If any good can come of an international disaster, Anne Kraemer Diaz hopes that people will at least realize that Mayans are still around.

The Kansas University doctoral student in anthropology is working to provide relief from a recent tropical storm as the executive director of Wuqu’ Kawoq, an organization that provides medical services in the native Mayan language of Kaqchikel.

That organization has sent six KU students and a lecturer of Kaqchikel Mayan to the country to assist with the effort.

“A lot of people really see the Mayan culture as something that collapsed,” Kraemer Diaz said. “Many people think the Mayans are something we only see in ancient ruins.”

But, she said, there are about 8 million Mayans today living in Mexico and Guatemala. Wuqu’ Kawoq, an organization Kraemer Diaz helped found, includes more than 150 volunteers, employees and collaborators helping to provide services in the Kaqchikel and K’ichee’ languages. About 500,000 people speak each language today, Kraemer Diaz said.

Guatemala has been hard-hit by tropical storm Agatha, which ravaged the country late last month. The major issues have been crop destruction, mudslides and contamination of water sources, Kraemer Diaz said.

“Many of these families were subsistence farmers,” and are facing the destruction of not only their food sources, but also their economy, Kraemer Diaz said. “There’s really no way to make that up.”

Guatemala’s largest lake has been contaminated, so Wuqu’ Kawoq has helped send large water purifiers that can purify up to 40 liters of water at a time in a relatively quick process, Kraemer Diaz said.

She said those interested in assisting with the effort can always donate money, but more than that, she said she hoped people would tell others about the problem.

“Let other people know,” she said. “The Mayans are alive. They didn’t collapse.”