Family Planning for Guatemalans Living in Poverty

At WINGS, we take a holistic approach to reproductive health that recognizes the diverse barriers that Guatemalan adolescents and adults face, especially those living in rural areas and in vulnerable conditions. WINGS engages community members to secure reproductive rights and bring their voices to the forefront of the decision-making process. 

Access to family planning education and services is shaped not only by geography, but can also be shaped by language, disability, past trauma, and fears of being judged. Thanks to your support, our stationary clinics and mobile services provided nationwide are spaces where every person is welcomed, listened to, and valued. We’re proud to share a few patient stories from throughout the country in 2025.

During a recent family planning mobile clinic in El Progreso, a woman seeking a tubal ligation became overwhelmed with emotion as she prepared for surgery. She shared that at different previous clinics, her feelings had been dismissed or treated as an inconvenience. This time however, at a WINGS mobile clinic, was different. Our staff paused, deeply listened to her concerns and questions, and offered emotional support before proceeding with the tubal ligation she chose. She later told us that for the first time, she felt her emotions mattered and that she was treated with dignity and respect.

In Petén, an adolescent girl arrived at a mobile clinic speaking only Maya Q’eqchi. WINGS prioritizes inclusivity and accessibility, thus her native language was not a barrier for her to receive care. She received counseling and services from a WINGS nurse who spoke her own language, which allowed her to fully understand her options and make an informed decision without fear or confusion. 

In Salamá, a patient disclosed that she was a survivor of sexual violence that had resulted in a pregnancy years earlier. Choosing permanent contraception was part of her path toward healing and autonomy. Our team provided compassionate, trauma-informed care. When she explained she could not afford transportation home after surgery, WINGS covered the cost so she could return safely to her community.

In our Antigua clinic, we recently welcomed a woman who shared that she had avoided family planning services for more than a decade after a bad experience at a different clinic where she felt judged for being a young mother. After learning about WINGS services, she arrived at our clinic accompanied by her now teenage daughter and received quality care. Before leaving, she shared how different this experience felt and asked whether her daughter could also receive counseling. Respectful and nonjudgmental care can open the door to informed conversations across generations. 

In Quiché, a young woman with an intellectual disability arrived with her elderly mother. She had survived repeated sexual violence, a reality her mother carried with deep concern. Our clinical team conducted a careful, ethical evaluation and took time to explain each option to her and her mother in clear, accessible language, prioritizing her wellbeing, understanding, and consent at every step. She was not a candidate for surgery and she chose a long-acting reversible method that met her needs. Throughout the visit, she was treated with patience and care, and she remained calm and comfortable, knowing she was safe and fully heard.

These moments with WINGS patients across five different departments of Guatemala reflect the utmost level of quality reproductive health education and care that your support makes possible. Because of you, WINGS provides family planning that goes beyond medical services, offering care rooted in respect, accessibility, and human dignity.

Thank you for standing with us.