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The World Bank in El MezquitalThe rehabilitation of the neighborhood, El Mezquital in Guatemala City, Guatemala, has had a long history. Communal efforts played an important role. In 1994, the Guatemalan Government asked UNICEF and the World Bank to assist in a coordinated effort for the rehabilitation of the area. Main objectives: provide and improve basic infrastructure services; improve physical configuration, legal structures and environmental conditions; provide housing improvement credits; legalize land tenure; and introduce replicable and sustainable financing mechanisms and cost-effective technologies to ensure the recovery of investments cost and adequate maintenance. Total cost of PROUME (Programa Processes Urbanización de El Mezquital) came to $6.7 million. The World Bank provided $4.8 million; $1.4 million was put in by the Guatemalan Government, and $200,000 by stakeholders, or residents directly involved. The key aspect of PROUME was active participation by the community in project design, service selection, execution, cost recovery, maintenance, and administration. This has brought about a high level of responsiveness to local needs, greater administrative flexibility and maximized scarce community resources. PROUME also emphasized cost-effectiveness and cost recovery, through the use of alternative technologies, simpler designs, community choice and local affordability criteria. Some 2,300 families benefited from all or part of the facilities, that include expanding and improving water, electricity coverage and sanitation, including treatment of wastewater; street paving and access roads; and providing housing credits and developing social infrastructure. The El Mezquital improvements constitute only a small effort in comparison to the nearly 40 percent of the total population of Guatemala City who live in an estimated 230 low-income barrios, of which an estimated 30–35 percent are immigrants from (mostly Mayan-descended) indigenous areas, with an even greater percentage of families headed by single women. |
