More than five million people in Guatemala are in need of humanitarian assistance. Much of the population lives with the effects of organised crime, food insecurity and extreme weather events.
NRC in Guatemala
With thousands of families now displaced from their homes, we’re responding across the country – providing food, clean water and long-term support to those who need our help.
What’s happening in Guatemala?
Corruption, drug trafficking and gang violence are widespread in Guatemala and drive many families from their homes every year. Equally frightening is the threat from hurricanes and other disasters – like Tropical Storm Julia, which caused dangerous flash flooding in October 2022 and forced whole communities to evacuate.
Along with this internal displacement, Guatemala has also seen a lot of mixed migration in recent years, with people fleeing from nearby countries like Venezuela – as well as from other countries around the world – in search of safety and better opportunities. The International Organization for Migration registered 105,000 people in transit in Guatemala between April and September 2023.
Across the country, poverty is entrenched and hunger rife, but the most vulnerable groups are indigenous communities, women and children. In the departments of Alta Verapaz, Chiquimula, Huehuetenango, Sacatepéquez and Sololá, between 30 and 45 per cent of the population are in dire need of food assistance.
Region: Central America
Population: 18.4 million
Total displaced: 452,045
With thousands of families now displaced from their homes, we’re responding across the country – providing food, clean water and long-term support to those who need our help.
What’s happening in Guatemala?
Corruption, drug trafficking and gang violence are widespread in Guatemala and drive many families from their homes every year. Equally frightening is the threat from hurricanes and other disasters – like Tropical Storm Julia, which caused dangerous flash flooding in October 2022 and forced whole communities to evacuate.
Along with this internal displacement, Guatemala has also seen a lot of mixed migration in recent years, with people fleeing from nearby countries like Venezuela – as well as from other countries around the world – in search of safety and better opportunities. The International Organization for Migration registered 105,000 people in transit in Guatemala between April and September 2023.
Across the country, poverty is entrenched and hunger rife, but the most vulnerable groups are indigenous communities, women and children. In the departments of Alta Verapaz, Chiquimula, Huehuetenango, Sacatepéquez and Sololá, between 30 and 45 per cent of the population are in dire need of food assistance.
Our response
We’re working with our partners in the following areas:
- Water, sanitation and hygiene – teaching good hygiene practices and rehabilitating schools with proper water and sanitation facilities.
- Livelihoods and food security – providing emergency cash and food assistance, as well as training in climate-smart agricultural practices and food production systems.
- Education – identifying out-of-school children and helping them to access education, including flexible learning programmes.
- Protection from violence – helping communities to recognise protection risks and develop effective self-protection strategies.
- Information, counselling and legal assistance – providing advice on asylum procedures, international protection and housing, land and property rights.
Download the factsheet for NRC in North of Central America and Mexico
Our operations
NRC office established: 2014
Areas of operation: Guatemala City, Alta Verapaz, San Marcos and Chiquimula departments
Country Director: Ernesto Lorda
Contact: nrc.ncaym@nrc.no
Our impact
In 2023, we assisted 2,878 people in Guatemala:
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2,942Protection from violence
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583Information, counselling and legal assistance
Note: some people received more than one type of assistance.
