The association of Studies and Projects of Popular Effort -EPRODEP- is a non profit, civil and communitarian organization involving women and men from the area located south from the municipality of San Juan Sacatepéquez, better known as Ciudad Quetzal (Quetzal City). It was founded to promote a new educational model linked to a wholesome development in the area, responding to the voids and mistakes inside the public and private school system, a system that denied participation to parents in their children’s education, to consider their main role and the benefits of a constructive criticism towards development.

In 1994 with the help of the community and the support of international cooperation the activities started with the inauguration of an educational center for teenagers excluded from regular educational centers. Later on, an elementary school was opened and since then this centers have positioned themselves as a part of the community, fighting for the human rights of the most vulnerable groups, from children to youth, women and family. This is how EPRODEP pushes forward, together with other local organizations, in reflective lines of action to achieve an integral development; diverse, inclusive, intercultural, in gender equity and the respect of mother nature. Promoting more rights for children, youth, women and Human Rights advocates in general; contributing to alternatives to formal education, support of technical learning and promotion of sustainable human entrepreneurship, inclusive socio-cultural recreation, a research, reading and communication culture, different artistic expressions focused on political and organizational participation, self responsibility in personal healthcare, family and community healthcare. As well as the gradual and systematic development of processes for institutional sustainability and that of all the lines of action.