Sports Diplomacy Exchange
The Sports Diplomacy Exchange program allows indigenous youth to share and develop specific skills to foster inclusion and teamwork among young people through sport.
It is a 10-day exchange program in the United States, at the Mansfield Center (MC) of Montana University, addressed to young people from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras who use sports to empower and strengthen the leadership of women to the prevention of gender violence.
Exchange activities help young people establish dialogue and cultural understanding between people from El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and the US, using the universal passion for sports to unite people. In this case, the use of football as a platform that allows participants to share about their culture and at the same time gives them the opportunity to establish links with professionals and sports lovers.
At the same time, Americans learn about other cultures and the challenges that young people in these countries face today. These opportunities create spaces for shared learning about how participation in sports teaches leadership, teamwork, and communication skills that help young people succeed in all areas of their lives.
Construction of a school in Centro, Barillas
After five years of management and waiting, the construction of the school in Centro Uno Barillas, Huehuetenango finally began on April 24, 2023. The school was built with compressed bricks made by the community, which consists of three classrooms of 8 x 7 meters and an administrative office of 7 x 6 meters. The materials used were compressed bricks made of earth, lime, sand and a few cement done by the community members themselves. This type of material provides a cool environment in the classrooms so that the young women and girls can study in decent conditions. The masons were from the community itself, which was valuable in promoting job opportunities in the community. .
Centro Uno builds a better future with decent and fresh classrooms.
Community effort and external support make the school for 68 students a reality.
Throughout the construction, the enormous contribution, dedication, organizational capacity and the contribution of the community in all phases of the project, during 10 months of construction, were highlighted. Finally, on January 27, 2024, the Ixtatán Foundation inaugurated and handed over the building to the community. In May 2024, the school was supported by a grant to purchase 75 desks and 3 blackboards so both students and teachers can receive and develop their classes properly. This project benefits 68 students from the communities of Centro Uno Belén, Centro Dos, Centro Tres, Centro Cuatro and Las Flores.
This project was made possible thanks to individuals and donor organizations in the United States who believe in education as an effective mechanism for community development.