Several years ago, the Shanta Board of Directors began exploring the possibility of launching our Village Partnership Model (VPM) on a different continent. From our inception in 2006, all of Shanta’s groundbreaking work on poverty reduction has been done in SE Asia. Would our innovative model work in a different culture? On a different continent? How would we find staff? Would it be better to work through an existing organization or create a new one? These are a few of the questions that we set out to answer when we expanded into Zambia, and boy, have we learned a lot.
Today, our nascent Zambian projects are moving ahead, and we are looking to apply the lessons learned to a new endeavor. Our board has tasked the staff with researching the possibility of implementing in Central America.
Why Central America?
These are the key factors drawing us to Central America:
1. Extreme Poverty: Vast rural populations mired in extreme poverty.
2. Cultural Diversity: Unique contexts refine our model.
3. Proximity Advantage: Efficient U.S. travel for staff, donors, and volunteers.
4. Expanded Impact: Partnering with more villages, closer to home.
Where in Central America?
To determine which country in Central America is the best fit for our Village Partnership Model, we will consider a number of factors. Here are a few of the most critical ones:
- Rural Poverty: Significant populations in extreme need.
- Safety and Stability: Crime, medical access, and government stability.
- Operational Costs: Comparative analysis with Zambia and Myanmar.
- Currency Stability: Dollar relativity.
- Underserved Regions: Areas overlooked by NGOs.
Turning Vision into Reality
Funding is crucial. Donor support will make our Central American launch possible. Are you interested in empowering communities in countries like the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Belize or Panama? Perhaps you know someone who has an affinity for Central America. If so, please connect them with me.
In Solidarity,
Wade
205-886-8144
wade@shantafoundation.org
