Stephen Rosenthal (in black shirt) on a site visit with SHARE Guatemala.



 

Guatemala is a country of extremes.

It is a country that in some places is dominated by lush, beautiful terrain and a substantial, thriving middle class. And it is a country where great numbers of people suffer from chronic malnutrition, do not have access to potable water and live on barren, deforested land with few resources. Approximately 49 percent of Guatemala’s children are malnourished – which is the fifth highest malnutrition rate in the world. Additionally, 80 percent of the water in Guatemala is not potable.

For philanthropists Stephen and Sandy Rosenthal, who had very specific criteria surrounding the charitable projects they funded, Guatemala had all the right elements.

“What I’m looking for when I make a charitable donation, is I want to do the maximum good with the dollars I have,” said Stephen Rosenthal. “I also want to deal with local non-governmental organizations and ‘bottom up’ needs, not ‘top down’ needs and I’m looking for sustainability.”

When searching for a nonprofit organization that could ensure these goals were met, the International Community Foundation came highly recommended, said Stephen Rosenthal.

“The International Community Foundation has been extremely good about helping us find worthy projects. And they’re great at leveraging our funds to effect real change,” said Rosenthal who established the Global Poverty Fund with the Foundation in 2005. His initial efforts in Guatemala have included a $25,000 micro-credit loan program and $20,000 to introduce potable water. The impact of such projects has been substantial.

Until recently, the community of Cruz Quemada, Huehuetenango did not have potable water and the rate of intestinal disease in the community was high. With Rosenthal’s funding and sweat equity provided by local families, life has changed dramatically. Fiftythree families now have potable water. An existing water system that was aging, leaky and in need of repair has been reconstructed, including replacing 27 aerial passes with new thicker pipe. Trees were also planted around a local spring to prevent erosion, water loss and contamination. Additionally, each family received a cistern that stores 25 to 30 days of water.

“Water flow is now more stable and more predictable,” said Guatemalabased project officer Tobin Nelson. There is a reason why Rosenthal donates money internationally and does so with the Foundation’s assistance. “Your money goes so much further internationally. You can have a huge effect,” explained Rosenthal who recently visited his project sites in Guatemala. “We were so pleased with what we saw. This has been life changing for people.”