Umoja Journey
Guatemala 2022

January 9 – 19, 2022

Overview

The Umoja Journey is an adventure with purpose that will remain with you for the rest of your life. After you say ‘yes’ to this challenge, the most difficult part of the process will be over, and the fun and excitement can begin. The Umoja Journey is a guided trip across Guatemala. The tour takes you on an adventure and highlights the work of International Needs.

Objectives

To give a glimpse into the development project in Guatemala, to provide funding for the projects guests will be visiting, and to invite you to share your expertise and insight with our development partners.

Cost

The cost of the journey is $6,950 per person, some of which may be processed as a charitable donation toward the work of International Needs, if your country of residence permits deductions of this nature. Your donation will cover all travel costs of the trip, as well as funding for the development projects.

ITINERARY

This itinerary provides the day-to-day details so you know what to expect, including maps, flights, travel plans, accommodations, activities, and projects. Please note that this itinerary is subject to changes based on preferences of joining members.

This tour will also take place April 24 – May 4, 2022. Let us know if you’d like to receive the itinerary.

Umoja At A Glance

Date	Destination	What’s Happening
January 9	Flores	Travel day
January 10	Flores	Visit Mayan Ruins at Tikal
January 11	Guatemala City	Leisure day before flight
January 12	Antigua	Visit City Hospital, Explore Antigua
January 13	Antigua	Visit Pacquip Hospital, Meet Midwives
January 14	Antigua	Pacaya Volcano Hiking Tour
January 15	Antigua	Finca Filadelfia Coffee Plantation, Debrief
January 16	Lake Atitlan	Transfer to Lake Atitlan, Relax
January 17	Lake Atitlan	Visit Panajachel Markets
January 18	Lake Atitlan	Leisure Day
January 19	Flights Home	Travel day

Full Itinerary

DAY 1-2

Dates: January 9-10, 2022
Destination: Flores, Guatemala

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Accommodations – Las Lagunas Boutique Hotel

DAY 3-7

Dates: January 11-15, 2022
Destination: Antigua, Guatemala

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Travel Details

Guests will take an evening flight from Flores to Guatemala City on January 11th. Then on January 12th, guests will drive to Antigua (roughly a 1 hour journey).

Aereo Guatemaltecos 5U131 Dep: 6:30PM Arr: 7:30PM 1h 00m FRS GUA

Accommodations

Guests will spend the first night at the Courtyard Guatemala City Hotel. Guests will then drive to Antigua and stay at a beautiful luxury villa in the heart of the old city.

Scheduled Activities

On January 12th, guests will visit Antigua's city hospital to learn more about public health care surrounding maternal and infant health. Later on, guests will spend the day touring Antigua, a beautiful city surrounded by volcanoes in southern Guatemala.

On January 13th, guests will visit one of the communities supported by the Midwife Training Program in order to get a better idea of the inner workings of the project, as well as to get the chance to meet some of the community's doctors, midwives, mothers and children.

January 14th will be spent hiking the Pacaya Volcano. Pacaya Volcano is the most popular volcano trek in Antigua because of its accessibility, and the hike can be completed in half a day. Here, guests will hike (or ride horses) through the lovely pine forest to the tough volcanic ash and rock, then to the sulfur-smoking cone. When summited, guests will get to see the amazing views of the northern volcanoes, pacific lowlands, and El Salvador.

On the final day in Antigua, guests will stop at the Finca Filadelfia coffee farm for lunch and a tour. Finca Filadelfia has run for more than 15 years, and allows visitors to see the step-by-step process of coffee making.

Additional Information

Despite decades of international aid, maternal and child mortality is still at an unacceptable level throughout Guatemala, and at crisis levels in the rural regions. Midwives attend more than 90% of births in the rural areas, and it has been found that a significant number of infant deaths are connected to a lack of knowledge in handling high-risk pregnancies. The statistics are also greatly impacted by extreme poverty, which has remained relatively constant over the past 20 years.

International Needs Canada is working alongside a number of organizations to develop the Midwife Training Program, a program that targets high-risk pregnancies and transforms the overall state of maternal and newborn healthcare in Guatemala. The goal is to provide training to midwives so that they are able to detect risk factors early, refer the mother to a health care facility, and prevent the deaths of mothers and babies in the rural regions of Guatemala. This program will also provide research in the areas of maternal and neonatal care for the Guatemalan Health Ministry to use and improve upon.