Who we are and what we do

PROECOS is a movement of people, ideas and actions, founded by an American-Guatemalan couple in September 2001, which is dedicated to helping the environment and community of Quetzaltenango, in the western highlands of Guatemala. We believe that direct local action is the key to planting the seeds of change. Our focuses include organic agriculture, multifunction reforestation, reduction of garbage through composting and recycling, nutrition, and soil, water, and energy conservation. We work through direct action on our small experimental organic farm and training site, and through informal grassroots community education.

We have made the conscious decision not to legalize as a formal NGO, but remain as an autonomous movement, focused on direct action rather than administration. We are made up of a small core group of Guatemalans, and an ever-expanding group of volunteers and former volunteers from all over the world. Likewise we receive no outside funding, and what we accomplish is thanks to the hard work, passion, exchange of ideas and experiences, and generosity of all the volunteers who make up the movement.