Preparing for Impact: What’s Next for Our International Programs

At Advance, we believe that meaningful international work begins by listening. Real development doesn’t come from ready-made solutions or outside interventions, it grows from participation, collaboration, and long-term relationships. That’s why our international programs are built with a human-centered and sustainable approach, designed to meet the real needs of the communities we serve.

As International Program Manager, my role is to connect with our partners in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Bolivia, and Peru. Each of these countries carries unique challenges, but across them all we see the same truth: people are resilient, resourceful, and deeply committed to caring for their families. What they often lack is access to resources, opportunities, and systems that support their well-being. Our mission is to walk alongside them, strengthening the work of local partners and developing programs that respond directly to these realities.

That’s why our focus extends to the foundations of daily life: access to nutritious food, clean water, safe housing, health education, and medical care. In many of the communities we serve, malnutrition remains one of the biggest threats to long-term health, especially for children and older adults. We address this through workshops, gardens, food support, and nutrition education, providing both immediate relief and tools for lasting change. In the same way, our health and preventive education programs equip families with practical knowledge to avoid common illnesses, while our water and sanitation projects ensure that disease is not spread through something as basic as a glass of water.

Health doesn’t stop at food or water, though, it also means safer homes and environments where families can thrive. We work alongside communities to improve living conditions by supporting smoke-free, better-ventilated homes while investing in local leadership so growth continues long after our projects end. And in areas where specialized care is rarely available, our medical brigades bring pediatric, orthopedic, gynecological, ophthalmological, and general medicine services directly to families, while building trust and relationships that last far beyond a single visit.

For us, these programs are more than technical interventions. They are bridges of solidarity, opportunities to connect people across borders through a shared commitment to health, dignity, and justice. Each partnership and every project is not just about infrastructure or services, but about honoring the voices of the communities themselves, who guide and shape the work.

In 2025, these efforts reached over 40,000 people across Latin America. Behind that number are families with clean water in their homes, children with access to nutritious meals, and entire communities who welcome health brigades with hope. As we look ahead to 2026, we aim to expand that reach to 50,000 people, implement six new medical brigades in high-need areas, and strengthen our network of local and global partnerships.

We know development does not happen overnight, and it does not happen in isolation. It happens through listening, through participation, and through walking together, not as heroes, but as companions on the journey. And it happens when people everywhere choose to get involved. Every effort counts. Whether by volunteering, supporting us with a donation, or sharing these stories with others, you can be part of this bridge of solidarity. Together, we are building something stronger than any single program: a global community rooted in compassion and connection.

Our Monthly Staff Blog Series features stories and insights from our team at Advance Community, inspired by the work they do every day.

This month’s blog was written by Roberto Afane, International Program Manager.
Click here to support the work of Roberto and the International Programs team.