Partners
Philosophy of why MPI works with partner organizations
Within Chaquijyá there are individuals striving to gain community leadership and economic independence, institutions dedicated to sustainable change, and networks of people and organizations working together to strengthen their community. MPI-G bases its work on these individuals, institutions and networks, and as a young organization operated by yearlong volunteers, the long-term success of our programs and projects depend on the extent to which our programs are built into, and grow up from, these local actors.
ASOATITLAN:
ASOATITLAN is an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in Chaquijyá through economic, political, social, and environmental empowerment. The organization is made up of fourteen proactive and passionate college-age members. They believe in the asset-based form of growth ascribed to by MPI-G. Presently we work alongside individual members of ASOATITLAN like Jesus Toc, who has provided us with contacts and any other help that we have need during our time in the community.
La Primeria Central de Chaquijyá:
La Primaria Central is one of four primary schools in greater Chaquijyá. The school has been our strongest community partner, helping us to establish ourselves professionally and socially in Chaquijyá. Through our education and health programs, MPI has been able to build strong relationships with the teachers, students, and their families. They have also included us in many community function, meetings, and festivals which have proved to be beneficial in promoting Manna Project Internationals’ mission in the community.
La Escuela Primeria de Cooperativa:
Our first partner organization in Chaquijyá outside of the Central caserio, the Cooperativa primary school has begun working with MPI to initiate English training programs for teachers and students alike. We also run a health program and an after-school English program for their fifth and sixth grade class. The faculty has been extremely enthusiastic about potential future projects and has helped MPI-G build relationships with a new sector of Chaquijyá.
Padres De Familia:
Padres de familia is a local group of leaders that hold meetings once a month to discuss social and economic needs in the community. We have been asked to join these monthly meeting so that we will be informed about upcoming events in the community. These meetings allow the residents to vote on specific actions such as education, holiday festivals, and construction.
Consejo Comunitario de Desarrollo (COCODE):
The COCODEs are a government subsidized community project organization that supports projects ranging from paving roads to starting social programs. They act based upon majority decisions and are a well-respected board of local men. The current president of the COCODEs is a close organizational partner. We look forward to helping them find and prioritize upcoming projects.
Maya Traditions:
Maya Traditions, an important employer of artisan groups in the region, has spearheaded holistic approaches to development in the Western Highlands for over twenty years. In addition to employment, they offer training in new weaving techniques, education scholarships for children, and traditional medicine classes. They've offered us assistance in developing original products to sell through our campus chapters in the United States and have been valuable mentors as we try to offer the diversity of services they currently provide.
SIFE - Syracuse University:
The SIFE campus chapter at Syracuse University has made significant inroads in Guatemala over the past three years. They've successfully taken traditional artisan goods, preserved the beauty, and added western features in a way that's made their products a runaway success on their campus. We plan to work with them on both ends, by gleaning best practices to foster a Guatemalan retail market through our flagship chapter at Vanderbilt University and through advising their expansion into small business incubation.
Ixim Achi:
The Asociacion Ixim Achi is a health organization sponsored by the Guatemalan national government. Working in 17 different neighborhoods throughout the department of Solola, Ixim Achi sponsors health clinics in each community and provides them with medicines, equipment, and oversight on monthly health workshops ("charlas") presented to expectant mothers and women with recently born children. The organization has been very supportive of our health initiatives in the community and Ixim Achi volunteers presented our first charlas at la Primaria Central. We look forward to working with them to train members of the community to present charlas in upcoming months.
Hug It Forward:
Hug It Forward is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that helps rural communities all over Guatemala build bottle schools out of little more than discarded plastic bottles and non-biodegradable trash. The erected schools clean up poor communities and provide much-needed educational infrastructure, but also teach environmental awareness, foster community leadership, and ensure that local citizens take ownership of the school. We are in the preliminary stages of our own bottle school project, thanks to Hug It Forward. Stuffing 13,000 bottles with trash will certainly be a long-term project, but in the end we hope to build a four-room addition to La Primaria in Chaquijyá Central.
