Note: This blog is co-authored by Shes, Guatemala Director of TCI and myself.

What does disability in rural areas of Guatemala look like? Over the next few weeks we’re going to give you a glimpse into the experience of people with disabilities in the mountains of Guatemala? 

According to the National Survey on Disability in Guatemala, 10.2% of the population have a disability. The majority of people with disabilities live in rural areas. Rural areas also have the largest indigenous population. The people of Guatemala can be divided into two groups, the ladinos (Spanish descent) or indigenous (Mayan descent). The indigenous population continues to be the poorest and most isolated people in Guatemala due to social and cultural stigmas. Such discrimination is even greater when the person has a disability.

One of the barriers faced by people with disabilities, especially in rural areas, is transportation. The majority of Guatemalans don’t own cars but use public transportation. This is especially true in rural areas. Some people in the rural mountain areas of Guatemala may walk ten to thirty minutes or up to an hour or more just to get to a main road to catch a bus.

Can you the imagine the challenge of traversing narrow mountain trails and passes if you have a disability?  Sometimes you can’t walk and family or friends have to carry you. If that weren’t difficult enough, some buses won’t stop to pick up people with disabilities. Other buses stop, but then charge a higher fare to the person with a disability. Because of these barriers in local transportation, some people are forced to rent a private vehicle, increasing travel expenses. Transportation costs include not only the person with a disability, but the family members traveling with them, and any meals required on the trip. For this reason, some people with disabilities do not leave their house or community.

What happens when they need to go to therapy or each a medical facility, especially in times of emergency?  Some simply won’t go. Others will only go from time to time. The result is decreased health and quality of life for people with disabilities.