The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) in collaboration with Partners of the Americas through our Education and Culture Community Project Funding supports local community initiatives across the Americas. They build bridges across borders, exchange expertise, and partner with communities to create lasting change. Funds are available to support community projects planned and executed by Partners of the Americas Chapters and their organizational members. Since 1983, the Education and Culture Program has been funded by the U.S. Department of State and implemented by Partners of the Americas.
This year, four innovative initiatives across Latin America will build skills, foster leadership, and strengthen communities. In Mexico, programs expand digital and financial literacy for women; in Ecuador, they inspire creativity and open higher education pathways for youth; in Brazil, they equip students with academic and leadership tools; and in João Pessoa, they promote school retention through sports, arts, and education. These U.S.-backed efforts advance American excellence by creating lasting impact, strengthening our partnerships, and contributing to more resilient communities and a more prosperous Hemisphere.
Read more about each project below:
Title: Literary Contest for Teenagers and Young Adults in Puerto Quito and Quinindé: I’ll Tell You in a Story
Title (Original): Concurso Literario para Adolescentes y Jóvenes de Puerto Quito y Quinindé: Te lo cuento en un cuento
- Implementor: Asociación Grupo de Pensamiento Afrodescendiente (GPA)
- Contact: María Verónica Cevallos Zambrano
- Country: Ecuador
- Theme: Education
- Location: Pichincha and Esmeraldas, Ecuador
Description:
Asociación Grupo de Pensamiento Afrodescendiente will replicate its successful literary contest Te lo cuento en un cuento to engage 400 Ecuadorian and Montubio students in Pichincha and Esmeraldas. Through history talks, creative writing workshops, and storytelling, the project strengthens literacy, builds community connections, and encourages pathways to higher education. Winning entries will be published digitally, and scholarships will recognize outstanding talent—empowering youth as lifelong learners and future leaders. By promoting educational achievement and fostering cross-cultural understanding, the project contributes to stronger connections and long-term prosperity in the Hemisphere.
Title: Pathways to Knowledge: Expanding Access to Education in the Mata Mineira Zone
Title (Original): Caminhos para o Saber: Ampliando o Acesso à Educação na Zona da Mata Mineira
- Implementor: Iracambi
- Contact: Binka Le Breton and Dayana Jhenifer Duarte da Silva
- Country: Brazil
- Theme: Education
- Location: Rosário da Limeira, Brazil (Rural communities located around the Serra do Brigadeiro State Park)
Description:
Led by Iracambi, this project supports 25 low-income public-school students (ages 14–18) from rural and urban communities near Brazil’s Serra do Brigadeiro State Park. Through hands-on academic workshops, personalized mentorship, and intercultural exchange with peers across the Americas, the initiative equips youth to stay in school, develop life plans, and pursue technical or higher education. By preparing the next generation of students for higher education and leadership, the initiative reinforces U.S. priorities of expanding opportunity, strengthening cooperation, and ensuring regional stability.
Title: Red Volando Alto: Training Community Replicators from the Co-meta Program for the Economic Empowerment of Women
Title (Original): Red Volando Alto: Formación de Replicadoras Comunitarias del Programa Co-meta para el empoderamiento económico de mujeres
- Implementor: ProSociedad hacer bien el bien AC
- Contact: Ana Magdalena Rodriguez Romero
- Country: Mexico
- Theme: Economic Growth and Entrepreneurship
- Location: Jalisco and Estado de México, México
Project Description:
Led by ProSociedad, this project expands the CoMeta second-chance education model to strengthen digital and financial literacy for women in communities across Mexico. The model takes an evidence-based approach that integrates human development, financial education, and entrepreneurship training, all rooted in community-centered practices.
Ten local facilitators will complete certified training in financial education and digital skills for entrepreneurship. They will then deliver a Trainer of Trainers (ToT) program to 50 additional facilitators, who will support at least 100 women in community centers. Participants will learn to manage money, use financial services safely, and grow their businesses using digital tools—building financial independence and transforming community centers into hubs for economic empowerment and lifelong learning. By expanding participation in the economy and strengthening digital capacity, the initiative advances regional goals of greater opportunity, stability, and shared prosperity.
Title: Transformative Education – From the classroom to the sports arena
Implementor: Paraíba Chapter
- Contact: Izolda Maria de Carvalho Silva
- Country: Brazil
- Theme: Education
- Location: João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil
Description:
In João Pessoa, Brazil, this initiative promotes school retention, health, and youth development in low-income neighborhoods by integrating sports, arts, and education. Students participate in activities such as Capoeira, dance, and martial arts alongside academic programming and school enrollment requirements, reinforcing both learning and personal growth. Partnerships with local fitness institutions provide training opportunities and family-based incentives that encourage long-term engagement. By combining academics with physical and civic development, the project strengthens communities and supports U.S. objectives of safer, more prosperous societies across the Americas.
