Better Families is an innovative program model of self-management that empowers women and promotes Food and Nutritional Security (FNS). The program focuses on women of reproductive age and children under five, addressing issues of availability, access, consumption and biological use of food. The program was first implemented by Pantaleon in the communities surrounding our operations in Guatemala, in partnership with FUNDAZUCAR.

The programs focuses on organizing, training and educating women by recognizing their capacity as agents of change. The program acknowledges the impact that empowered women can have on the nutritional status of their children and the long term benefits of healthy and productive families. Topics of training include self-esteem, health, food production, maternity and responsible parenthood.

As a result of the program´s success in Guatemala, the Government of Honduras decided to adopt Better Families on a national-scale through an interinstitutional agreement between FUNDAZUCAR and La Grecia sugar mill. The Honduran presidential couple, Juan Orlando Hernández and Ana Garcia de Hernández, decided to replicate the program, seeking to reduce poverty indicators and focusing on a significant long-term impact on people´s lives. Honduras is the first country in Latin America where a government adopts the model and implements it.

La Grecia sugar mill is responsible for sharing the methodology and providing management support, the technical unit of the Ministry of Development is responsible for implementing the program and FUNDAZCUAR is responsible for monitoring and outcome evaluations. The program benefits over 200,000 families throughout the country.