Guatemala Initiative
A Partnership Rooted in Relationship
This initiative began not with a program design, but with a person — and a place that never let go.Dr. Heather Cowie, OD, MPH, first came to Guatemala in 2003, where she ran a school for indigenous children. What she found there — a country of profound warmth, resilience, and richness of life — stayed with her long after her time concluded.
For years, the desire to return and to contribute in a more sustained, meaningful way remained close to her heart.In January 2025, Dr. Cowie brought a team from her clinic to Guatemala, and from those first conversations with local community leaders, something larger began to take shape. In the months since, that initial visit has grown into a dedicated team of Canadians committed to a lasting partnership — one grounded in relationship, mutual trust, and shared purpose.
Airdrie Family Eye Doctors clinic team on their first visit to Guatemala in January 2025, with local community leader Regina Perez
Airdrie Family Eye Doctors team alongside local community leader Eduardo Putul (front right), whose vision and commitment have been instrumental in shaping this partnership
The Alta Verapaz Region
The work is centred in the Alta Verapaz region, home to vibrant indigenous communities whose members have navigated limited access to health care, education, and economic opportunity across generations. These are communities of extraordinary cultural depth and dignity — and it is with that understanding, and at their invitation, that this initiative proceeds.
Our approach is not one of imposition. We follow the lead of those who live and belong here. Our role is to listen, to support, and to walk alongside.
Eduardo Putul, Dr. Sophia Leung, Dr. Heather Cowie, and Regina Perez in Bancab — a community at the heart of the Alta Verapaz region and a primary focus of this initiative
What We Are Building Together
The initiative is focused on two interconnected areas:
Education and Development — Our primary partner in this work is Instituto Puente, a community education organization founded in 2015 in Aldea Punta Brava and led by Edwin Xol. Instituto Puente applies a community education model called Sa’ Komonil — a Q’eqchi’ phrase meaning “among all” or “working together” — and has already graduated more than 100 students from its basic cycle, with over half continuing to further education. Together, we are supporting efforts to expand access to schooling and skills development for children and youth across the Alta Verapaz region, including progress toward building additional high school programs and supporting teacher training and course programming.
Community Health — We are committed to supporting the health needs of these communities in whatever form that takes. Through collaboration with Canadian Vision Care, eye care is available when requested by local organizations and schools — but our partnership extends beyond any single service. We have also connected with a community health clinic in the region doing remarkable work, and we are honoured to walk alongside them in that effort as well.
Our Local Partners
The strength of this initiative rests entirely on its local partnerships. Edwin Xol, Regina Perez, and Eduardo Putul are among the community leaders whose knowledge, relationships, and generosity of spirit make this work possible. Each of them carries a profound love for their country and a deep, unwavering commitment to the people within it — and it is their passion that gives this work its direction and its heart. The Guatemalan organizations we have connected with each bring distinct expertise and deep community ties that guide the integrity of everything we do together.
Empower
Growth
Eye Care Through Visualiza
When eye care is requested by local organizations and schools, we are proud to work closely with and support Visualiza — a local eye care organization providing vision services to communities in the region. Their expertise, dedication, and deep roots in the community make them an invaluable partner in this work. Eye examinations underway at Visualiza, the local eye care organization we are proud to work alongside and support.
Looking Ahead
Our next visit is planned for September 2026. Fundraising is actively underway to support both the education and eye care streams of this work, and we are grateful for every contribution that makes continued presence possible.The communities of Alta Verapaz have been generous enough to share their homes, their needs, and their hopes with us. We are committed to showing up with humility, consistency, and care — for as long as we are welcome.
Dr. Cowie and Dr. Leung visiting a local elementary school in Bancab, where hands raised in welcome speak to the warmth and openness of these communities
The very first high school class at the new Bancab school, alongside members of the newly formed Parents Association — a milestone made possible through community-led effort and shared determination