Mateo Patzan -Recipient of the 100,000th Bicycle! Click here to read more about Mateo.

FIDESMA is the Fundación Integral de Desarrollo Sostenible y Medio Ambiente, an organization within Guatemala that has been doing work around development and the environment. Our foundation, founded in 1998, has a micro credit system among four other large projects. These projects include our organic agriculture program (natural medicinal practices), workshops on bicycles (an environmental program), a skills and training center, a clinic (our health program), and a school for those with physical disabilities. Unfortunately, the last program has been discontinued until further notice because of a lack of funding.

This non-profit organization is non-political and non-religious and therefore the majority of our financial assistance comes from other non-profit organizations. "Our primary role in Guatemala lies in development," states one of our FIDESMA staff members, "FIDESMA helps the community become more self-sustainable and for this reason we distribute financial assistance (like our micro credit system) and show the community prospective job opportunities. Later we hope that they will be able to have their own business, thereby contributing to the rest of the Guatemalan economy."
FIDESMA was started when Margarita Caté de Catú, the current president of FIDESMA, wanted to organize against the problems facing her community. Ms. Caté de Catú and 150 other women struggled to create the foundation with financial support from the Leadership Council.

FIDESMA is one of fifteen organizations apart of FEDENMURG (la Federación de Mujeres Rurales de Guatemala), a national, democratic association that promotes social development. The women members fight for the rights of rural women throughout Guatemala, along with bringing awareness to the preservation of the environment.

11/16/99, FIDESMA paid for a second shipment of 527 bikes the following year, but internal management difficulties undermined the program's financial self-sufficiency.

In 2002, the Skoll Community Fund underwrote the partial costs of a third shipment, re-capitalizing the FIDESMA program and enabling the Guatemalan agency to pay the full costs of a fourth container later in the year.

Prospects are good for FIDESMA to pay for and import at least one shipment annually, expanding its impact throughout Chimaltenango and beyond.