Holistic Improvement of Rural Families
Honduras

Name of project: Mejoramiento Integral de la Familia Rural (MIRE)—Holistic Improvement of Rural Families
Project implementers: Organización de Desarollo Empresarial Feminino (ODEF) and Plan Honduras
Project partners: Plan Canada
Location: Lempiras
Start date: 2008
No. of clients reached: 800 households
Research: Randomized impact assessment (household level) and qualitative research by Innovations for Poverty Action
Consumption support: US$17/month for six months
Livelihoods: Coffee, cereals, vegetables, and pigs
Financial service: Savings through village community banks implemented by ODEF
Additional services: Plan provides business development training, social empowerment, and health prevention

ODEF Financiera S.A. is a nonbank financial institution established in 1989 in Honduras to offer financial services to microenterprises and small businesses, with the end result of improving the quality of life for its clients. Founded over 70 years ago, Plan is one of the oldest and largest international development agencies in the world; it aims to achieve lasting improvements in the quality of life of deprived children in developing countries.

Project status
This pilot is jointly implemented by ODEF and Plan Honduras. The pilot is called “Mejoramiento Integral de la Familia Rural” (MIRE), which means holistic improvement of rural families. After a baseline survey, 500 participants were randomly selected in March 2009.

Program officers conducted a survey with all the families to learn about their level of education, previous experience, asset ownership, and access to land, to help guide the design of appropriate livelihood strategies. Coffee growing, cereals (beans and corn) and vegetables production, and pig and chicken rearing have been determined as possible livelihood choices.

A consumption support of $17/month will be distributed in summer 2009, and assets should start being distributed shortly thereafter.