ICA Guatemala

Objectives
To empower local development in Guatemala by providing support  and leadership development in key arenas such as non-contaminating agriculture (organic agriculture), health, reforestation, community organization and education (pre-school program). To serve as a conduit and platform for people and ideas concerned with human development in Guatemala in Central America.

Background
In 1978 the ICA began an integrated rural development project in the community of San Miguel Conacaste. In 1997 ICA continues to work in an advisory capacity in the municipality of Sanarate where Conacaste
is located. ICA services are centered around collaborative efforts with local people and other institutions in other parts in the sectors of agriculture, preventive health, reforestation, preschool and rural
women's education and leadership.
ICA Guatemala has also advised and worked with communities and institutions in other parts of the country including the capital and the indigenous western highlands with important projects related to rural infrastructure
and women's support. We count upon a broad network of beneficiaries, friends and supporters.

Current activities
The major areas of emphasis are:

1. Agro-ecology and Health Building upon our work with the communities of the Sanarate Municipality 1994-1996 when we facilitated a direct dialogue dynamic between the Mayor and the villages of Sanarate, we
are now focused on developing three important local networks: organic agriculture, health and reforestation.

A) Organic agriculture: While ICA Guatemala continues to provide support (mostly moral) for the Conacaste Cooperative of drip irrigation farmers, which has renegotiated its debt to the banks and has begun to produce
once again in 1996, our main focus of attention has turned to organic agriculture. We have employed a local farmer from one of the villages of the Sanarate Municipality to be our organic agriculture expert. Roberto
Aroche has finished a three year training process with Altertech, and NGO which promotes organic farming for local people, and has put his knowledge to good use on his own plot. He is very creative and very dedicated to the idea and ideals of organic farming. His own farm is a model of what can be achieved. Our strategy is to work with Roberto A. coordinate with Altertech and set up a demonstration in Conacaste, probably on the plot of don Manuel Samayoa, on whose land the initial Conacaste drip irrigation demonstration was set up. We hope our demonstration of organic is as successful as was the drip irrigation demonstration 16 years ago. Other villages in the region have also shown interest.

b) Ecology: We continue working with Cementos Progreso and some 17 communities in the Sanarate municipality to encourage and promote tree planting. After an initial slow start 5 years ago our efforts are beginning to show results as farmers become convinced of the benefits in terms of stopping
erosion on their farms and providing firewood for their homes.

c) Health: We continue to work with and coordinate with the municipality health authorities with in the context   of our 5 year strategy for the Sanarate Municipality: Working partners include the ministry of health and INCAP
(instituto de Nutrició para Centro America and Panama). So far this year a major training event directed at midwives had been realized. In the later part of 1997 we envision promoting and organizing 4 health fairs in
collaboration with local leaders in the villages across the municipality.

2) Pre-School program: Our work with 9 pre-schools in the Sanarate and Sansare municipalities has been expanded to include working with mothers. This follows on the back of a successful effort which has focused mostly on the children, the innovative technology applied (Gardner's 7 Intelligence's and Eunice McCarthy's 4 Mat method), and a volunteer "teacher's club" made up of women young and old with a passion for children. Our new effort at training the teachers to also train the children's mothers is off a good start. Long time colleague Ligia Sagastume has been hired as project director, and Christian Munduate (ex-Secretary general of Asindes, an NGO umbrella group) is acting as a paid advisor. Three program cycles dealing with
health, self-esteem and pedagogy make up the core of the training for the mothers.

3) Other activities: In conjunction with ICA Canada and ICA Phoenix, ICA Guatemala personnel has traveled to Quito, Ecuador and to Costa Rica to help facilitate strategic planning in urban ecology (Quito) and ToP methodology in Costa Rica.

4. Board of Directors: The Board of directors has taken new interest in our projects and is devising a strategy for renewed local funding and support.

Personnel:
Joaquina Samayoa (general director)
Ligia Sagastume (pre-school programme director)
Freddy Aroche    (accountant)
Vilma Palencia
Carmen Aroche
Mérida Banegas
Roberto Aroche

Contact information:

Insitito de Asuntos Culturales de Guatemala
7a calle 3-49, Zona 1
Ciudad Guatemala
Guatemala C.A.

tel (+502 2) 32 31 60
fax (+502 2) 51 23 56, Att. ICA Guatemala
e-mail: icag@guate.net