DoƱa Nieves Story
This summer while working and visiting Guatemala, I had the privilege of meeting DoƱa Nieves and her family in San Jorge, a village on the edge of Lake Atitlan. DoƱa Nieves and her family have been involved with the organization I was visiting, Fundamaya, for many years.
DoƱa Nieves is a wife, mother, and grandmother in her fifties, who raised three daughters alongside her husband, and has several grandchildren. When I met her she had undergone significant health difficulties and become bedridden.
Since at least 2019 she has suffered from diabetes, but the family has lacked funding to properly care for her. This wasn't a lack of wanting, but a lack of resources. As of January 2026 she had become immobile due to a fall which resulted in a broken hip. Her health has further deteriorated and she now has hypertension and uncontrolled diabetes. When I met her in July 2026, she had completely lost her sight, the ability to walk and go to the bathroom on her own.
She has one daughter still at home, but due to DoƱa Nieves condition the daughter is unable to work to buy food, or medical supplies like diapers or medicine. When her husband can find work as a day laborer he brings home about $10, which is used on food and household supplies. DoƱa Nieves is in need of extensive medical care and a hospital stay in order to get her diabetes and hypertension under control.
There is still hope. In March 2026 a doctor came to evaluate DoƱa Nieves' condition. He affirmed that while Dona Nieves needs a lot of care, she is stable enough to receive treatment, stabilize her condition, and have improved quality of life.
The barrier remains the cost of treatment. This is where we come in.
At this time DoƱa Nieves is in need of around $15,000- $21,000 to cover a hospital stay, xrays, ultrasound, labs and medication. $15,000 dollars would cover most of her hospital bills and tests, $21,000 would allow for food and other medical supplies.
While visiting DoƱa Nieves, I was most struck by the fact that this is not just another "person in need." In all of our lives today, there is so much need and so many areas in which we can choose to donate our time, energy, or money.
To me, having met DoƱa Nieves and being in her home, I was struck by the fact that she is the person who was put in my path. Now knowing her specific need, I felt that I couldn't walk away without doing something.
So, my hope with this page and our donations is to be able to do together what we wouldn't be able to do alone. My hope is to help DoƱa Nieves know that she is seen and to provide her a sense of dignity, relief, and rest.
Any amount is helpful and can help us do that. $30 dollars could help provide needed medical supplies and help keep her comfortable. Money to help put food on the table would help to provide some relief to the family. I'm pulling for our work together to go above and beyond what we could ever ask or imagine.
I am not raising these funds on my own. All money will go directly to Fundamaya who will get resources to Dona Nieves and her family. They will also give me (us!) regular updates on how Dona Nieves is doing and are available to answer any questions.
If you have had the pleasure of meeting Dona Nieves or simply wish to help, please do so. And feel free to share this page with those who know her or would be interested in helping.
Don't hesitate to reach out to me if you want to know more. Thank you!
Some important additional notes. The address listed on this page is Fundamaya's US address. Your donation will be added to Fundamaya's bank account in the US before it reaches Guatemala and DoƱa Nieves. This is one of the ways they receive donations from outside of Guatemala reliably.
