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The project will help improve the life of women and young people by helping them increase their income in two ways: First is by generating jobs for young people who will have access to technical and professional training. The second is through the development of new business ventures, the improvement of existing business ventures and encouraging young people in technical and professional training to generate self-employment ventures. Finally, women’s participation across the whole process will be encouraged by developing a massive education and awareness process.
This will be achieved by working on three components (systemic effects): i) Improvement of professional technical training and job placement; ii) Promotion of sustainable entrepreneurship and financial inclusion; iii) Empowerment of women (sexual and reproductive health, violence prevention, and care economy) trying to work with 3 transversal lines simultaneously: i) gender, ii) environment and iii) governance and conflict management.
The work strategies foresee coordinating with public and private actors at the micro (municipal) level; meso (departmental) and macro level (national and international). The approach is taken on by the actors of the market systems (public and private), generating innovations in the economic and social spheres. The project will intervene in 12 municipalities in 3 key areas of the department of Alta Verapaz and in four sectors That have the greatest economic potential: The sectors of forestry, tourism, construction and environmental services.
The economy of Alta Verapaz is based on agriculture, livestock, and forestry, known for producing coffee, cardamom, and other high-quality agricultural products. Despite this, poverty remains prevalent, with incomes affected by climatic conditions, international market prices, and deficiencies in logistical distribution and transport.
The inclusive market systems approach has successfully increased incomes, created employment opportunities for youth, men, and women, and empowered women to promote sustainable social and economic development. The project aimed to improve living conditions by reducing poverty in remote and underserved areas, achieving this through strategies focused on increasing beneficiary incomes and enhancing decision-making capacities for young people and women.
Over 5,000 young people, 88% of whom are women, received technical training for hard and soft skills, facilitating their entry into the labor market. Collaboration with more than 15 educational centers strengthened curricula, trained instructors, and improved educational environments. The private sector ensured training met market needs, while academic and public sectors certified the training, adopting the methodology and instruments for continuity.
Innovative methodologies certified over 200 young people in advanced topics like technology use, programming, tourist services, and work internships. Partnerships with the Ministries of Economy and Labour and municipalities facilitated the labor market entry of nearly 11,000 young people through job fairs, employment offices, and scholarships.
The initiative also led to the creation and maintenance of around 1,900 businesses, predominantly run by young people and women. Business advisory services in financial education supported thousands of young people in developing business models, prototypes, and starting businesses, aided by seed capital from the project.
Additionally, over 200,000 people were sensitized on sexual and reproductive education, violence prevention, and the Let's Live in Harmony campaign named Wank Sa' Tuqtuukilal, using radio, television, and interactive material. Local and national organizations played a crucial role in this outreach.
A sustainable legacy includes nearly 700 trained technicians and health promoters facilitating Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) topics across 19 districts in 17 municipalities. The project has significantly advanced in transferring methodologies, empowering women, and strengthening entrepreneurship. Challenges remain in consolidating these efforts, but continued action and additional resources from Swisscontact International and partners are in place. The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency's support has been vital, aiming for lasting impact from these investments.
This project is financed by SIDA, among other donors. It is part of the Swisscontact Development Programme, co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA.