Guatemala

Projects

Inclusive Finances

The Inclusive Finances (Finanzas Inclusivas) project strengthens the competitiveness of financial institutions and expands services and products for vulnerable populations and their businesses, promoting their economic development and inclusion in the formal financial system.

Innova:
Preparing the Guatemalan workforce for the future

Disadvantaged young adults will be able to successfully enter professional life through solid, high-quality training. In this way they will generate income for themselves and their families, freeing themselves from poverty on their own initiative.Young men and women are learning important technical skills in vocational training. Since the project...

Nuevas Oportunidades: productive reintegration of returned migrants

The project seeks the economic reintegration of returned migrants. It enables returned migrants to certify the skills they have acquired in the United States or Mexico. After certification, they are supported in finding a job or starting their own business.

PERSPECTIVAS - Perspectives for Returnees through Social and Professional Integration

This programme aims to improve the social and occupational integration of migrants who have returned to their home countries and individuals vulnerable to irregular migration.

Sustainable Mayan Landscapes of the Petén

Improving the conservation and connectivity of biodiverse landscapes through sustainable and inclusive production systems in the Mayan Biosphere Reserve.

News

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07.07.2026

Delivering impact at scale: ESG progress and results in 2025

Our time is full of urgencies that we can only address through collective action. Particularly in the contexts in which Swisscontact works, there is pronounced socio-political and institutional fragility, protracted economic crisis, and ecological deterioration. Swisscontact’s core contribution to sustainable development cooperation lies in the implementation of projects: strengthening vocational skills, fostering entrepreneurship, supporting climate-smart and inclusive market systems, and ultimately contributing to job creation and improved livelihoods.

07.07.2026

When the forest is protected before the fire: organised communities prevent fires in the Maya rainforest

In the Maya Biosphere Reserve, one of the most important forest landscapes in Mesoamerica, the fire season does not begin with the first flames. It starts much earlier, in the territory itself, with people who organise, plan and prepare to prevent fires from occurring.

27.05.2026

What if opportunities were closer to home?

Promoting sustainable local opportunities that enable people to thrive in their communities, reducing the need to migrate.

Country Director Guatemala

Carlos Morales

Interventions

In Guatemala, Swisscontact has implemented projects in different areas such as vocational education and training, retraining and reskilling, labour market insertion, development of "Guatemalan Entrepreneurial Ecosystems" and recently on issues related to Green Cities, such as solid waste management. We partner with the public and private sector, universities and academia, cooperatives, rural and farmers associations. We facilitate access to financial services such as seed capital. We strengthen relationships with institutions (business incubators, startup accelerators) for entrepreneurship and new ventures, targeting the most vulnerable minority groups such as indigenous communities, women, youth and returned migrants.

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