History

CASM was founded in 1983 by the Mennonite Evangelical Church of Honduras. Initially this initiative brought help and support to refugees from El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras who were homeless as a result of the armed conflicts in their countries. Later this initiative developed into projects to help underdeveloped communities with the cultivation of basic grains, housing, drinking water and credits assistance.

Three years after its foundation, in 1986, CASM started training programs, housing and drinking water projects and technical and credit assistance in different rural areas in the western and eastern part of the country. During this period an emphasis was put on the development of communities with the goal to strengthen these communities in order to meet developing needs of the people involved.

Nevertheless CASM decided in 1996 after multiple experiences to change its focus to the promotion of self-guidance by the organized communities with an emphasis on the basic principles solidarity and participation. This marked a historic milestone because it opened the door to help and support the most excluded and vulnerable communities of the country.

In 1998, after Hurricane Mitch left great damage to Honduras, CASM offered its services to more than 20 thousand families that needed help, offering provisions, cultivation rehabilitation, commercial development and housing projects.

In 2001 CASM resumed with its focus on local development serving 21 communities in six departments of the country. These efforts have led to the development of The Strategic Organizational Plan 2005-2010.

Vision

Social actors actively working to implement sustainable human development processes at the local and regional level.

Mission

Contribute in the strengthening of social and organizational structures of local and regional communities by means of strategic and participative processes to create control, consensus and judgment for the different focus groups so they can participate in their own sustainable human development.

Great Challenge of CASM

The socio-economic and political context of Honduras is the great challenge of CASM. Our goal is to contribute to the strengthening of democracy in Honduras. We believe this is a structural condition needed to create a sustainable human development and to fight successfully against poverty.

This great challenge brings other goals with it: transcend from the local level to a community or regional level, develop processes of consensus between local government and civil society, promote a democratic culture and participative leadership from within the communities and the development of citizen capacity to initiate and execute projects.

Principles and Values

Belief in God
Love one’s fellow human beings
Justice
Peace and non-violence
Solidartity
Calling of responsibility
Respect
Equality
Honesty

Filosofy

In CASM we are convinced that God is the center of the universe and family is the cornerstone of society. According to our Christian beliefs in an Anabaptist Mennonite tradition, based on peace, non-violence, justice and solidarity, we as an institution, believe in the right of all families to be a part of society and to have access to resources, more opportunities, higher control and alliances. All this in order to raise the level of participation in the social, economical, political, cultural and spiritual sectors of Honduras to gain well-being and improve the quality and the way of life.