Villa Linda
“Lovely Town”
Barillas, Huehuetenango, Guatemala
Size: 108 acres
Population: 20 families
Founded: 2005
In April 2004, 24 families organized themselves to seek help as a group in order to buy land. In doing so, they hoped to improve their living conditions and establish their own community. The group, led by president Pablo Juan Pablo, recently received a long-term loan from Agros to purchase land on the Finca Ultra Marina, about 0.2 miles from where they currently live. Among the community’s goals are ownership of a store and corn grinder and learning important skills such as bricklaying, carpentry, baking and weaving. A few members would also like to receive training in health promotion and midwifery.
The land that the group purchased is located near a current Agros village, Nueva Primavera, and is roughly 13 miles from the market in the larger town of Barillas. The land is situated on a road, which will make access to the community much easier. Many natural resources are available and the community is eager to begin new projects to diversify their farms.
Projects planned for the 2008 – 2009 fiscal year include:
- Worm composting
- School vegetable garden
- Reforestation projects
- Leadership development
- Adult literacy classes
