Officially Sololo was founded in 1541. Sololo is found in the western part of the country and is one of the areas with the richest indigenous traditions. Lake Atitlán is located at an approximate distance of 144 kms. from Guatemala City, at 6,932 feet (2,113 metres) above sea level. The surface of the Lake has a size of about 130 square kms. Lake Atitlán is considered one of the most beautiful places in the world because of its purity and natural beauty.
The present ethnical groups include Cackchiqueles, Quiches and Tzutuiles, who wear their traditional indigenous costumes with pride. These costumes are handmade and are one of the main attractions of Sololo. A fantastic view is created by the three volcanoes of Toliman, Atitlán, and San Pedro, which surround the lake.
Coffee, fruits, grains, onions, and garlic are the principal products of this department. Weaving is of major importance. Most women weave to provide clothes for their families and/or to obtain income. Women weave on the backstrap loom. Time for weaving is squeezed between other domestic chores. Some women are merchants and sell the weavings of their friends and family in the market.
Santiago
It is found on the opposite side of the Lake, to the south of Panajachel, next to the volcanoes of Toliman and Atitlan. The town of Santiago Atitlan has preserved its traditional Zutuil culture. This is the largest town around the lake. Although, there are many protestant churches in Santiago, their Mayan myths and religion are still a very strong part of their culture.
Agriculture and tourism are the two main incomes for the population of Santiago. Coffee, corn, beans, carrots, lettuce, apples, strawberries, avocados are the main products of this town. Local fishing is also practiced.
Pastor Diego Tzina’s church is located in down town Santiago. The communities of Panabaj and Cerro de Oro are very poor, and have been a priority for Diego’a ministries. At one point, Panabaj use to host about 500 families that survived a mudslide that came down from a volcano while hurricane Stan devastated that area back on 2005. This community was suppose to be a “temporary shelter” for these families, but so far about a 50% of the families remain there. Cerro de Oro is a very poor village outside of Santiago. Diego’s church, Iglesia Bautista Jesus El Buen Pastor (The Good Shepherd Baptist Church), is currently working on planting a church to serve the needy population of this village.
PASTOR DIEGO TZINA WITH ORPHAN OUTREACH STAFF GLORIA CACERES
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Infant Mortality Rate total:
29.77 deaths/1,000 live births
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Population below poverty line: 56.2% (2004)
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Est. # people living with HIV/AIDS:
61,000; 0.9% adult (15-49) prevalence rate (2005)
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Unemployment rate: 3.2% (2005)
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Literacy Rate (age 15 + can read & write):
69.1% total population
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Estimated 370,000 children (0-17)
orphaned (2005)
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Type of Government: Representative democracy
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Language(s): Spanish (60%); Amerindian languages (40%)
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Religion: Roman Catholic, Protestant, and indigenous Mayan beliefs
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Guatemala is located in Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between El Salvador and Mexico, and bordering the Caribbean Sea between Honduras and Belize.
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UNICEF estimates that there are more than 370,000 orphans in Guatemala and at least 5,000 children live on the streets of the capital, abandoned by mothers who are too poor to keep them.
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Only 24 percent of the population attends Secondary school (1996-2005).
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Only 58 percent of municipalities have a secondary school.
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Five out of 10 students who enter primary school in urban areas complete primary school, as opposed to only two out of 10 in rural areas.
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Some 67 percent of indigenous children suffer from chronic malnutrition.
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27 percent of all children under 5 are underweight.
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The distribution of income remains highly unequal with about 56% of the population below the poverty line.
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The indigenous population, the Maya, make up about half of the population. Mayan languages are spoken alongside Spanish, the official tongue. Many Guatemalans are of mixed Amerindian-Hispanic origin.
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Guatemalans live in one of the most inequitable societies in the region. Poverty is particularly widespread in the countryside and among indigenous communities. Illiteracy, infant mortality and malnutrition are among the highest in the region, life expectancy is among the lowest and, in common with many of its neighbors, the country is plagued by organized crime and violent street gangs.
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Officially Sololo was founded in 1541. Sololo is found in the western part of the country and is one of the areas with the richest indigenous traditions. Lake Atitlán is located at an approximate distance of 144 kms. from Guatemala City, at 6,932 feet (2,113 metres) above 
