Fomentando Comunidades Ejemplares: USAID-ACCESO Snapshot

The project, supported by USAID-ACCESO, aims to improve agricultural production, nutrition, and health outcomes among children under two years old. The community of approximately 450 residents, located at 1,800 feet of altitude, was previously isolated from basic services such as electricity and potable water. In March 2012, USAID-ACCESO specialists in nutrition and health introduced the community to fortified tortillas and other nutritious food preparations. The initiative included training sessions on food preparation, household improvement, spacing of pregnancies, and personal hygiene practices. Francisca Gómez, a community health volunteer, reported a significant improvement in the health and nutrition of children under two years old. The project's technical assistance helped 75% of children who were previously underweight to overcome malnutrition. The community has also taken ownership of the project's objectives, with mothers requesting eco-stoves and working together to install filters and wastewater systems. The project's impact has also been felt among local farmers, who have increased their potato yields by almost 100% through the implementation of new agricultural practices. The project's specialist in agricultural production taught farmers techniques such as soil preparation, fertilization, and irrigation, resulting in an increase from 15 to 28 quintals of potatoes per manzana. The group of farmers has grown to 42 clients who implement basic practices promoted by the project. To recognize the community's efforts, USAID-ACCESO inaugurated a system of irrigation and a Nutrition Training Center in Belén Manazapa. The system of irrigation, with a capacity of 35 manzanas, and the Nutrition Training Center are benefiting 42 families in the community. The residents plan to install a joint water supply system with the project's specialists in Natural Resource Management this year. USAID-ACCESO continues to strengthen exemplary communities, enabling them to expand the project's influence and improve the living conditions of residents in rural areas. The project currently operates in 129 municipalities, 1,113 villages, and 2,600 rural settlements in the country's poorest regions.