Monte de los Olivos

  • Overview
  • Medical
  • Dental

Overview

Monte de los Olivos is located in central Guatemala. The typical house is made of adobe, cement blocks, and wood. Children in the community have access to primary school and a health centre that covers medical basic needs. Currently, the community doesn’t have a water system, but the municipality and the community leaders are projecting building one in the near future. Most of the community members work in agriculture, animal raising, and arts and crafts. The languages spoken in the community are Spanish and Kaqchikel. During initial communications with Global Brigades, community leaders expressed that their top three needs were access to medical brigades, access to education, access to medical brigades, and improving some of the drains.

Department: Chimaltenango

Homes : 2500
Population : 6000
Water System : Not Started
Community Bank : Not Started
Electricity : Yes
Health Center : Yes
Community Health Workers : Not Started
Education : Up to primary school
Distance from Lodging Facility : 10 KM

Medical

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

HEALTH CARE ACCESS:

Over 90% of the population in the municipality of Chimaltenango are part of Mayan indigenous groups. Public health care in Guatemala falls under the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare (MSPAS) which has 2,200 service units across the country.  Even with this coverage, it is essential to note that medications, supplies, and materials are often not available. Health worker density in rural communities is 3.0 per 10,000 persons as opposed to 25.7 to 10,000 in urban areas of Guatemala. There are significant gaps in health care services between rural indigenous and urban populations in Guatemala.

Community members in Monte de los Olivos have access to a health post in their community but the services provided do not meet the needs of the community. Community members have to travel to nearby communities if they want to make appointments for more complex or advanced health issues. During initial communications with Global Brigades, community leaders shared that the most common illnesses were fever, cough, flu, and joint pain.

114

Volunteers

714

Patient Consultations

209

Vision screenings provided

59

Health Education Workshops

BRIGADE INFORMATION:

Medical Brigades use the local school as their brigade site. The school has 6 rooms, where the various medical stations are conducted. 

AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: +200

BRIGADE SITE: Community School

MEDICAL VOLUNTEERS IN MONTE DE LOS OLIVOS:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical May 2023 29 Smith College Medical March 2025 23
Georgia State University Medical,  University of Rochester Medical & Virginia Commonwealth University Dental January 2026 21 Florida State University March 2026 25

Dental

Program Status

  • Planning
  • Active
  • Complete

DENTAL CARE  ACCESS:

In working closely with the Medical Program, the Dental Program provides fillings, extractions, and fluoride treatments as a standard part of Medical Brigades. Most community members do not have regular access to dental care due to the lack of dentists within a reasonable distance.

493

Patient Consultations

347

Number of Extractions

134

Fillings Performed

244

Dental Education Workshops

183

Fluoride Treatments

BRIGADE INFORMATION:

Medical Brigades use the local school as their brigade site. The school has 6 rooms, where the various medical stations are conducted. 

AVERAGE PATIENTS ATTENDED: +200

BRIGADE SITE: Community School

DENTAL VOLUNTEERS IN MONTE DE LOS OLIVOS:

Chapter Date # Of Volunteers Chapter Date # Of Volunteers
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Medical May 2023 29 Smith College Medical March 2025 23
Northern Arizona University Dental May 2025 16 Georgia State University Medical,  University of Rochester Medical & Virginia Commonwealth University Dental January 2026 21
Florida State University March 2026 25

Local Reference Points

View the map to see the closest volunteer lodging facilities, hospitals, and other relevant points of reference.

  • Feature

The Largest Movement for Global Health and Holistic Development

“Global Brigades” refers to one or more Global Brigades entities, each of which is a separate and independent legal entity; “Global Brigades, Inc.,” “Global Brigades Health and Development,” “Global Brigades UK,” “GBO Ghana,” “Asociacion Global Brigadas de Honduras,” and “Fundacion Brigadas Globales de Panama”. Global Brigades Health and Development (“Global Brigades Canada”) is a federally registered Canadian charity independent from Global Brigades Inc.

Guidestar 2021