Regional Youth Alliance USAID-SICA is Inaugurated in San Salvador

The Regional Youth Alliance USAID-SICA program, an initiative of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Central American Integration System (SICA), was officially inaugurated this spring in San Salvador. The project is implemented by Creative Associates International.

The inauguration gathered officials from the Government of El Salvador, U.S. Embassy in San Salvador and others from international organizations, churches, the private sector and civil society. Special guests included Christy McCampbell, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, and Constance L. Rice, Co-Director of the Advancement Project Los Angeles.

The program, known in Spanish as Alianza Joven Regional USAID-SICA, is a direct response to the public security, investment and development challenges caused by youth gangs throughout Central America. Over the 33-month project, Creative along with its partners, will implement innovative community-based crime prevention programming throughout the region, gather and organize knowledge, including legislation and best practices with the aim of achieving regional coherence. It will also work with and strengthen the role of the Sistema de Integracion Centroamericana (SICA) in coordinating regional approaches to reducing youth crime in Central America. SICA is the organization of Central American countries which leads the region’s integration efforts. Creative will also award sub-grants to regional organizations in 45 targeted communities working with gangs and gang prevention. The sub-grant program will reach about 3,000 at-risk youths; other sub-grants will raise awareness of the dangers of gang life and sensitize the public to becoming more engaged in prevention and reintegration efforts.

For more information, contact Project Director Salvador Stadthagen at SalvadorS@CreativeDC.com.