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Young people with big ideas that transform society

March 14, 2013
Participate and follow us on Twitter using @bidjuventud How does one solve old problems? With new ideas PANAMA CITY – We must listen to the voices of young people, with their fresh ideas and their plans for the future. And especially in Latin America and the Caribbean, the region with the world’s youngest population, where the average age is only 27.

How to improve math learning in public schools

March 04, 2013
With Such Bleak Math Scores in Paraguay, Do Methods Matter? The answer to the question posed in the title is a most definite yes. In Paraguay’s Cordillera province, you can see why. The best part of the day for preschoolers at Escuela Básica 201 is when the teacher plays Tikichuela. Students stand up and form a circle and then the music starts. They jump, they sing, they play with objects of different sizes and forms. And they count, in both Spanish and Guarani.

The Smart Fight Against Beach Erosion and Natural Disasters in Barbados

March 04, 2013
The construction of a kilometer-long boardwalk between Rockley and Coconut Court on the southern coast of Barbados is not only a tourist attraction—it also provides safe access to beaches and has increased beach width by nearly 20 meters.

Latin American and Caribbean Women: Better Educated, Lower Paid

October 15, 2012
Even with more education than men, women are still concentrated in lower-paid occupations such as teaching, health care or the service sector. When comparing men and women of the same age and educational level, men earn 17 percent more than women in Latin America.

Civic culture is key to reduce violence, study finds

May 30, 2012
IDB-sponsored study explores how changes in civic culture are needed to achieve long-term success in mitigating violence Any successful strategy to prevent violence should include measures to recognize and change behaviors prompted by beliefs, emotions and cultural factors, according to a new study sponsored by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Haitian school's reconstruction starts

December 23, 2011
A Trinidadian bank offers mountain village kids broader horizons If all goes according to plan, by the time the next academic year begins in September, Furcy will have a brand new public school. The facility, which will replace the old one toppled by the 2010 earthquake, will be built following strict construction standards. And as its principal, Francius Saintilus, remarked at a recent groundbreaking ceremony, the new school will have a big impact in this village in the mountains behind Port-au-Prince.

PROEMPLEO: turning challenges into jobs in Honduras

December 20, 2011
A win-win-win program for the government, the private sector and youth SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras – Until not too long ago, Rony Barahona used to wake up at 4 am every day to join the lines of job seekers outside factories in the outskirts of this city, the Honduran industrial capital. Although smart and able-bodied, the 21-year-old would return home empty handed, with no money to support himself or his beloved mother.

Paraguay and the IDB: partners in development

December 15, 2011
Paraguay is a founding member of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Bank’s partner in development Through an ongoing process of cooperation, financing has been provided to the Paraguay to carry out major works, which have spurred the country’s economy. This year, the Bank’s portfolio of projects in execution in Paraguay totals 27 sovereign guarantee operations for $755.27 million, of which $445.9 million are pending disbursement.

A water turnaround in Haiti

November 03, 2011
Before the project started in 2008, Saint Marc had running water for nine hours a week, at best. At present service is up to 10 hours a day—the highest average in any urban area in Haiti.

Women entrepreneurs: too often trapped in the microenterprise ghetto

October 05, 2011
Innovative approaches can boost women’s economic presence among small business owners in Latin America and the Caribbean Over the past three decades, women in Latin America and the Caribbean have dramatically increased their role in the workforce. Currently, about half of women in the region are economically active, more than double the level in the 1970s. They have been elected presidents of several Latin American countries and often dominate the microenterprise and microfinance sector, providing an important contribution to regional economies.