20 July 2012: The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has announced the winners of the Call for Proposals for Civil Society, a competition for planning projects for poverty reduction in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Seven civil society organizations were selected to receive a total of US$7 million to implement projects in Bolivia, Colombia, Guatemala, Guyana, Nicaragua, Paraguay and Peru. The projects will support sustainable development in low-income communities in these countries.

The winning projects will inter alia: modernize agricultural education in Bolivia; conduct a youth training program in Colombia; and strengthen food security in Guatemala. The Guyana project will provide opportunities to low-income households to become self-employed entrepreneurs in organic hydroponic farming.

These projects are funded by the IDB-managed Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction Program. [IDB Press Release]