Cooperatives of the Americas promotes institutional strengthening processes and cooperative training opportunities among its members. As part of this commitment, it held a training internship in Costa Rica from July 7 to 10 for members of the Sagrada Familia Cooperative in Honduras. The goal was to learn about successful experiences from organizations in the Costa Rican cooperative movement.
The Honduran delegation consisted of 90 people, including delegates, board members, oversight committee members, and administrative staff, from various regions of the country: Metropolitan, Central, Southeast, Northwest, and Coastal.
The program addressed key topics such as cooperative identity, good governance, sustainability, technological innovation, and the social impact of cooperatives. Activities included training and exchange opportunities with member organizations of Cooperatives of the Americas, such as the National Teachers' Life Insurance Society, Coopeande, Coopejudicial, and Infocoop, which allowed for collective reflection on cooperative principles and strengthened capacities for democratic and participatory management.
The agenda also included a visit to the Holy Spirit Works Project, with an emphasis on learning about the youth shelter construction project, a project supported by the Costa Rican cooperative sector. Tours were also provided of regional initiatives led by Coopesarapiquí, the Urcozón Union, and Jovencoop, which showcase the diversity and dynamism of Costa Rican cooperatives in various areas of activity, with a strong focus on youth.
The delegation also visited northern Costa Rica, where they learned about the Coopelesca model, a leading cooperative in energy and sustainable development, as well as the Sacred Mountain project, an initiative that combines environmental conservation, culture, and a solidarity economy.
Juan Rafael Torres, president of the Sagrada Familia Cooperative, highlighted the importance of these learning opportunities among sister cooperatives, especially valuing the experiences generated in Costa Rica as key inputs for strengthening the cooperative's management and social impact in Honduras.
In this regard, the Sagrada Familia Cooperative plans to develop a comprehensive capacity-building process for its delegates over the next three years, with the goal of training more than 200 people in strategic topics for their institutional development and impact on their communities.
The Sagrada Familia Cooperative is a savings and credit cooperative with over 50 years of experience, whose main objective is to improve the quality of life of its members by offering responsible, supportive, and inclusive financial products and services. With a national presence and a democratic structure, it promotes the economic and social development of its communities, based on the values and principles of cooperativism.
Cooperatives of the Americas reaffirms the regional cooperative movement's commitment to ongoing training, integration in the Americas, and the solidarity-based projection of the cooperative model toward communities.
If your cooperative is interested in promoting programs of this type, please contact our customer service department at: services@aciamericas.coop
Last day of internship with the Sagrada Familia cooperative 🇭🇳
— Coop Americas (@CoopAmericas) July 9, 2025
We visited the Sarapiqui Agricultural Cooperative's youth camp 🇨🇷 https://t.co/ovwg18h5LE pic.twitter.com/Rju2UFjvfu
