GUATEMALA

Justin Barco is organizing this fundraiser.

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Seeing this community live under these conditions leads me to reflect on the chaos we're dealing with as a society; socially , racially, politically (domestically and internationally) I'm moved to take action and help the mothers, fathers and children of this community who have been stricken by the burdens of misfortune yet what moves me most is that on top of carrying the weight of this awful situation they manage find a place to smile, stand strong while holding a moral compass for the survival of their families.
Jalapa, Guatemala is home to beautiful agriculture, rich history and scared monuments, nevertheless this community scavanges through waste for their daily neccesities. Guatemala's children under age five are chronically malnourished and In fact, 79 percent of them live in poverty, while 40 percent of them live in extreme poverty. Eight in ten indigenous children suffer from chronic malnutrition. Its interesting how those who give so much to their land sometimes receive so little. Due to a lack of resources, this small community has been forced out of the mountain sides which was once home to them and due to lack of opportunities in the city, they've turned to the wasteland for survival. The waste land is just that, it is what one would imagine but worse, a place where all the waste of the city is disposed of. Ravaging dogs filled with disease and vultures share this land with them which splits two cemeteries. In many ways, these people live amongst the dead. In one instance a fourteen year old girl who's parents where killed was left with out family and with no place to go, the necessity to survive lead her to the wasteland with her younger brother by her side and baby sister on her hip. She built a tent for them to settle in. This is one of many stories they share.

With our efforts we can help sustain their basic necessities and furthermore the finances we raise can fix the machines which are used to clean up and recycle some of the waste there. As of earlier this year the machines have been broken and with little to no effort to repair them it seems that by the end of this year or early 2018 the land will overflow with trash forcing the community to rid of their tents ( homes) and seek shelter elsewhere ( nowhere ) which is why this this December I will be travelling back to Jalapa, Guatemala with our donations to get started on #ProjectWasteland working with the city and local officials on creating a better environment for this beautiful community which consists of 25 adults (mainly women) and 30 children ranging from ages of infincy-15yrs. With our help the future of these families will be redirected towards a new path, a healthier path, we can break some of the psychological traumas these children face, we can nourish their pains, we will inspire and give them hope. With our assistance I hope to remind them that universal love is rooted in all languages and together we'll be the hands of hope for our brothers and sisters.

I thank you in advance for your heart and efforts on being a part of this journey.

**Help me spread the word! Repost this where ever you can, all of the donations big or small are a huge help . Share these stories and photos with your family and friends. I'm extremely excited for all us and the changes we'll create.