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Ficohsa has been appointed to the Partnership for Central America, the public–private initiative set up by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris to expand jobs, investment and financial inclusion in the Northern Triangle.

Commenting on the appointment, Mr. Luis Atala, Executive Vice President of Ficohsa, said, “As the leading bank in Honduras – and one of the largest in Central America – we take very seriously our responsibility to drive social and economic development in the region, helping the growth of public and private institutions, and generating jobs and equal opportunities for all citizens. Given our focus on supporting SMEs, expanding financial inclusion, and attracting inward investment, we believe we have much to contribute to the Partnership for Central America.”

Ficohsa is committed to providing a further 210,000 unbanked, vulnerable people with financial products and services, and is working to double its network of authorized banking agents to provide crucial financial services through small community merchants.

Mr. Atala continued, “We believe it is essential that everyone has access to financial services. That is why we are investing US$50M in digital banking, such as our mobile phone-based payment service TENGO, that will expand financial inclusion and ensure that a greater proportion of remittances sent home to families in Central America are deposited in bank accounts and invested in assets, savings and businesses.”

On joining the PCA, Ficohsa has pledged to support the goals of Central America Forward, focusing on strengthening governance, combating corruption, and improving security.  Ficohsa’s significant investments in robust compliance and internal auditing systems have enabled it to grow transparently and with confidence. The Group’s Code of Ethics and Conduct is backed by anonymous and private complaints channels and a robust Anti Corruption and Bribery Management System.

Since 2008, Ficohsa’s De Mi Tierra – or “Of My Land” – program has supported the growth of over 900 producers in rural areas of Honduras through loans, technical assistance, and guaranteed purchases of products at fair market prices.

For over 15 years, De Mi Tiettra’s flexible financing and less stringent collateral requirements have enabled producers to buy supplies such as fertilizer and pest control at precisely the right moment, enabling them to grow year-round crops, and increase productivity, yields, and quality. 

Over 100 communities have now benefited from the US$ 6.9 million dispersed by Ficohsa’s De Mi Tierra program, which provides support tailored to the needs of small- and medium-sized enterprises in the farming sector.

The Ficohsa Foundation for Early Childhood Education is 25 years old this year.  Over that time, the Foundation has benefitted 150,600 children in 150 preschools.  Earlier this year, we committed to investing an additional US$1 million over the next two years to renovate 25 schools under the USAID-led Alliance for Education initiative, which supports education reform and improvements to school infrastructure in Honduras.

We spoke to two teachers – Bessy Jackelline Murillo, Director of Zita Salgado Preschool in Tegucigalpa, and Sayda Ferrera, Director of Lempira Preschool in Villanueva, Cortés – about the Ficohsa Foundation’s support for public education in Honduras.

Preschool provides boys and girls with comprehensive care within an environment that nurtures their physical, educational, social and emotional growth and development, preparing them for the rest of their lives.

Bessy Jackelline Murillo

Thank you, Ficohsa Foundation, and congratulations for having transformed the lives of so many boys and girls in Honduras.  I hope the Ficohsa Foundation continues to support preschool education, which is fundamental to giving life to the dreams of our children, who are the future of Honduras.

Sayda Ferrera

Read the full interviews here.

How long have you been teaching at Zita Salgado Preschool?

Bessy: I’ve been a teacher at the school for 22 years now, and the Teaching Director since 2007.  Over that time, we have tried exceptionally hard to improve the quality of education that we provide.  In 2014, the Ficohsa Foundation helped us become a Preschool Center of Excellence by renovating the building, purchasing new furniture, establishing a Technology Center, and providing school snacks and teacher training.  With the Ficohsa Foundation’s support, we have become one of the most prestigious preschools in Tegucigalpa.

Sayda: I have 30 years of teaching experience, with 20 of those at Lempira Preschool in Villanueva, Cortés.  We started in 2003 with 52 students in a small temporary classroom.  In 2005, with the help of the parents, we began to build a permanent classroom.  With the construction 40% complete, we met the Ficohsa Foundation, who provided us with construction materials.  We opened the classroom in 2006.  Thanks to the Ficohsa Foundation, the boys and girls of the community have an educational center with excellent furniture, a recreational area, a computer laboratory, school textbooks, and cleaning and sanitation materials, as well as a daily snack for every child.

What are the most rewarding aspects of being a teacher?

Bessy: When we provide children with the emotional support and trust that gives them the confidence to ask questions and express their emotions without fear, and to learn in a fun way.  When we give a child the confidence and skills to talk and play with his classmates.  When students develop the techniques and fine motor skills to make their first strokes with precision.  When boys and girls develop the language and skills to read and write.  When there is no absenteeism or school drop-outs.  When children learn about the importance of values, duties and rights.  And specifically when we carried out educational research in the classroom that we then presented to other schools as well as the Secretary of Education.  These are the most rewarding moments of my time as a teacher.

Sayda:  Without a doubt, education is the light that illuminates the path of our students.  With the support of the Ficohsa Foundation, we ensure that the kids want to learn and not skip school, they feel safe, they learn responsibility for themselves and their families and communities, they develop empathy for others, they are learning to become young entrepreneurs who are motivated by the habit of saving money in their piggy banks, and they learn to use computers and basic English language.  Creating the spaces, strategies and conditions for these transformations to occur in boys and girls through knowledge is truly gratifying.

What differences do you notice in the boys and girls from the time they first enter preschool compared to the end of the school year?

Bessy: Many cry in their first days at preschool but, within a short time, they do not want to leave because they socialize with friends and enjoy the facilities and classes.  We equip the children with everything they need to enter the First Grade.  They also spend time in the Technology Classroom and develop a basic knowledge of English.

Sayda: At the beginning of the year, children arrive shy and insecure, often unable to concentrate and follow instructions.  By the end, they have learned patience, creativity and strong social, emotional, cognitive and physical development. We polish them through education, turning them into beautiful diamonds by the end of the year.

Tell us about the teacher training that you have received with the support of the Ficohsa Foundation?

Bessy: I have received a great deal of training over the years from the Ficohsa Foundation that has enabled me to improve as a teacher and achieve better results.  My training courses have included leadership and motivation, the use of computer software and the Internet, teaching using hand puppets, identifying children with learning difficulties, social and financial education, and a host of other courses on the Ficohsa Foundation educational portal.

Sayda: I have received a lot of training.  Just a few highlights include: leadership and motivation, computer software, managing depression and anxiety, the use of technology in teaching, mathematics in preschool, managing emotions in children, public speaking, and autism in the classroom.

Why is preschool education for boys and girls so important?

Bessy: Preschool provides boys and girls with comprehensive care within an environment that nurtures their physical, educational, social and emotional growth and development, preparing them for the rest of their lives.

Sayda: Preschool education is the fundamental foundation in the development of important social, emotional, cognitive and physical skills that will be useful throughout the children’s lives.  It fosters curiosity and love of learning, and prepares them for primary school.  Preschool education is an invaluable investment in academic and personal futures.

On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the Ficohsa Foundation, what can you say about its achievements over the years and what experiences stand out for you?

Bessy: Since I have been working with the Ficohsa Foundation, they have contributed a great deal to preschool education at the national level.  The Foundation has provided hope for our boys and girls by fulfilling many dreams.  It  has transformed preschools into Centers of Excellence by improving physical facilities and building technology centers.  Its donation of food gives each child one meal a day, which helps to deter kids dropping out of school.  By providing educational materials, such as school books, the Foundation helps out parents who then do not need to buy these resources.  The Foundation staff are dedicated and empathetic to the needs of each child.  They leave each and every teacher feeling motivated, incentivized and valued.

“I congratulate the Ficohsa Foundation on its 25 year anniversary.  The Foundation has made a substantial difference to preschool education in Honduras.”

Sayda: Thank you, Ficohsa Foundation, and congratulations for having transformed the lives of so many boys and girls in Honduras.

“I hope the Ficohsa Foundation continues to support preschool education, which is fundamental to giving life to the dreams of our children, who are the future of Honduras.”