Prevention of violence in San Andres and Las Flores Guatemala

Countries:

Guatemala

Start project:

2012

In response to increased violence in Latin America and more specifically in Central America, ICCO formulated a regional program that aims to reduce the interconnected threats of violence, organized crimes, gender inequality, social insecurity and limited economic opportunities. Our partner ACOFOP works with the target groups located in the communities of San Andres and Las Flores, located in Peten.

Background

The design of the project is based on the analyses and input of all partner organizations involved: FUNDAP (Fundacion para el Desarrollo EconÃ³mico y Social), SEDEM (AsociaciÃ³n para el Estudio y PromociÃ³n de la Seguridad en Democracia) and ACOFOP (Peten Asociation of Forestry Communities). The intervention area is mainly focus in the Maya Biosphere Reserve (MBR) located in PetÃ©n, Guatemala the northernmost state in Guatemala. FUNDAP will work in the departments of TotonicapÃ¡n, Quetzaltenango and San Marcos, in the western Guatemala. A Activities in this project proposal include the implementation of strategies to strengthen economic inclusion of vulnerable groups (young men and women and displaced families in situation of social exclusion) and create access to the labour market, stimulate economic initiatives, entrepreneurship, and generate strategic alliances with public and private actors which is consistent with the ICCO strategy on Fair Economic Development Programme ( FED). Concrete results include the development of entrepreneurial initiatives or new business with the support of other local actors. This model of economic empowerment is also based on the development of technical skills for the maximization of opportunities at formal levels like self employment.