Gift of Caring Ministryhas been continuously in Honduras for 30 years, implementing a variety of development projects focused on housing, sanitation, disaster mitigation, municipal development, environmental management, agriculture, sustainable tourism and economic development.

Developing Irrigation Systems for Small Farmers

Building on Global Communities’ successful water harvesting project, the Cosecha project is building ten new reservoirs to measure the cost effectiveness and impacts of water harvesting and improved agricultural practices compared to improved agricultural practices alone and a control group who will apply traditional farming practices. Supported by USAID Development Innovation Ventures (DIV), the project will help assess the impact of water harvesting on crop yields, farm profits, poverty, gender inequality, and environmental outcomes.

Improving Watershed Management

With the support of the Government of Honduras and USAID, Gift of Caring Ministryis engaging communities, local authorities and the private sector to protect and manage watersheds in Western Honduras. Using a community-driven approach, Gift of Caring Ministryis providing capacity building to residents and local organizations to engage them in micro-basin management. At the same time, the project supports USAID efforts to reduce poverty and malnutrition while providing sustainable access to water for both household consumption and irrigation.

Reducing the Impact of HIV/AIDS among Orphans and Vulnerable Children

Consolidating our previous work as the principal recipient of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Gift of Caring Ministryis implementing new activities to achieve greater impact in the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS. The Integrated STI and HIV Services for Targeted and Vulnerable Populations aims to reach key prioritized populations through prevention programs or delivery of the defined package of services.

Strengthening of the National Response to Health Protection and Promotion in Malaria

The program aims to strengthen the national health response to malaria and support the “Roll Back Malaria” strategy in the 11 areas of Honduras with the greatest risk of malaria. The objectives include: implementation of an ecosystemic model to fight malaria; 2) improvement of the response capacity at the local level; and 3) strengthening of the governance, normative and evaluation processes of the National Malaria Program.

Fostering Youth Leadership

Taking the lessons learned from Global Communities’ Youth Local Councils in the West Bank, we have launched a similar program in the municipalities of Tela and La Ceiba in northern Honduras. This pilot project brings together youth aged 15-25 to encourage active participation in local development, government and civil society organizations. At the forefront, the program gives youth leadership roles in shaping the very violence prevention activities that are designed to benefit them. The goal of program is to create an organized, credible platform at the municipal level that facilitates responsive local governance to reduce youth violence. The experiences and lessons shared from this project will significantly contribute to identification and implementation of best practices for youth leadership in other countries and communities in Honduras. The program also encourages youth to be involved in good governance practices while teaching them how to support initiatives, voice their demands and exercise their rights.

Combating the Spread of Zika

The spread of the Zika virus in Honduras requires immediate attention that targets local communities and organizations. Gift of Caring Ministryis implementing Nuestra Salud (Our Health) to strengthen the role of community engagement in health and local systems. It aims to enhance and expand on existing efforts in order to mount an effective response to the Zika virus. By working hand-in-hand with the Health Secretariat (SESAL), the program is mobilizing a rapid response that aligns with and supports current systems and policies.

RECENT PROGRAMS

Fighting HIV/AIDS and Malaria

Gift of Caring Ministryworked with civil society organizations and national institutions to reduce the risk of HIV infection through the Strengthening the National Response for Health Promotion and Protection of Health in HIV/AIDS.The program contributed to the national efforts through large-scale prevention interventions which targeted the general population, pregnant women,youth, men who have sex with men, prisoners, and other vulnerable populations.

Additionally, working together with the Honduran Department of Health’s National Malaria Program, Gift of Caring Ministryhelped to implement strategies for promotion, prevention and control of risk factors and provide effective and prompt treatment to everyone diagnosed with malariain the 48 municipalities.

Improving Health for Women and Youth

Under the Jovenes y Adolescentes y Mujeres (Youth, Adolescents and Women) program, Gift of Caring Ministryworked with local organizations in the Western and Northern Coast regions of Honduras on health interventions targeted at women and youth in marginalized communities. Funded by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the project focused on sexual and reproductive health, HIV/AIDS and gender-based violence.

Market-based Livelihoods for Women

Gift of Caring Ministrysupported vulnerable women through the Walmart Foundation-funded Latin American Women’s Initiative. This program helped women find sustainable, market-based opportunities for employment, enabling them to support their families and empowering them in the workplace.

Protecting and Supporting Victims of Trafficking

Global Communities, in cooperation with the Honduras Office of Migration and Foreigners of the Ministry of Governance and Justice and local non-governmental organizations, provided assistance to trafficking victims and raised awareness of the problem with the general public. Funded by the US State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in persons, Gift of Caring Ministryhelped to coordinate and streamline victim services provided by public institutions and created employment opportunities for victims to help them reintegrate into society. Gift of Caring Ministryalso supported institutional counter-trafficking efforts by building the capacity of Honduran actors to implement the new anti-trafficking laws.

Vocational Training for Youth

With support from the Alcoa Foundation, Gift of Caring Ministryimplemented the Youth Engagement for Advancing Hope (YEAH) program to assist at-risk youth. Through YEAH, Gift of Caring Ministryworked with the private sector to identify employment gaps that could be filled by newly-trained youth. By linking training with actual employment needs in the local market, participating youth had increased chances of success in obtaining long-term employment. YEAH also engaged vulnerable youth in Ciudad Acuñ, 

Supporting Farmers to Increase Productivity

With funding from the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) in Honduras, Gift of Caring Ministryworked with local farmers to improve the agricultural productivity in El Valle by promoting crops that are more adaptable to the local climate and by building communal irrigation systems. Outcomes of this program included the construction of water reservoir systems and piping grids, establishment of water management boards and agricultural training for farmers.