3 years with Danida

I worked as advisor on the big Danida development aid programme Premaca that was a regional programme in Central America focused on environmental and sustainable development.

I worked for the Danish ministry of foreign affairs and had my base in Guatemala, where I lived with my wife from Maj 2006 until Maj 2009.

My assignment

The job was to advise SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises) as well as NGOs in ordre to promote sustainable development for poor people, indigenous, and women.

I was in charge of the 'component 4' of the programme Premaca. This component was focused on Guatemala and Honduras.

Concretely speaking I advised and helped our partners whose jobs were to ensure the durability of the programme's component 4.  These partners were:

• Agexport in Guatemala
• Funder in Honduras
• FIDE in Honduras
• SNV in Honduras.

Sustainability

We aimed at 3 x sustainability, i.e.:

• Environmental
• Social
• Economical

Premaca

The programme was a regional environmental and poverty combating programme:

• Region: 7 Central American countries (Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama)
• Environment: Stop of forrest logging and of loss of biodiversity
• Poverty: Improving conditions of life for the poor in Central America
• Budget: 250 mio Danish krones during originally 5 years
• 2005-2012.

4 components

The Premaca programme had four components:

•  1. Regional ministerial councel for ministers of environment
•  2. Civil society's research and lobby activities
•  3. Decentral environmental planning in municipalities (water and waste)
•  4. Enterprises, working under market conditions, ensuring income for poor families, and simultaneously supporting the environment.