The Association of Environmental Promoters (APAH, for its initials in Spanish), is a legally constituted non-governmental organization in Honduras that empowers Honduran youth to become leaders in conservation and sustainable development, transforming lives, communities, and the future of Honduras. APAH is based on the premise that a country’s natural capital, its total stocks and flows of natural resources and ecosystem services, cannot be managed and conserved without equally robust stocks and flows human capital needed to dream-up, design, and diligently maintain the systems (protected areas, environmental legislation, a thriving nonprofit ecosystem) that society decides to enshrine and protect over the decades and centuries. One cannot exist or thrive without the other.
APAH was founded by proud graduates of the Honduras Youth Conservation Corps (or JPC for “Jóvenes para la Conservación in Spanish), originally launched in 2017 through a partnership between the United States Forest Service (USFS) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The JPC program is actively fostering the next generation of leaders in conservation and sustainable development, equipped with the technical and leadership skills to create a more resilient and prosperous Honduras. To-date, the program has trained over 500 youth across 195 communities who have gone on to build brighter futures for their families and country. With a training methodology grounded in community service, JPC students have shared their knowledge and skills with thousands of Honduran youth and others across the country by leading local trainings on environmental stewardship, computer literacy, gender equity, and leadership, generating a potent multiplier effect through a modest investment in youth leadership training.
In 2020, the JPC embarked on a five-year plan to develop a sustainable future for the program. With that vision in mind, a group of enterprising JPC graduates founded APAH to accomplish the following:
Ensure the long-term continuity of the JPC program in Honduras
Provide advanced training and professional opportunities for JPC Graduates
Leverage local technical expertise among JPC graduates to implement conservation and development activities across Honduras.
In May of 2025, APAH will begin to independently administer and lead the JPC Program in Honduras, which will continue to develop committed specialists and leaders poised to create brighter futures for all. With continued support from the USFS and other local and international stakeholders, APAH has the operational capacity to train well over 500 new JPC leaders over the next 5 years, and is pursuing a multi-pronged fundraising strategy to position itself to accomplish this goal.
Over the course of 8 months, JPC participants undergo a transformative training divided into three key phases.
Upon graduation, participants are certified as Environmental Promoters, ready to take on leadership roles in their communities, at NGOs and governmental agencies, and beyond. Nearly 90% of JPC graduates have either secured jobs in conservation or related fields, are pursuing higher education, or have launched their own companies. This is high above the average rate for their peers in Honduras. Their skills and commitment to conservation and sustainable development not only transform their lives, but also inspire others to follow their lead.
The JPC Program is not just a training initiative; it’s a Honduran-led movement with a vision that changes the narrative of the country. Since 2017, the program has demonstrated the deep potential and unwavering conviction of Honduran youth to improve their lives and communities as an alternative to migration. The JPC methodology has also generated unprecedented support in Honduras, uniting communities, local institutions, and national organizations around a shared vision: a sustainable future for Honduras.
