Transforming lives among the ultra-poor

Poverty Reduction in Guatemala

ICM Guatemala is a Christian NGO focused on poverty reduction in Guatemala, serving ultra-poor Q’eqchi families of the Alta Verapaz region.

113% increase in people with savings
26,564 people reached through Transform
92 active savings groups
$830,776 total savings
72 malnourished children cured
Pregnancies supported

Cumulative data since 2020, as of 2026-03-16

Reducing Ultra-Poverty in Guatemala

Our second international pilot program, ICM Guatemala, launched in 2021. ICM Guatemala is an NGO that has the same vision as ICM Philippines, to see ultra-poor families released from the physical, emotional and spiritual bondages of poverty. In Guatemala, just as in Uganda, ICM is drawing on the successes of our programs in the Philippines, as we scale and customize our approach for our Guatemalan program.

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Expanding Our Reach

At ICM, over a decade of research has given us concrete evidence thatTransform works in the Philippines. But we feel a responsibility to test our approach in other countries, allowing us to bring transformation to hundreds of thousands outside of the Philippines, and build evidence that ICM’s holistic, church-based model is effective, cost-efficient, and scalable. And as we scale our program for other areas, our strategy in Guatemala is to grow to a size that allows ICM to run disciplined randomized controlled trials to test Transform’s impact.

Transform – ICM’s Signature Poverty Alleviation Strategy

Poverty impacts every area of life. So, the solution has to be holistic. ICM’s Transform program in Guatemala serves participants’ needs through Values, Health and Livelihood training. After four months, participants graduate with a host of improvements across every area of life. Financial growth is sustained through Savings Groups.

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“We prepare the Mannapacks like rice pudding atol, and as a complement to our food. We have been eating since the program began. I prepare them for my children. Thanks to the Transform program for providing food for my family.”

Delito

“I want people’s lives to change. For them to have a better quality of life, to be able to feed their families and have an income to support them.”

Oscar
Pastor

ICM’s Guatemala
Leadership Team

Our hardworking team makes the important work we do in Guatemala possible:

Omar Marraquin

Area Head

Katrina Dajes

Guatemala Project Manager

See Where We Work

Philippines

Philippines

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Uganda

Uganda

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