Streamlining Expansion of Primary Education in Latin America

Project Alianza is an international nonprofit whose mission is to break the cycle of poverty in rural coffee communities by bringing educational resources to children living and working on coffee farms. Approximately 2.6 million school-aged children in Latin America are not enrolled in school, with the most severe gaps in rural and low-income communities. Alianza enlisted a Capstone team to develop a strategy for standardizing its Community Allies Program (CAP), including phases for expansion in Latin America, beginning in El Salvador. Tasked with conducting research on US coffee companies to determine best practices for securing funding from partners, the team reviewed Alianza’s planning documentation, interviewed staff, and consulted with various coffee stakeholders. The team conducted fieldwork in El Salvador that included analyzing the educational landscape and interviewing farm owners, managers, beneficiaries, and other key individuals. Based on their findings, the team delivered a project plan for scaling CAP, including recommendations for engaging parents and evaluating teachers, and suggestions for soliciting corporate partnership funding.