The Atitlan Fund Inc.
The Atitlan Fund Inc.
About Us
In 2017, we formed a 501(C)(3) tax-exempt organization in the United States to enable us to raise funds and support important projects and programs in the Atitlan basin. This designation allows our donors to benefit from the tax deductible status of The Atitlan Fund through their gifts. For more information, or to support our work, please visit our Contact Us page.
Board of Directors
Chesley Juan Smith - President and Director
Dr. Sudeep Chandra - Secretary and Director
Claude D. Trombetta - Treasurer and Director
Dr. Eliska Rejmankova - Director
Dr. Stewart Oakley - Director
Our volunteer board is committed to overseeing the funding, management and execution of projects to preserve and restore the Lake Atitlan basin.
The Research Team
Dr. Rejmankova is a Professor at University of California, Davis in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy. She specializes in ecosystem and community ecology with particular attention to aquatic and wetland environments. Her continued research with her students and two local universities, Universidad del Valle and Universidad de San Carlos in Lake Atitlan, has provided the quantification and improved understanding of biogeochemical process ecosystems that are being exposed to increasing nutrient inputs through human activities.
Dr. Chandra is Associate Professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, in the Department of Natural Resources, Limnology and Conservation Ecology. He is also Director of Global Water Center and Aquatic Ecosystems Laboratory and is Associate Director of the Castle Lake Environmental Research & Education Program. Through 10 years of doing research in the Atitlan Basin he has come to know other organizations that provide evaluation, conservation, education and research with the objective of implementing comprehensive solutions.
Dr. Oakley is a professor at California State University, Chico in the Department of Civil Engineering and specializes in environmental engineering, wastewater treatment and solid waste management. He has extensive experience in research, publications and presentations regarding municipal environmental management policies and the design and operation of water treatment facilities in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Our Focus Area
The Atitlan basin is located in the department of Solola in Guatemala
Lake Atitlan
Projects We Support
Wastewater Management
Combining solutions for a viable outcome
Following many years of scientific research involving members of our board of directors, government institutions, and universities, proven technological solutions have been identified that are part of the sustainable long term measures to deal with wastewater management in the Atitlan Basin.
Health and Wellness
Education on hygiene, nutrition and sanitation
Through medical exchange programs, doctors and nurses provide education on hygiene and sanitary practices in order to promote the health and wellness of the communities around the lake.
Environmental Education
Local organizations plant trees, plants and shrubs
Through partnerships with local nonprofits, eco-landscaping and planting projects take place at 109 schools. These go hand in hand with educating the indigenous populations on the value of environmental preservation.
Recycling Projects
Local Guatemalan women take on recycling program
Through women's empowerment projects with local nonprofits and other organizations, Indigenous women are spearheading the recycling of glass, metals and plastics. The sale of these recyclable materials generates funds that go back into the community.
