Guatemala

CASH AND VOUCHER ASSISTANCE IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

In April 2020, CARE received a five million dollar grant from MARS to implement a multi-country program, including Cote d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Peru, Thailand, and Venezuela1, with the aim of reducing the negative impacts of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations, especially women and girls, using complementary and multimodal approaches. A key activity of this program was the provision of cash and voucher assistance (CVA) to vulnerable populations to meet their diverse basic needs. Program data indicated that CVA was implemented in Cote d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, and Thailand. Monitoring data from different countries showed that CVA was unconditional; with cash modality representing 95% of transfers. Key targets populations for CVA activities vary by country and include: vulnerable households (Cote d’Ivoire, and Haiti); migrants and refugees (Honduras, Ecuador, and Thailand); domestic workers (Guatemala and Ecuador); survivors of GBV and other forms of violence against women (Guatemala and Ecuador); and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer/questioning (LGBTQI+) individuals (Ecuador). Across all projects (or countries), participants reported numerous uses of CVA including purchase foods stuff, payment of health services, hygiene services, rental/housing, savings and livelihoods activities.
Given the nature and scale of this program as well as its organizational commitment to learning, CARE was keen to understand the extent to which the project supported and protected vulnerable populations against the loss or disruption of their livelihoods in a gender sensitive manner. The study seeks to provide open-source learnings for peer
companies and agencies on how CVA was utilized in this program with two major questions: (i) How gender sensitive was the process for CARE’s CVA? (ii) How gender sensitive was the intended outcome of CARE’s CVA?
This documentation report compiles lessons from across the projects implemented in the targeted countries and draws from the diversity of their experiences to provide some recommendations on more gender sensitive CVA in the future. Read More...

Taking Care of Our Mountains

On Friday December 11, we celebrated International Mountain Day, which was designated in 2003 by the United Nations to bring attention to the vital importance of conserving mountain ecosystems and the critical environmental services they provide.
To highlight the importance of mountain ecosystems and uplift the voices of women, girls, and other marginalized groups that suffer disproportionately from their destruction, we are sharing a report that outlines some of CARE’s initiatives to protect mountains. Developed in collaboration with and under the leadership of CARE Peru, this report highlights inclusive and innovative solutions for mountain conservation by showcasing three case studies from CARE Peru, CARE Ecuador, and CARE Nepal and examples from CARE Tanzania and CARE Guatemala. [20 pages]. Read More...

Gestión sostenible para la conservación y restauración del bosque mesófilo del pie de monte volcánico de los municipios del Quetzal, La Reforma, Nuevo Progreso y el Tumbador del departamento de San Marcos en la cuenca del río Naranjo

This document is the results report of the Project Baseline "Sustainable Management for the Conservation and Restoration of the Mesophil forest of the Volcanic Mount Foot of the Municipalities of Quetzal, La Reforma, Nuevo Progreso and the Tomb of the department of San Marcos, in the Naranjo River basin" whose funding comes from the Tropical Forest Conservation Fund (FCA) whose field stage was developed during August-October 2019, in order to provide the initial parameters and indicators to assess the impact of the objectives and results defined by that project. The project was designed with the primary purpose of contributing to the well-being of populations located in the upper and middle part of the Naranjo River basin, through the promotion and implementation of activities aimed at improving agroforestry systems and sustainable conservation and restoration of forest remnants, for the recovery of connectivity as a measure to address biodiversity loss and fragmentation of forest ecosystems. The selected territory has a high wealth of flora and fauna with ecosystem functionality that contribute to the well-being and family economy of 115,891 inhabitants in the four municipalities according to data from the 2018 census. It belongs to the Volcanic Chain Region prioritized by the FCA and according to the National Forest Institute (INAB) for its hydrological potential is defined as a very high priority of intervention. Read More...

Conservación y Restauración de Ecosistemas Nativos para el Mantenimiento de la Regulación Hídrica Protección de Biodiversidad en Cuatro Municipios Totonicapán Y Sololá Baseline

This document contains the results of the Baseline biophysical and socio-economic situation analysis of the territory where the Project "Conservation and Restoration of and native ecosystems for the maintenance of water regulation and biodiversity protection in four municipalities of Totonicapán and Sololá", whose funding comes from the Tropical Forest Conservation Agreement (FCA).
This is a collection of  information from the project area and the field study developed during the months of August to November 2019, in order to provide the initial parameters and indicators to assess the impact of the objectives and results defined by the project. The project will promote the full participation of women and young people in community organizations, to improve power relations, mainly in forest use decision-making, access to forest government incentives and planning for diversification of agroforestry systems, mainly associated with forest species, fruit trees, and annual crops, to reduce the gap in development opportunities between men and women. Read More...

Final Evaluation Report: Nourishing the Future II Project, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica

The CARE-Cargill Nourishing the Future II project was implemented in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica between September 2016 and August 2019 (36 months). Its primary objective was to help producers and women micro-entrepreneurs improve the quality of life of their families, assuring their food security and the sustainable management of natural resources.

Six impact indicators and 32 outcome indicators were tracked for Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, and 11 indicators were applied in Costa Rica, where we implemented a subset of interventions (food security, nutrition and hygiene). Overall, when comparing indicators to their baselines, the average effectiveness was 72%, with Honduras achieving the best results and Nicaragua having less favorable results due to ongoing social, political and economic issues.

Among the most relevant findings of the evaluation were the success of Cargill’s inclusive business model and value chains in integrating small producers and micro-entrepreneurs into markets; an increase in the resilience of households to the effects of climate change; an increase in the use of sustainable agricultural practices; and an increase in incomes as a result of market sales, access to financial services and related training. Moreover, we observed the target beneficiaries working together in rural savings unions, cooperatives and producer associations, supporting the provision of financial, technical and marketing services to their members. Regarding food security and nutrition, our work with schools led to an increase in the consumption of healthy foods at the household level. The project increased access to nutrient-rich foods through community, school and family gardens as well as increased knowledge and application of good practices in sanitation and hygiene.
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Informe Final de Evaluación Proyecto Nutriendo el Futuro Fase II

El Proyecto Nutriendo el Futuro Fase II se ejecutó en el marco de la alianza CARE y Cargill, en apoyo a cuatro países del área centroamericana: Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua y Costa Rica.
Su objetivo fue contribuir a que los productores/as y microempresarios/as de las áreas rurales y periurbanas del área de influencia de Cargill mejoraran la calidad de vida de sus familias, garantizando su seguridad alimentaria y el manejo sostenible de sus recursos naturales. El mismo se implementó por un período de 36 meses, entre septiembre de 2016 y agosto de 2019. El Proyecto brindó apoyo directo a un total de 84 comunidades, 1,606 pequeños productores/as, 968 microempresarios/as y 25,968 niños y niñas en edad escolar. Más del 50% de los beneficiarios (12,863) fueron mujeres y niñas. Read More...

Nourishing the Future Project: Baseline Study

Conceptually the "Nourishing the Future" project is positioned in the Cargill - CARE alliance with the “purpose to contribute to food and nutrition security in sustainable environmental conditions, while ensuring that farmers (men and women) and their families, obtain an improvement in their livelihoods and income.”

The conceptual orientation enables the project in Guatemala, which begins its Third Phase, to generate conditions, through the development of skills and competences in families and communities participating in the project, the development of resilience to face the effects of climate change. It seeks sustainable long-term changes so that families living in extreme poverty surpass their current state. Its main topic of work and intervention "income generation through the development of agricultural value chains (mini vegetables: green beans and blackberries) and micro entrepreneurs linked to the Cargill supply chain."

This document contains the Baseline Report of the "Nourishing the Future" Project, which begins its Third Phase in Guatemala. Read More...

Cargill Report Evaluación Cuantitativa 2019

This report outlines results from the final evaluation of Nourishing the Future Phase III. The report analyses the projects four objectives: (1) small producers and micro-entrepreneurs increased their income and resilience to climate change, (2) small producers and micro-entrepreneurs are more politically organized with stronger civil systems, (3) vulnerable families increased knowledge, have access to information on food and nutritional security and have improved their leadership skills, (4) Communities’ capacities to develop action plans to increase food and nutritional security that are sustainable from a climate change perspective.

The report compares the baseline and end line data in order to identify how the project succeeded and the impact it had on different communities where it was implemented. Read More...

Informe de Evaluación Proyecto Gobernabilidad del Agua + Género

Las OMAS (Oficinas Municipales de Agua y Saneamiento) han sido creadas con creadas con el propósito de fortalecer la gestión sostenible y la prestación de los servicios de agua potable y saneamiento en el ámbito urbano y rural. Articula la respuesta a la demanda social de manera coordinada con los esfuerzos municipales y de entidades nacionales e internacionales que intervienen en el municipio. En Guatemala no existieron hasta hace una década. Antes de las OMAS, las oficinas de gobiernos locales no tuvieron personal específicamente encargado de garantizar el funcionamiento de los sistemas de agua. Helvetas ayudo a aperturar la primer OMAS en el año 2007 en el departamento de San Marcos. Antes del 2007 y desde el 2000 al 2004, CARE trabajó con dos municipalidades para establecer Oficinas Forestales Municipales (OFM) que tenían como objetivo la protección y conservación de recursos naturales, incluyendo el recurso agua. CARE implementó un modelo a través del cual se encargó de proveer asistencia técnica y financiera (reduciendo % de salarios a través del tiempo), mientras que el Instituto Nacional de Bosques (INAB) se encargó de la promoción política + asistencia técnica y las municipalidades de proveer espacio para la oficina y absorción progresiva de costos salariales del personal. En el año 2012, CARE Guatemala fortaleció el modelo OMAS a través de la capacitación del personal en temas técnicos de operación y mantenimiento de los sistemas de agua y conservación de los bosques, así como elementos de administración, transparencia y finanzas. CARE también contribuyó en la implementación de tres OMAS adicionales en el departamento de San Marcos. En el 2012, había menos de 10 OMAS en San Marcos. Hasta agosto de 2018, 28 de los 30 municipios de San Marcos han establecido OMAS. Actualmente hay 117 OMAS (o equivalente a OMAS) en Guatemala de los 340 municipios del país. Cada año, más Alcaldes eligen tener una Oficina Municipal de Agua y Saneamiento para que sea la responsable de la gestión de los servicios de agua y saneamiento (en otros departamentos de Guatemala a veces se usa otros nombres además de OMAS). [14 pages] Read More...

Sustainability of Water Systems in Tacaná, San Marcos built over the last 25 years

CARE Guatemala has worked in water and sanitation in Tacaná for over 10 years. CARE has helped construct potable water systems, trained community members to manage the systems, improved sanitation in schools, and led sanitation workshops for students. Most recently, CARE was involved in the Lazos de Agua (Water Links) project, which was completed in October 2016, in the municipalities of Tacaná and Tajumulco. One of the project’s main goals was to increase access to sustainable, safe water for at least 5,000 people1. In addition to providing access to clean water, it is imperative to ensure the sustainability of improved water systems into the future. In order to monitor the functioning of the water systems, the Municipal Water and Sanitation office (OMAS) was created in Tacaná in 2012. The OMAS is responsible for the operation, management and maintenance of the water systems in both urban and rural areas of Tacaná. However, neither the OMAS nor CARE have had adequate resources to consistently monitor the water systems that have been built over the last 25 years. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the functionality and sustainability of the water systems constructed by CARE and other organizations over the past 25 years in Tacaná. [11 pages] Read More...

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