Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village Goes to Guatemala

In May 2025, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity staff, supporters, and volunteers went to Guatemala for a Global Village build week. Keep reading to hear from staff and volunteers about their experience abroad!

Twin Cities Habitat crew meeting the Habitat Guatemala staff at the Habitat Guatemala office.

Emma Figura, Volunteer Program Manager

I was lucky enough to participate in my first Global Village build, traveling to Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. Our crew of 17 volunteers ventured into the mountains surrounding the city to work on several projects; meet local volunteers, staff members, and families; and learn more about Guatemalan culture and the local Habitat affiliate. While we visited the main Habitat Guatemala office in Guatemala City, most of our time was spent in Quetzaltenango. The locals call it “Xela,” an abbreviation of the Mayan name “Xelajú.” There are more than a dozen Mayan dialects spoken in Guatemala, and we heard a variety while we were there.

Our team split into three groups: two mixing and pouring concrete floors for preexisting homes and one focusing on the construction of a new home. A Habitat Guatemala staff member led each group, directing our work and helping communicate as needed.

Unlike Habitat in the Twin Cities, Guatemala’s affiliate focuses more on “renovations” rather than new builds. We spent the week replacing dirt floors with poured cement, adding safer and more efficient stoves to homes (many didn’t have a stove or ventilation system), and digging latrines. Floors are a focus for the Guatemalan affiliate. They have a goal of pouring 100,000 floors throughout Latin America and the Caribbean by 2028 through the 100,000 Floors to Play On initiative. We finished six floors by the end of our build week.

Mixing floors by hand was rather laborious, and though I massaged sore muscles every night, seeing a floor come to completion each day was extremely rewarding. It was amazing to think about the life opportunities a single floor could bring to these families. As much as I loved the chance to explore the city, language, and Guatemalan culture, the work and people were truly the best part.

Lou, Regular Volunteer

My Global Village (GV) build to Guatemala was very grounding in several aspects. Meeting and working side by side with family members who had very little but went out of their way to share what they had and while working very hard often with an ingenious way to get things done by working smarter not harder. Very grounding. Each of the GV volunteers, who came from very different walks of life and were at different stages of life, found their way of contributing joyfully and wholeheartedly to the task at hand as well as to the wellbeing of the volunteer group. Very grounding. Our local hosts helped us understand the local community, customs, and practices, speaking candidly. One could see they deeply cared for the people and the communities in which they served. 

First day mixing concrete! Turning a pile of cement and sand to combine before adding the gravel and water.

Mixing cement; the doorway in the background is the kitchen where it was poured.

Mixing the cement materials by hand. This pile is equivalent to about 20 five-gallon buckets of sand, gravel, and concrete.

Julian Nye, Recruiter

This build week in Guatemala is something I’ll never forget. We spent the week working in a rural community outside of Quetzaltenango, helping build concrete floors and stoves for families who didn’t have them.

One of the wildest days was our third day on site. We hauled heavy bags of sand, gravel, and concrete mix up a steep hill because there was no road to the house we were working on. Trucks couldn’t make it up, so the only option was carrying everything by hand. It was a challenge, especially with the altitude. But our team powered through by passing bags in a line, helping each other, and staying in good spirits. The locals also pitched in, which made it all feel lighter.

We used those materials to mix concrete by hand and pour floors, as well as build safer, more efficient stoves. Many families had dirt floors and cooked over open fires inside their homes. Being able to help improve that, even in a small way, felt incredibly meaningful.

More than anything, what stuck with me was the generosity and warmth of the families we met. Even with a language barrier, we shared smiles, jokes, and a sense of teamwork. It was hard work, but this build was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had.

Liz, Volunteer

As we wrapped up the week in Guatemala, a quote by the late Senator Paul Wellstone kept ringing around in my head: “We all do better when we all do better.” That is why I volunteer, and that is why these builds mean so much to me. Meeting a terrific group of people willing to give a week of their time, travel to a new place, and agree to work very hard on their time away from home is inspiring and gives me great hope. It shows the incredible power of bringing people together for a common goal and how much we can accomplish. During our time in Guatemala, we helped nine families by working on six concrete floors, two new bathrooms and safe stoves, and one new home. The sense of joy this gives me reminds me what else is possible if we commit to working together. It’s inspiring and helps me on those days when change feels so hard.

None of this would be possible without the amazing staff from both Twin Cities Habitat and Habitat Guatemala. Thank you to Noah, Kate, Celeste, MC, Dani, and everyone else who helped make this build week possible!

Get Involved

Curious about Global Village builds? Want to get involved locally? Our team would love to connect with you. Visit our Global Engagement page to learn more or sign up for updates.