Much like the diversity of the region’s microenterprise sector, the regional Financial Education and Training program is comprised of independent projects being implemented by four different organizations from four different countries, The Resource Foundation’s affiliates, CREFAC in El Salvador, Fundacen in Guatemala, ACODEP in Nicaragua, and TRF associate, Empretec in Panama. Each of these projects utilizes a methodology that is specific and individualized to each country’s context, while at the same time tracking the impact of each of the projects through a set of uniform indicators, which will facilitate the measurement of the program’s impact from a regional perspective. Collectively, all four projects will target the most common “microentrepreneur” profiles, including women and youth. All participants will be low-income individuals, who regard microenterprise as vital tool for improving their socio-economic conditions.

The Mesoamerican Conservation program to be implemented by The Resource Foundation’s affiliates, SalvaNATURA, will provide conservation education and microenterprise management training to low-income entrepreneurs from El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua who are involved in environmental activism within key biodiversity areas (and/or Important Bird Areas) of northern Central America. Northern Central America is centrally located in one of the world’s most important areas for biodiversity conservation, the Mesoamerican Biodiversity Hotspot. It is home to some 30 million plant and wildlife species that are threatened each day by its human neighbors. In order to ensure the conservation of the key Biodiversity Areas and/or Important Bird Areas, it is necessary to empower local conservation groups active inside the priority areas, providing their leaders with the education, technical skills, business administration training and economic opportunities required to achieve their goals or meet a reasonable level of success. This program will target low-income individuals with existing conservation programs or campaigns, and provide them with skills to strengthen their programs, increase their productivity and success, and ultimately improve living standards for themselves and the residents of their communities.

Through these programs, Citi Foundation is enhancing the economic opportunities for 2,533 low-income individuals and families in four Central American countries and indirectly benefiting in excess of 80,000 people living in those communities. These programs will help individuals become economically self-sufficient; lead to economic expansion and job creation; help individuals make informed financial decisions; and promote sustainable enterprises that generate jobs and stimulate economic growth while preserving the environment.

Learn about the other programs we support.

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