PROJECT
PATHBuilding Sustainable Pathways out of Extreme Poverty for Unemployed Youth (PATH) seeks to support 600 people living in extreme poverty between 16-30 years old in Sololá, Guatemala, to build sustainable livelihoods, develop savings groups, and relieve pressures leading to distress migration.
Sololá, Guatemala
Since September 2020, Trickle Up has been implementing the Graduation Approach in the municipalities of San Juan and Santa Clara La Laguna in Sololá, Guatemala, the second poorest region in the country. The project aims to support participants to become more economically active and engage in sustainable economic activities while also strengthening local governance’s capacity to implement Graduation-like programs to serve their populations. Through investing in the Graduation Approach, municipal governments can sustainably scale poverty alleviation programs in line with their annual policy agendas and funding schedules.
Our Progress
This project builds on expertise from on-the-ground operations and partnerships in Guatemala formed by Trickle Up over the past decade. We have achieved successful integration of Graduation into municipal programs in other parts of Guatemala, including through our ongoing programs in the departmentos of Alta Verapaz and Quiché. For example, the savings groups we have worked with in the municipality of Tamahú in the Department of Alta Verapaz are now independently functioning, three years after the end of Trickle Up’s intervention. This savings group network currently serves 1,457 people across 57 savings groups and serves as a model for other municipalities.
Progress as of the end of June 2022:
Livelihoods
active participants implementing a livelihood activity
persons with disability
participants with disability participating independently,
35 PwD participating with support
seed capital
participants received a seed capital grant of Q.1,000 (USD $130)
Working capital
participants’ average working capital is Q.1,757 (US $234)
SAVINGS GROUPS
29 savings groups formed and trained
avg. savings
average savings per savings group is Q.2,621 ($349.50)
FOOD SECURITY
%
of the participants use products from their kitchen garden for both consumption and sale
Project Team
The PATH project team includes a dedicated Project Coordinator in Sololá, two municipal technical staff, and staff from Trickle Up’s Americas office.
Project Partners
Trickle Up is partnering with Mayan Partners and the Municipality of Santa Clara la Laguna to implement the PATH project.
