The Episcopal Church of Guatemala is an alive community working with different groups throughout the country.
Archbishop Armando Guerra established a Development and Mission Office to support the community ministry of the church and carry on this mission. Ms Mildred Medina, Coordinator of the Centre for Projects of the Episcopal Church of Guatemala, said the work is “very successful in fighting poverty and inequality with the groups we accompany”.
The church, also supported by Episcopal Relief & Development, develop three key programmes:
- Saving with Education
- Reforestation
- Micro-credits.
As priority objectives, they work to strengthen the identity of women, to help groups organise and learn how to save money and manage their financial resources, to strengthen the communities through capacity building programmes, and to decrease the rate of unemployment.
In 2012 21 saving groups were organised, with 288 members totalising USD 28,700. In 2013 they worked with 48 groups with the sum of USD 79,000 and 850 members.
Young people from the Episcopal Church form the majority of those participating in the reforestation programme, which started in 2010. They are working on advocacy initiatives and planting new trees.
Mildred valued the support of Archbishop Armando and the team that they have put together. Together they have developed good methodologies working with the groups. Now they are taking the initiatives, together with the support of Episcopal Relief & Development, to El Salvador. We hope to hear more from them soon!
