We are committed to local development and we know that citizen participation is essential to achieve it. That is why at Fundación HAME we have the “Responsible Citizenship” program, in which we provide political training to neighbors to foster governance and promote informed decision making.

Since its inception in 2012, “Responsible Citizenship” has been a pillar for the training of community leaders. Currently, the program offers diploma courses for community leaders in six municipalities in Petén, Alta Verapaz, Escuintla, Quetzaltenango and Retalhuleu.

These courses cover crucial topics for strengthening local management, such as the development of leadership and communication skills, management of development projects, and the importance of teamwork, among others.

The program is open to people with and without schooling, and participants are provided with the necessary devices to take it, so that connectivity is not an obstacle. Lorena Guerra, from Fundación HAME, highlights that the project has contributed to reduce social conflict in the areas where it is implemented. She adds that every year the leaders trained through “Responsible Citizenship” present at least two development projects to their local governments, thus demonstrating the citizen empowerment that the program promotes.

With this type of initiative, Fundación HAME seeks to continue contributing to the strengthening of community capacities, for the construction of a more participatory citizenship that promotes actions for local welfare.