Cooperative grocery stores in Honduras fight hunger while empowering women
The burning challenges of violence and endemic poverty echo throughout the streets of Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras. Many neighbourhoods are experiencing urban expansion, a proliferation of informal settlements and a resurgence of criminal and gender-based violence.
Within this context, many families struggle to afford nutritious food. It is estimated that 3.2 million people in Honduras face crisis levels of food insecurity and the growth of at least half a million children is stunted due to malnutrition. The Asociación Tiendas de Abastecimiento Comunitario (Association of Community Supply Shops), also known as TAC, is a beacon of hope for families. It operates 14 cooperative grocery stores in some of poorest communities in Tegucigalpa, making healthy food accessible and affordable.
Asociacion Tiendas de Abastecimiento Comunitario (TAC)
The Association not only provides quality food at fair prices; it also paves the way for the economic empowerment of women and men in the community through its savings and credit cooperative.
However, one challenge persists: 90% of the women who are members of TAC have not had the opportunity to develop administrative, financial, accounting, or internal control and audit management skills. Unfortunately, due to a lack of financial resources, TAC could not offer these types of trainings to its members.