Community Roots Project FY2021 Annual Progress Report

The project was implemented by World Vision, Inc. and received funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The project's objectives were to support 80 community-based commissions to promote integrated violence and migration prevention initiatives, strengthen and mobilize municipal and national stakeholders to develop and implement municipal-level violence and migration prevention plans, promote private sector engagement in violence and migration prevention, and support secondary violence prevention projects. In FY2021, the project made significant progress in achieving its objectives. Under Objective 1, support was provided to community plans to complete their implementation, with an implementation rate of 91%. This included the recovery of community public spaces, which promoted the participation of young people, men, and women in community activities. The National Civil Police (PNC) also approached schools for the organization of COPREVES and the design of school prevention plans, and information and awareness talks were given on the risks and consequences of irregular migration in 92 schools. Under Objective 2, efforts focused on supporting the implementation of municipality-level prevention plans, particularly in accountability meetings. The project also extended the model to approach new municipalities with indigenous authorities in Totonicapán and Nahualá, and new community-wide prevention plans were developed in a participatory manner. As a sustainability strategy, a certificate course on Violence Prevention and Irregular Migration was designed and implemented, which was completed by 86 persons. Under Objective 3, efforts continued to catalyze the support of the corporate private sector and link it to violence and migration prevention initiatives promoted by the communities participating in the project. Partnerships were established with local private sector partners to promote development processes and economic empowerment that will leverage entrepreneurial goals and employment relationships for young men and women at risk. Currently, 49 public-private partnerships have been established to support the efforts of the Project. Under Objective 4, a number of training workshops were held for reference networks and support networks, as well as a total of 33 accountability events provided by regional teams. Through the community-based reference model, a total of 4,780 young people participated. Direct care was provided to 62 young migrant returnees, and support was provided to 4,336 participants with after-school education, technical-vocational training, and psychosocial care programs. The creation of a child protection policy was achieved by Iglesia de Dios Evangelio Completo in the Huehuetenango region as part of the final process of the Channels of Hope Child Protection methodology. The project also faced challenges, including keeping dropouts from the programs to a minimum due to complications from the pandemic. However, the project continued to work with partners from the corporate private sector, local private sector partners, and local actors to promote development processes and economic empowerment that will leverage entrepreneurial goals and employment relationships for young men and women at risk.