Project Development
1997
March/April: Dr. Norbert Hasselmann and Ingrid Weide travel to Guatemala. Contact established with the Maya Women’s organisation CODIMM, idea born for cooperation with CODIMM.
October: Foundation of VIMM
1998
February: Project partnership with CODIMM set up by the German administrative district of Göttingen.
April: Handing over of partnership certificates to CODIMM and to the governor of Chimaltenango.
Summer: Dispatch of 100 kg of medicines to Comalpa.
1999
April/May: Visit of the VMM-Committee to Guatemala and return visit from the CODIMM-Committee.
June: First posting of German doctors, opening of an outpatient clinic (clinica maya), purchase of a four wheel drive vehicle
October: Agreement on purchase of property for a school and clinic.
2000
June: Opening of clinic under the supervision of the Guatemalan doctor, Dr. Nery Son Lopez
2001
March: Appointment of two doctors (married couple).Purchase of a built property.
June-October: Conversion into clinic
2002
March: Exchange of doctors
April: Visit of VMM-Committee to the German Ambassador, viewing of suitable plot for a school
September: Further doctors appointed
November: Donation of an ultrasound scanner unit
2003
June: Construction of school. Posting of one doctor
August: Posting of first teacher at the CODIMM school
September: Exchange of doctors
October: Inauguration of CODIMM school
November: Female doctor sent.
2004
February: Visit from German Ambassador, the Vice-President of the German Bundestags and the UN Ambassador to Guatemala.
March: New team of doctors sent, organisation of an extension for the clinic.
June: Posting of a teacher
September: Exchange of doctors and one further teacher appointed
October: Visit from new German Ambassador in Comalapa
December: Completion of clinic extension. Further doctors sent over.
2005
June: Negotiations on installing drinking water facilities in Xiqui Sanahi
Collaboration with the Guatemalan Minister of Parliament, Roberto Kestler and the SAZ
September: Appointment of two more teaching staff
November/December: Awarded with the prize ‘one world’ by the Overseas Development Service of the evangelical Church, North Germany. New leadership of the medical project. Purchase of new vehicle for the doctors
2006
January: Exhibition of ‘pictures from paradise in the shadows’ at the Parliament of Lower Saxony.
February: Purchase of a new offroad – vecile, a diesel – driven Toyota pickup – truck.
March – April: The clinica's pharmacy is equipped with new glass cabinets.
2007
January: Nico Reynauld from Dresden is planning a water supply for the CODIMM – school by means of Construction of a cistern.
2008
October: The film "Pictures From Paradise In The Shadows" is realized with help from Marion Hohdahl.
In the middle of the month Norbert Hasselmann is visiting Comalapa for ten days, accompagnied by members of the county council Sigrid Jacobi and Wilhem Gerhardy.
On the occasion of this visit ammbassador H.E. Peter Lindner comes to Comalapa. In the Clinica he opens a new ultrasound scanner (above all for antenatal analysis) which was sponsored by the embassy.
2009
January: The entire project ist reorganized.
The midwives' organization ACOTCHI becomes new cooperative partner. We are planning to put up an obstetric center in addition to the outpatient clinic.
June: Stefan Wenzel with daughter Mira and Norbert Hasselmann are visiting Guatemala and Comalapa for three weeks, including a call on Alcade Don Xavier Bal and contacts with Dario Mota of the Bomberos Municipales (fire brigade).
September: At the general meeting Barbara Jahns ist elected new treasurer. Wolfgang Schmidt is dismissed with great gratititude for his nine years activity.
The members of VMM are welcoming unanimously the decisions to find a new cooperative partner in ACOTCHI and to become an independent NGO in Guatemala.
the number of VMM – members has risen to more than 60.
The Ultrasound Scanner
A big step forward: The annex of the hospital
Dr. Antje Vollmer, in 2004 Vicepresident of the german parliament, is visiting the hospital
