Realizing Equitable Access, Retention, and Completion in Higher Education Quarterly Report, Q2 FY24

Operating in Guatemala, Honduras, and Paraguay from October 2022 to September 2027, REACH aims to strengthen local Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to design inclusive solutions addressing students' needs in prioritized specific geographical clusters. Collaborating with strategic partners and local HEIs, including Centro Universitario Tecnológico de Honduras of the Universidad Tecnológica Centroamericana (CEUTEC/UNITEC), Universidad Mesoamericana (UMES), Universidad Tecnológica de Honduras (UTH), Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG), Fundación Paraguaya (FP), and Inclusive Development Partners (IDP), REACH seeks to bring equitable and inclusive access to higher education aligned with market demands. In the second quarter (Q2) of fiscal year (FY) 2024, the inaugural cohort of 355 students from marginalized backgrounds enrolled at HEIs in Guatemala and Honduras. The student selection process prioritized individuals facing socioeconomic hardships, with particular emphasis on those in rural regions, ethnic minorities, and those affected by violence or crises. The students were selected from USAID's geographic areas of focus, with 132 Guatemalan participants from the departments of Guatemala, Quiché, San Marcos, and Totonicapán, and 223 Honduran participants from the departments of Comayagua, Cortés, Francisco Morazán, Santa Bárbara, and Yoro. The REACH activity has established a robust Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) system, with modules dedicated to scholarships, Participatory Higher Education Assessment (PHA), and institutional strengthening. The PHA has been instrumental in assessing HEI capabilities in scholarship management, and the results will support development of institutional strengthening plans for each HEI. Pilot satisfaction surveys have been conducted to solicit feedback from students on the recruitment and selection processes. Additionally, plans are in progress to develop a Gender, Equity, and Social Inclusion (GESI) training to foster inclusive environments within HEIs. The activity's social media platforms (@alcanzajoven) have seen growth in reach and engagement. Local partners required support with administrative procedures, scholarship management, and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) regulations. Family Health International (FHI 360) provided additional technical assistance to HEIs in these areas. Moving forward, priorities for the next quarter include ongoing technical assistance to HEIs, the launch of the activity website, dissemination of PHA results, and the initiation of institutional strengthening plans. Additionally, the REACH team aims to conduct student satisfaction surveys and commence recruitment for the second cohort in Paraguay. REACH aims to enhance access to higher education opportunities aligned with local labor market demands. The activity seeks to support vulnerable youth (17 to 29 years old) with limited socioeconomic resources, family responsibilities, belonging to ethnic minorities, LGBTQIA+ communities, victims of conflict or environmental crises, residents of rural areas, returned migrants, or those with disabilities. By strengthening the local capacities of HEIs, REACH intends to design solutions that improve access opportunities, quality, and relevance of Higher Education (HE) for these groups. The implementation period for REACH is from October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2027. Operations are underway in Guatemala, Honduras, and Paraguay. To effectively target vulnerable youth in peri-urban areas, the prioritized intervention areas include the following: five departments of the Western Highlands in Guatemala, strategic geographical clusters in six departments in Honduras, and four departments in the northeast region of Paraguay. To address the challenges faced by vulnerable youth in the region, FHI 360 collaborates with several partners, including UVG, IDP, and local HEIs such as CEUTEC/UNITEC, UMES, UTH, and UVG. The activity results include the enrollment of 355 students in the inaugural cohort, with 57% female and 43% male participants. The students have been selected from USAID's geographic areas of focus, with 132 Guatemalan participants and 223 Honduran participants. The vulnerability criteria that the scholarship recipients self-reported include low socioeconomic status, facing a crisis of violence or being affected by a climate crisis, and living in rural areas. The Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) team has defined the vulnerability variables and agreed with HEIs that they would apply to program participants throughout the various stages of the scholarship application. The REACH activity has established a robust MEL system, with modules dedicated to scholarships, PHA, and institutional strengthening. The PHA has been instrumental in assessing HEI capabilities in scholarship management, and the results will support development of institutional strengthening plans for each HEI. Pilot satisfaction surveys have been conducted to solicit feedback from students on the recruitment and selection processes. Additionally, plans are in progress