Alleviation, Not Remediation
“The weather is much hotter, causing longer droughts. Then the rains come—sudden and intense—destroying what little survives. Our crops die in the drought; then the rains wash everything away. I fear for my family’s future here in Guatemala.”
For the poor in Guatemala and Egypt, climate change is more than an environmental issue—it is a daily fight for survival.
This quote from one of our Finding Freedom Through Friendship participants is the reality for many in rural Guatemala, where climate change disrupts livelihoods. The dry season stretches longer, devastating crops and causing food shortages. When the rains finally arrive, they bring floods and landslides, wiping out entire harvests. Agriculture, which employs over 30% of Guatemalans, is at risk—especially in the Dry Corridor, where prolonged droughts and hurricanes like Eta and Iota in 2020 displaced thousands. With no income, families spiral deeper into poverty. Malnutrition rises, and education becomes an afterthought as families struggle to survive. The above photo, taken by one of our FFF facilitators, demonstrates the devastation caused by this flooding. One of our FFF families perished in this particular flood.
In Egypt, poor families also face the harsh realities of climate change. Soaring temperatures—reaching 45°C (113°F) in Cairo—make daily life unbearable, especially in slums and rural areas with no cooling systems. Heatwaves lead to dehydration, heatstroke, and respiratory issues, particularly for children like Amar and Hany (above). Water scarcity adds to the crisis. With 97% of Egypt’s water supply coming from the Nile, rising salinity and decreasing availability threaten drinking water and agriculture, which employs nearly 25% of the workforce. As crops fail, food prices soar, making essential nutrition unaffordable for many.
Climate change is more than an environmental issue for the poor in Guatemala and Egypt—it is a daily fight for survival. Finding Freedom Through Friendship is not in a position to alleviate climate change, but we can assist with the hunger and hopelessness it brings. FFF food donations ease the hunger from lost crops, water cistern gifts allow widows to store water against future shortages, and our micro business program increases vital household incomes. We can only offer alleviation from the severity of climate issues; remediation is not within our scope of abilities.
