Primeros Pasos

What Primeros Pasos does

Primeros Pasos (legally Asociación PASOS) is a Guatemalan, women-led non-profit founded in 2002 by Brent Savoie, then a fourth-year medical student at Vanderbilt University, to deliver integrated healthcare to the rural, predominantly Mayan K'iche' and Mam indigenous communities of the Palajunoj Valley in Quetzaltenango. It operates six integrated programs from a walk-in clinic hub at Llanos del Pinal: a Medical Program (consultations, lab, pharmacy), Dental Program, Nutritional Program (addressing chronic malnutrition and stunting in children under five and pregnant mothers), Mobile Clinics reaching the four most isolated communities, Reproductive Health Services (the valley's only affordable provider of prenatal and family-planning care), and a Service-Learning Program hosting international volunteers. Distribution is community-led, combining direct clinic visits, mobile outreach, school-based health education, and nutrition mothers' groups across ten communities serving approximately 25,000 inhabitants, with the organization treating over 4,500 patients annually and having impacted 15,000+ children since inception. The business model is non-commercial: revenue derives from a low-cost walk-in clinic, a sustaining-membership program (5X500 at $5-$15/month targeting 500 donors), individual donations, in-kind supplies, and volunteer-led fundraising ($300 USD per volunteer pre-arrival), with US tax-deductible donations channeled through fiscal sponsor Inter-American Health Alliance (IAHA). There is no proprietary technology platform; the "platform" is the integrated clinical-and-community delivery model sustained by long-tenured staff, university partnerships (Vanderbilt, Georgetown, USAC, and others), and deep community trust built over 20+ years.

Name

Primeros Pasos

Legal name

Asociación PASOS

Website

https://primerospasos.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Primeros Pasos is a Guatemalan women-led non-profit founded in 2002 that delivers integrated medical, dental, nutritional, reproductive, and mobile-clinic healthcare to approximately 25,000 indigenous inhabitants across ten communities of the Palajunoj Valley in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, treating over 4,500 patients annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Healthcare Services

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Public/County Primary Care Clinics (HLAFAGAI)

Keywords

• Community health services
• Rural healthcare delivery
• Nutritional recovery programs
• Mobile clinic outreach
• Maternal and child health

Headquarters

HQ city

Quetzaltenango

HQ country

Guatemala

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Primeros Pasos relies on donations from recurring donors, volunteers, and partners. The 5X500 program seeks 500 sustaining memberships at $5, $10, or $15 monthly to support the organization's monthly budget for medical, dental, nutritional, and service-learning programs. Volunteers are expected to fundraise $300 USD equivalent before arrival.
2. Clinic Service Fees: Low-cost/affordable walk-in clinic providing medical, dental, pharmacy, and laboratory services. Services are provided at low cost to patients in the Palajunoj Valley communities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Primeros Pasos is a non-profit community health organization that operates an affordable walk-in clinic in the Palajunoj Valley of Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, delivering medical, dental, pharmacy, and laboratory services, complemented by mobile clinics, community nutrition recovery programs for children under five and pregnant women, reproductive and prenatal health services, and health education. It serves approximately 25,000 indigenous inhabitants across 10 communities, seeing over 4,500 patients per year.

Product overview

Primeros Pasos is a non-profit healthcare organization offering a unified suite of community health services rather than a technology product. Its core offerings consist of six integrated programs: the Medical Program (walk-in clinic with medical consultations, lab, and pharmacy), Dental Program (low-cost dental care), Nutritional Program (addressing stunting and malnutrition), Mobile Clinics (extending services to remote communities), Reproductive Health Services (prenatal and family planning care), and the Service Learning Program (volunteer development). These programs work together to provide comprehensive, affordable healthcare to rural communities in Guatemala's Palajunoj Valley, with the clinic serving as the central hub complemented by mobile outreach and community-based nutrition recovery initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Medical Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,500+ patients served annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.

• Meal FlourminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Founded in 2016 to promote better nutrition through sustainable cultivation of protein-rich mealworms. Their mission is to empower communities to prevent serious health problems related to protein deficiency.
• AFIDminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Started in 2007 in Rwanda, providing volunteer accounting services to charities in developing countries. Has conducted assignments in Cambodia, Tanzania, Malawi and other countries.
• Vanderbilt UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding university partner - Dr. Brent Savoie started the project as a 4th year medical student at Vanderbilt in 2002. Continues to provide medical student volunteers and has produced multiple volunteers including 4th year medical students doing medical electives.
• Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal university partnership providing academic credibility and collaboration. Dr. Claudia Yojcom, Medical Project Director, graduated from USAC (CUNOC).
• Georgetown UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner sending medical student volunteers. GlobeMed at Georgetown sent medical students in June 2024.
• University of VirginiamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner contributing volunteers to Primeros Pasos programs.
• University of ChicagomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner contributing volunteers to Primeros Pasos programs.
• University of ArizonamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner contributing medical student volunteers. David Effio (medical student) volunteered in June 2025, and Jenna Glovsky (University of Arizona) volunteered in January 2026.
• University of DenvermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner providing volunteer social work students. Brianna Jecmen (Master of Social Work) volunteered in April 2023.
• University of DaytonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner providing volunteer pre-medicine students. Katie Brinkley (B.S. in Pre-medicine) volunteered in June 2023.
• University of MarylandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner contributing medical student volunteers. Melissa Rallo and Hima Konduro volunteered in August 2025.
• University of SydneymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational university partner. Patrick Ryan (Medical Elective Student) volunteered in January 2024.
• Bristol UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK university partner. Martha Berry (Medical Student) volunteered in September 2025.
• Lotus OutreachminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization sharing resources to support Primeros Pasos mission and vision.
• Club Rotario de San DiegominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRotary Club partner providing international support and resources to the organization.
• Global Pediatric AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting pediatric healthcare initiatives in the region.
• EWB-USAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineers Without Borders USA builds a better world through engineering projects that empower communities to meet basic human needs. They support community development projects in the valley.
• EntremundosminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuatemalan organization promoting and consolidating capacities of local development organizations, transforming them into multiplying agents for sustainable development.
• Los Médicos VoladoresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMission to build and strengthen underserved communities through healthcare, education, and volunteering. Provides professional and compassionate services to those in need.
• Proyecto CanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollects, creates and disseminates information, experiences, projects, and research in culinary, agriculture, and nutrition (CAN) area to foster collaboration between organizations.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Project HOPE: Global health non-profit delivering primary care, maternal/child health, and health systems strengthening across Latin America and elsewhere. Overlaps on integrated health services delivery to underserved populations but operates much more broadly and at significantly larger scale.
• Partners in Health: Large, well-capitalized global health non-profit providing comprehensive primary and specialty care in resource-limited settings including Latin America. Same core operating model (clinic + community outreach for the rural poor) but at vastly greater scale and budget than Primeros Pasos.

Others

• Global Health Corps: Non-profit that places young professionals in health systems roles at partner organizations across Africa, the U.S., and beyond. Relevant ecosystem peer rather than direct competitor — connects to Primeros Pasos' reliance on a volunteer/service-learning pipeline for staffing.

Direct peers

• Last Mile Health: Global non-profit deploying community health workers to deliver primary care to remote populations. Overlaps heavily with Primeros Pasos on outreach-led primary care delivery and on demonstrating outcomes for hard-to-reach communities.
• Wuqu' Kawoq | Maya Health Alliance: Guatemalan non-profit providing integrated healthcare — including chronic disease, maternal/child health, and nutrition — to indigenous Maya communities, with a comparable mix of clinic-based and community outreach delivery. Direct mission and operating model alignment with Primeros Pasos.
• Possible Health: Non-profit building integrated, community-based healthcare in rural Nepal, combining clinic infrastructure, community health workers, and outcomes data. Comparable in combining ambulatory primary care with nutrition, women's health, and data-driven impact measurement.
• Clínica Esperanza: Walk-in non-profit clinic on Roatán, Honduras providing low-cost medical, dental, and laboratory services to underserved populations. Highly comparable scale, service mix, and low-cost ambulatory model to the Primeros Pasos walk-in clinic.
• Curamericas Global: Non-profit operating community-centered maternal and child health programs in Latin America and Africa using the 'Birthing Centers' and 'Casa Materna' models. Strong comparability on integrated maternal/child and primary care delivery in rural indigenous communities.
• AMOS Health & Hope: Non-profit operating community health worker programs and primary clinics in rural Central America (Nicaragua), focusing on maternal/child health and chronic disease in underserved populations. Very similar integrated community-health model and beneficiary profile to Primeros Pasos.
• Shoulder to Shoulder: Non-profit delivering volunteer-driven primary care, dental, and nutrition services to underserved communities in Honduras and Central America through short-term medical brigades and partner-community clinics — closely mirroring Primeros Pasos' service-learning and mobile clinic approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/primerospasosguatemala
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/primeros-pasos

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Primeros Pasos