The cross-border initiative, funded by the Chevening Alumni Programme Fund (CAPF), brought together a diverse network of policymakers, environmental experts, and community leaders to confront the widespread contamination that threatens both local livelihoods and the health of the Atlantic Ocean.
The Motagua River, which flows from the Guatemalan highlands into the Caribbean Sea, has long suffered from industrial waste, plastic pollution, and untreated sewage. Its degradation poses a serious risk not only to biodiversity and marine ecosystems but also to the communities that rely on it for water, agriculture, and fishing. Recognising the transboundary nature of this crisis, the Chevening alumni-led project aimed to foster dialogue, share knowledge, and promote concrete action on both sides of the border.
Key activities of the project included high-level stakeholder roundtables that brought government officials, civil society representatives, and technical experts together to discuss shared responsibilities and potential solutions. Field visits to affected areas allowed participants to witness the extent of pollution first-hand, providing critical context for future policy decisions. Public engagement was also central to the initiative with environmental documentaries and awareness campaigns screened in local communities to foster broader understanding and inspire citizen involvement.
The culmination of these efforts was the development of a comprehensive policy brief outlining practical, evidence-based recommendations to mitigate pollution and enhance bi-national cooperation. The document was formally presented to Guatemalan decision-makers, with the goal of influencing future environmental policy and infrastructure investments.
Despite facing challenges such as limited waste management infrastructure and historically weak coordination between Guatemala and Honduras, the project succeeded in building trust, opening lines of communication, and demonstrating the power of alumni networks in driving change.
By uniting across borders and disciplines, Chevening Alumni are proving that international cooperation and local action can go hand in hand in the fight against environmental degradation. The Motagua River project stands as a hopeful model for other regions grappling with complex ecological issues.