Problems SANK addresses:

• Low levels of formal education, high rates of desertion
• Non-existent informal education opportunities
• Hyper-population growth
• Environmental degradation
• Centralized local power and lack of transparency

SANK is an acronym for Sa Q'a Chol Nimla Kalebaal, Maya Q'eqchi' translated as "Harmony in our Community". The word sank in Q'eqchi means "leafcutter ant" and alludes to the ant's tremendous strength, ability to organize and devote its colony to a course of sustainable development.

One of the group's principle tasks is to foment alternative means of education for the municipality's 200+ aldeas (villages). Programs include an educational, Q'eqchi' language video project, which provides native instructive programming for the local population. To date, SANK's videos have been seen in over 40 aldeas and by more than 35,000 people.

Beyond the video project, SANK is currently working in coordination with Idaho State University, USAID and the government of Guatemala to create Guatemala's first community-based "biological corridor". It comprises an area of more than twenty villages amidst more than 600 square kilometers of primarily virgin, tropical rainforest adjacent to the national park Lachuha. This project is setting a precedent for Central and South America in environmental conservation and indigenous community land rights. As an intermediary between the indigenous communities and the Guatemalan government, SANK has helped broker a fast-tracked land-titling process for the communities, while securing commitments from the local indigenous to conserve environmentally important areas of their communities.

Another innovative project begun by SANK is the operation of a lucrative cafeteria in Chisec, serving the best in local and American fare (milkshakes, cheeseburgers and French fries). Opened in June of 2002, Cafeteria La Huella provides SANK with an alternative source of income to supplement its scholarship program and various administrative expenses. Thanks to its success, La Huella has currently expanded its operations and is now Chisec's first Internet Café.

SANK was born directly from the experiences and successes of the Youth Movement of Chisec -MOJUCHI- (Movimiento Juvenil de Chisec) which was formed in September 2000 by a group of concerned citizens of Chisec. They gathered together to address the overwhelming demographic dominance of young people - more than half of the population is under 15 - and the complete absence of any institutions or programs catering to them. With a vision to identify and develop young leaders to fill the vacuum that decades of violence created, SANK aims to stabilize Chisec¥s hyper-growth rate and work towards development that is much more sustainable than the current trend. SANK attempts to empower the local population of Chisec to be able to create and use modernity and development in accordance with their culture and collective desire.

In less than three years, SANK has already garnered much national and international attention as being one of the most innovative and agile non-profit organizations in northern Guatemala. To date, they have worked on three USAID-funded projects in collaboration with the government of Guatemala, Idaho State University and Counterpart International. Their invaluable work with local, indigenous communities has already been cited by two Guatemalan presidents.