IMPACT
Fellows are encouraged to step forward in a meaningful way and focus on their roles as leaders in service to others.
The challenges in the region make our mission and values even more relevant today. Central America needs more and better leaders with strong value foundations who are actively committed, individually and collectively, to confront challenges for the creation of more prosperous, just, and inclusive societies.
How does an impactful life begin?
Fostering a life of impact through leadership is at the heart of CALI, inspiring a model that creates change in personal transformation, professional purpose, and social need.
Our model sets us apart from other organizations that limit their focus solely to networking, social entrepreneurship, or individual leadership development. At the conclusion of CALI's program, Fellows join a growing international community that promotes opportunities for leadership development.
With over 2500 ventures launched, AGLN Fellow members have made significant strides in tackling some of the most difficult problems facing our world today.
El impacto de los Fellows The impact of the Fellows extends far beyond the individual
Fellows, through their leadership and actions, impact the people, institutions, and communities around them. As models of enlightened leadership and high integrity, their influence grows and deepens throughout their lives.
Fellows are encouraged to step forward in a meaningful way and focus on their roles as leaders in service to others.
Their companies or organizations are led with greater clarity of values and greater clarity of purpose.
Their industries and communities are moving forward through policies, practices, resources, and reforms for positive change.
Their societies become fairer and more just.
Historias de Impacto
CALICANTO Foundation
The crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic caused the CALICANTO Foundation to urgently adapt to the drastic changes that have affected its beneficiaries, who abruptly had to comply with the extreme quarantine and the majority losing their jobs.
In an effort to support the women CALICANTO has trained over the past 12 years, Fellows Hildegard Vasquez - CALI 2, Carlos Arauz - CALI 6 and Gabriela Aued - CALI 4 - launched a pilot program with 100 beneficiaries residing in Panama City and Colon. The goal was to impact 800 women in a staggered eight-week period.
The Foundation was able to create a mechanism with Panama's largest private bank to establish pre-paid cards (vouchers) that could be replenished on a weekly basis with income for living expenses, helping them feel secure while remaining at home and ensuring that once the crisis was over, they would be able to return to work.
Given the CALICANTO Foundation's recognized work in socially marginalized and mostly vulnerable communities, the COVID-19 Global Response Fund, created by the McNulty Foundation, responded immediately by providing funds to address the emerging initiative in light of the crisis.
CEPIA
Through its venture CEPIA, it provided support to poor communities facing food crisis conditions due to the economic situation caused by the pandemic and its negative impact on local tourism in the province of Guanacaste.
CEPIA supported 500 families per month with basic food packages and personal hygiene items. This initiative received funding through the McNulty Foundation's Covid-19 Global Response Fund. Laetitia is also working with the University for International Cooperation (UCI) to support the project's goal of making Guanacaste a model region for regenerative tourism and development.
“CEPIA has been present throughout the pandemic, and still is today as the pandemic is not really over. We believe that the most important thing in times of crisis is human connection, presence. The staff and more than 300 volunteers have been very active in showing their presence, empathy and solidarity with people who have lost their jobs, or people who are being emotionally, mentally affected by job loss, confinement, and lack of opportunities. As well as children who are suffering the consequences of not going to school and not having their socialization and learning space available."
Laetitia Deweer | CALI 9
VITAL VOICES
In 2006, Maria Pacheco CALI 2 (Guatemala) had the opportunity to be part of the second CALI generation. That same year she was selected to participate, along with 15 other women from around the world, in a mentoring program of the global organization Vital Voices. Motivated by these two experiences, in Guatemala, Maria created the first chapter of Vital Voices in Central America with the mission to strengthen the capabilities, credibility and connections of emerging women leaders in the business, political and human rights fields.
Later, thanks to the relationships resulting from her CALI experience, Maria shared her project with a group of CALI Fellows, women with outstanding leadership in each of their countries, which motivated them to create the Vital Voices network in Central America. In 2019, Vital Voices Central America was among the three finalists for the McNulty Award.
Today, Vital Voices is an initiative that involves more than 100 CALI Fellows. The Central American chapters are led by the following Fellows: Guatemala: María Pacheco CALI 2, Maria Isabel Lujan CALI 5, Aura Leticia Teleguario Sincal CALI 6, Linda Swana CALI 7, Karla Menocal CALI 7, Alida Boer CALI 13, Yolanda Mayora CALI 4, Karla Ruiz Cofiño CALI 11 | El Salvador: Claudia Cruz CALI 5, Marjorie Chorro de Trigero CALI 11, Johanna Hill, CALI 5 | Honduras: Kathia Yacaman CALI 12, Mey Hung CALI 6 | Costa Rica: Alexandra Kissling CALI 1, Leonor Gutiérrez CALI 6, Maria Antonieta Chaverri CALI 7, Gioconda Lizano CALI 15.
#TODOPANAMA MOVEMENT
Recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an organized, civic and trade union group that seeks, in a coordinated, selfless, and supportive manner, to coordinate, facilitate and implement a comprehensive, multisector, and multidimensional plan in response to the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. Diego Eleta – CALI 2, Enrique De Obarrio – CALI 2, Gaby Aued CALI 4, Carlos Arauz – CALI 6 | Carolina Freire – CALI 6, Gian Castillero CALI 7, Michelle Muschett – CALI 8, María Luisa Navarro – CALI 8, Miky Fábrega – CALI 9, Ana Lucrecia Tovar – CALI 9, Marisa Arias – CALI 10, Ana María Vallarino – CALI 10, Rodrigo González – CALI 10, Marilu Salvador – CALI 11, Robbie García – CALI 11, María Cristina Salazar – CALI 12, Antonio Saad – CALI 14.
“The Covid-19 pandemic brought to bear the power of the CALI Fellows network in Panama. With a symbiosis anchored in a common goal and leveraged on the strengths, knowledge, talents, and skills of each of us, who selflessly and with a great sense of urgency, united among other Panamanians to give life to a citizens' movement in support of the State's response to the health crisis. The #TodoPanamá Movement has demonstrated, as Aristotle would have said, that "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts"; united we are stronger and by collaborating we can generate greater impact and achieve important positive changes."
Ana María Vallarino | CALI 10
