Program Overview

Our program in Chocolá is based on a systemic approach to sustainability while addressing immediate needs critical to community health and welfare.  The basic principles of our approach are as follows:

As an isolated rural community, Chocolá has little access to the kinds of information or technical and financial resources that are needed to plan and implement sustainable development. Yet the community possesses the resolve and human capital to take advantage of such resources if they are made available. Therefore:

•       We provide information and technical assistance to the people of Chocolá to help them evaluate need, opportunity, capacity and likelihood of success. This includes helping “connect” the community to public, private and non-profit resources willing and able to provide assistance.

•       We provide direct funding and other forms of support for specific community project requests. Such requests must come through broad based community organizations and demonstrate the willingness and capability of the community to provide part of the needed resources, generally in the form of “sweat equity.”

•       All programs must be consistent with our mission to help the people of Chocolá improve their lives and do no harm to the Mayan archeological site, the German historical site, the environment or the living cultural heritage of Chocolá. .

•       We will also consider supporting programs of governmental and other non-profit agencies, provided that they too meet the same tests for community need and involvement noted above.

•       All programs must work toward the broader goal of long term community sustainability.


Semillas para el Futuro and SMPAC projects focus on several key activity areas which are described in the links to the left.  To join us in this rewarding and meaningful work, see How to help.