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Asociación Amigos del Lago de Atitlán
We are a non-profit organization founded in 1990 and made up of neighbors, scientists and researchers committed to fighting for the conservation of Atitlán.
Organizational contacts & locations
Mission, vision & values
"Promote the Lake Atitlán Basin as a healthy and prosperous environment".
Protect and conserve the Lake Atitlán Basin, favoring the improvement of the quality of life of its inhabitants and the protection of natural resources (promoting and implementing sanitation and environmental education projects, solid and liquid waste management, reforestation and research, through alliances with local, national and international stakeholders).
"A clean and healthy Lake Atitlan for all". A Lake Atitlan Basin in which its inhabitants enjoy opportunities, well-being and sustainable development, in which the lake is conserved and protected so that it continues to provide clean water and environmental services for present and future generations.
Products, services, and programs
- Municipal Strengthening Program: This program provides advice and training to municipal agencies, focusing efforts on water and sanitation projects to improve these services and contribute to the health of the inhabitants and the conservation of Lake Atitlán.
- Atitlán Recicla Program: It was born with a social and environmental focus, with the objective of strengthening the management of recyclable solid waste in thirteen municipalities of the department of Sololá, contributing to minimize the contamination of Lake Atitlán, to improve the quality of life of the inhabitants, especially women.
- Conservando Atitlán: This is a project for the collection of used cooking oil to prevent it from contaminating Lake Atitlán, from which ecological soaps are made, generating decent employment for young people.
- Reforesting Atitlán for a green future: The negative impact of human activities on the forest cover of the Lake Atitlán basin has triggered a series of environmental imbalances, putting biodiversity, soil quality and the availability of vital water resources at risk.
- Sembrando Tul: Pretende mejorar la calidad del agua del lago de Atitlán y la recuperación de la biodiversidad del lago.
- Programa Educando para la Conservación: Este programa se basa en la Educación Ambiental contextualizada, que busca que los estudiantes, docentes y la comunidad en general, adquieran los conocimientos teóricos y prácticos necesarios para promover la salvaguarda del Lago de Atitlán y la conservación de los recursos naturales y culturales del departamento de Sololá, a través de la adopción de conocimientos, aplicación de conceptos ambientales y contribuir a la gestión ambiental, teniendo como primer paso la adopción de estilos de vida con enfoque de desarrollo sostenible, entre otros medios.
- Programa Semillero de Liderazgo Ambiental: Este programa es el resultado del Diplomado Juvenil en Liderazgo y Gestión Ambiental en el Lago de Atitlán, que busca incentivar a jóvenes, docentes y líderes comunitarios a adquirir las habilidades y conocimientos necesarios para formular y gestionar proyectos empresariales con impacto económico, social y ambiental.
Organizational detail
- Lack of knowledge of the lake's problems.
- Deforestation, mountain landslides.
- Loss of biodiversity.
- Areas/coastal areas with loss of tulle and therefore of biodiversity.
- Solid waste pollution and lack of opportunities for women.
- Lack of technical capacity in municipalities for solid waste management.
- Contamination from used cooking oil spills into soils and bodies of water.
Impact, adaptations & objectives
Municipal Strengthening Program
Among the impact results we can mention the joint construction with the institutions that make up the departmental commission of the water and sanitation axis of the Departmental Commission for Food and Nutritional Security -CODESAN- and the Departmental Health Commission -CODESAL-, at the national level the first departmental Public Water and Sanitation Policy as a public and management instrument to guide territorial strategic actions, decision making and provide operational guidance at the municipal level.
Atitlán Recycles Program
- During 2018 to date, we have disposed of 2,405 metric tons of recyclable waste.
- Recyclable waste is not disposed of in: Clandestine landfills, illegal open-pit dumps, forests, rivers or water sources.
- Formation of Atitlán Recicla integral cooperative with 57 leaders and 900 women linked to it.
- 4 management zones and 14 collection centers.
- Soy Ati Defending the Lake communication campaign.
- Municipalities involved in the process
- Economic income generated by women
- Inter-institutional alliances
- Transformation of glass and creation of products such as glasses, candles and vases.
- Implementation of a prototype machine to make recycled Pet plastic thread.
Conservando Atitlán Program
- 1 liter of used cooking oil pollutes 1,000 liters of water.
- 1 liter of used motor oil pollutes 20 million liters of water.
- The pollutant load of used cooking oil is 5,000 times greater than domestic wastewater.
- 1 liter of used cooking oil contaminates 15,000 m2 of soil, decreasing its fertility.
- In nature, oil impacts flora and fauna.
- From February 2019 to date, more than 100,000 liters of used cooking oil are not discharged directly or indirectly into Lake Atitlan.
- Creation of Ati't soap, made with oil.
- Creation of the Atitlán Youth Network involved in the elaboration and commercialization of Ati't soaps.
Reforesting Atitlán for a green future
Through reforestation and reforestation activities in degraded areas, with the species of alder (Alnus jourellensis) pine (Pinus maximinoii and Pinus pseudostrobus) and cypress (Cupressus lusitanica), in coordination and proactive participation of the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP), between 2016 and 2024, the Reforesting Atitlán Program has carried out the management and reforestation of a total of 1,575,000 tree species seedlings in the eight campaigns executed, which have been carefully selected based on their adaptability to environmental conditions and their contribution to the rehabilitation of affected ecosystems. A monitoring system was established.
Sowing Tulle Program
To date, more than 6,000 linear meters of tulle have been planted. (more than 6,000 linear meters planted to date).
Educating for Conservation Program
- 250 educational centers
- 18,106 students at the primary school, elementary school and high school levels trained in 7 thematic modules.
- 808 Teachers at the primary, elementary and diversified levels trained in the use of the participatory pedagogical methodology contextualized to the department of Sololá.
- 2,343 Parents strengthened with formative and informative workshops on environmental issues and school environmental management projects.
Environmental leadership seedbed program
- The Youth Diploma in Leadership and Environmental Management is aimed at young people between 18 and 35 years of age, who have completed their secondary schooling.
- 150 young people trained per year from 15 municipalities in the Lake Atitlán basin.
- To date we have trained an average of 450 young people in environmental management, leadership and entrepreneurship.
There is a monitoring and evaluation system in place for all programs, which systematically collects all the information necessary to measure impact and redirect actions.
Size and/or structure
The Association's Strategic Plan was completed in 2023. It reflects the adaptation of the Association to new trends. A communication area and a monitoring and evaluation area were established, which together strengthen AALA's actions. These actions seek to promote the sustainability of the association through a system of constant monitoring, evaluation and learning that generates a communication of its actions and results, to increase the number of associates and volunteers and to generate access to sources of financing for its projects.
Growth
- Establish a Water and Sanitation technical project bank.
- Establish municipal water and sanitation technical roundtables, incorporating the strategy for conservation, management, use and treatment of water for project decision-making in the prioritized municipalities of the Lake Atitlán basin.
- To influence the implementation of the Public Policy on Water and Sanitation of the department, in the new government transition, which require actions for the fiscal year (budget allocation) in Water and Sanitation projects.
- Generate economic income for the women of the Lake Atitlán Basin involved in the project.
- Implement a model of sustainable green and inclusive entrepreneurship.
- Provide a monthly used cooking oil collection service to restaurants, hotels, and canteens in priority municipalities.
- Manufacture and market Ati't ecological soaps.
- Conduct tulle planting days in coordination with institutions and volunteer groups to increase tulle coverage.
- Maintain the tul areas identified as a priority.
- Provide contextualized environmental education to ensure that 18,106 students are left with environmental knowledge, 808 teachers are trained in the use of participatory pedagogical methodology contextualized to the department of Sololá. Community in general, acquire the theoretical and practical knowledge necessary to promote the protection of Lake Atitlán.
- Awaken interest as well as participation criteria in activities and processes related to issues where young people can be part of decision making, reaffirming the cultural relevance of the region and promoting youth entrepreneurship.
Impact
- Rescue Lake Atitlán by completely eliminating the entry of wastewater generated in the main towns of the basin.
- Promote systems and initiatives for sanitation and prevention of solid and liquid waste pollution through sustainable and inclusive initiatives that involve the population and local authorities.
- Regenerate degraded areas to reduce erosion and restore the ecosystem, as well as improve the water quality of Lake Atitlán.
- Provide contextualized environmental education to ensure that students, teachers and the community in general, acquire the theoretical and practical knowledge necessary to promote the protection of Lake Atitlán and the conservation of natural and cultural resources of the department of Sololá.
- Promote the sustainability of the association through a system of constant monitoring, evaluation and learning that generates communication of its actions and results, to increase the number of members and volunteers and generate access to funding sources for its projects.