Nineteen summers ago, AHF Guatemala opened its doors in Quetzaltenango as the fourth-ever HIV clinic in the country to offer free, integrated care for people living with HIV. Built on strong partnerships with a leading physician, a government hospital, and a local NGO, the clinic quickly earned the trust of the community—providing treatment to over 200 people within just eight months.
The clinic’s grand opening and ribbon-cutting took place on July 26, 2006, followed by a groundbreaking medical symposium where top physicians from across Guatemala gathered to share emerging knowledge on HIV and tuberculosis.
At the time, Guatemala faced a growing HIV crisis complicated by high TB co-infection rates, low literacy, and widespread economic instability. AHF stepped in as one of the first few organizations to offer consistent, compassionate care. By 2016—just ten years after launching—AHF Guatemala was managing 10 of the country’s 16 HIV clinics and proudly achieved a 99% treatment adherence rate among the 12,317 clients in care.
This extraordinary success was powered by a dedicated team whose compassion and cultural fluency made all the difference. Many clinic staff were multilingual—speaking both Spanish and local indigenous languages—making their patient-centered approach more accessible and impactful for communities with low literacy.
As AHF Guatemala approaches its 20th anniversary, the team now provides care for nearly 17,000 clients, has conducted over 600,000 HIV tests in the past decade alone, and continues expanding outreach with strong Girls Act programs and initiatives supporting key populations.
Join us in celebrating their legacy and progress—check out photos of their incredible work on Instagram!
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