Our strategic approach focuses on empowerment of local populations and representative organizations of civil society sectors, promoting their citizenship and participatory involvement in efforts aimed at long-term poverty eradication. Locally, we support processes of holistic, equitable, sustainable and participatory development implemented by committed and capable partner organisations be they non-government organisations (NGO's) or community-based organisations (CBO’s). We also emphasize strengthening of community and sector organizations as a means to further empowerment, local governance and participatory democracy at the micro regional and national levels.

A crucial aspect of support within the micro regions has been to work through development NGO’s and CBO’s who promote participatory development among the communities. ActionAid Guatemala does not directly carry out programs but rather works indirectly through development NGO’s and CBO’s as partner organizations that share our mission and strategic approach. The NGO's and CBO’s we support must in turn comply with such criteria as a long-term commitment to holistic participatory development, prior involvement in the community, knowledge of the area and fluency in local languages, acceptance by the population as well as administrative and technical ability to manage the projects.

The current five micro regions of the ActionAid Guatemala Program offer a diverse geographic context, cultural and ethnic background as well as community organization experiences.

Rural Community Development Areas:

DA 2 Tacaná is located in a colder mountainous region flanking the huge Tacaná volcano in North-Western San Marcos department bordering Mexico. Here, the Mam Mayan ethnic group constitutes the majority of the local population. Our partner organization is the national NGO, “Alianza para el Desarrollo Juvenil Comunitario” which is an affiliate with Save the Children.

DA 5 Ixcán is the most northerly of the 21 municipalities of the Quiché department. It borders Mexico to the North, Alta Verapaz to the East and Huehuetenango to the West. Average altitude is 280 MSL occupying an area of 1,575 km_. There are 173 communities within the Ixcán municipality with a total population of 71,000 inhabitants. Ixcán municipality is divided into 5 micro regions to facilitate administration. The target communities of this Development Area are located in 2 of the 5 micro regions.
The Guatemala NGO ACCSS (Association for Community Coordination of Health Services) manages DA5 Ixcán. It is an organisation with methodological and administrative capacity, highly committed to empowerment processes and work with poor and marginalized populations.

DA6 Chisec is the most northerly municipality of 16 within Alta Verapaz department, which itself is located in Northern Guatemala. Alta Verapaz borders Peten department to the North, Quiché to the East, Izabal to the West and Baja Verapaz to the South. Chisec municipality has an approximate extension of 1,488 km_. A total of 90,322 inhabitants live in small villages and hamlets, making up the 156 communities within Chisec, which are divided among 13 administrative centres know as micro regions.
The Guatemala NGO ASEDE (Association for Education and Development) manages DA6 Chisec. ASEDE has 10 years of experience in the region, supported by various reputable international organizations.

DA7 San Carlos Alzatate is located in Jalapa department, located in the Eastern region of Guatemala at a distance of 178 km from Guatemala City. The total population of the municipality is over approximately 13,700 of which 52% is less than 14 years old. 63 percent of the population are considered literate, however with extremely low levels of education. Most women can not read or write. The average family size is 8 children. 73% of the population live in rural communities. The ethnic origins of the majority of the population are indigenous from the Poqomam Mayan group, however due to strong acculturation pressures from the 1930’s onward, the indigenous language and culture are no longer practiced. However the population recognizes its indigenous roots, and the land is distributed by the legal entity called The Indigenous Community.
Our partner organisation for DA7 is a community based organization, founded 2 years ago called COMSCAL (Associated Communities for the Development of San Carlos Alzatate). We view working with a community based organisation such as COMSCAL as a positive means to further grass-roots empowerment and effective participatory development.

DA8 La Libertad, Petén
La Libertad municipality is located in the Northern department of El Petén. It has 137 communities and is one of the biggest in El Petén. Is located at 35 kms. from Flores and 535 kms. from Guatemala City.
DA8 La Libertad, Petén is coordinated by Oxlajú, a community-based-organization, member of CNOC (National Coordination of Peasant Organizations). The majority of the population in La Libertad are Q´eqchí, Kiché and Ladina, and are internally displaced. As in the rest of DAs they face problems such as lack of water access, basic services, education as well as land legalization.