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NASA astronaut Colonel Frank Rubio met with more than 200 young students at the Gerardo Barrios University in San Miguel. In 2017, Rubio made history as the first astronaut of Salvadoran descent selected by NASA, and again in 2022 when he launched on his first spaceflight. After 371 days onboard the International Space Station, he set the U.S. record for the longest consecutive time spent in space.
Rubio encouraged the Salvadoran students to follow their dreams, emphasizing the relevance of focusing on doing their best in whatever they wanted to learn. “Put in the effort so that each day is a triumph, and then 10 or 20 years later you’ll be able to look back and see that you’ve accomplished great things. It’s important to have big goals, but it’s more important to focus on what’s right in front of you and give it your all,” Rubio shared.
Rubio’s visit to El Salvador was organized by the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador. This event was held in collaboration with SERVIR, the flagship initiative of NASA and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
USAID Regional Director for Central America and Mexico Programs Chris Cushing, founder and Global Program Manager of SERVIR Dan Irwin, and U.S. Embassy Cultural Attaché Beth Kuch presided over the event.
The 200+ students who attended the event are affiliated with Gerardo Barrios University, along with USAID and U.S. State Department programs for talented youth, including Digital Talent, ¡Supérate!; Oportunidades; and Science Girl Camp.
A subset of the students in attendance participated in a two-day Jóvenes Geoespaciales (Geospatial Youth) workshop with SERVIR and the Central American Aerospace Network (RAC). As part of this workshop, students created project ideas for using NASA technology to support climate resilience within their communities. During Rubio’s visit, the Jóvenes Geoespaciales students had the opportunity to present their project ideas, including prototype tools that they developed for tracking wildfires and protecting mangroves.
“The student presentations that I saw were amazing. I hope you continue forward with your work. I’m excited to learn about what you go on to achieve in the future,” said Rubio to the participating students.
Col. Rubio’s visit to Gerardo Barrios University was organized and supported by the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador, USAID, NASA, SERVIR Global, Earth Empower, Gerardo Barrios University, and Don Bosco University.
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Gender-based and Domestic Violence Forum Raises Awareness of Support Services for Victims in Belize
The InfoSegura Regional Project, implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in alliance with USAID, joined the Ministry of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries and the U.S. Embassy to hold a forum on gender-based and domestic violence, highlighting the services and resources available to women and girls, youth, and persons exposed to violence in Belize.
“The United States, through USAID's InfoSegura Project, has supported the countries of Central America and the Dominican Republic over the past 10 years through the use of evidence for public policy decision making, as well as in the availability of information on resources available to victims of gender-based and domestic violence,” said Sydney Skov, Political Officer at the U.S. Embassy Belize.
According to InfoSegura data, in Central America and the Dominican Republic, 9 out of 10 victims of sexual crimes are women and girls who face a greater risk of sexual violence and other types of violence in private and public spaces, such as on transportation and in the workplace.
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Laboratory Information Management System Supports Citizen Security in Belize
The InfoSegura Regional Project, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with USAID, joined the Minister of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries to launch the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), a fully operational system that enables the National Forensic Science Service's Forensic Laboratory to inform decision-making processes with evidence in Belize.
“This LIMS will allow the Forensics Department to improve its workflows and coordination with stakeholders since records have been digitized and processes digitalized. I look forward to the contribution this system will make towards data-informed public policymaking and decision-making for the betterment of our criminal justice system,” said Kareem Musa, Minister of the Ministry of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries.
Through the initial year of installation and implementation, approximately 30,000 legacy cases have already been migrated from the old database and about 300 police officers countrywide have been trained on accessing and using the LIMS. In addition, 512 new cases have been entered and received from law enforcement officers.
“LIMS fulfills a key objective of the Belize Crime Observatory’s strategy. This inauguration marks a milestone in the robust and growing U.S.-Belize partnership focused on enhancing citizen security and access to justice for Belizeans,” said U.S. Ambassador Michelle Kwan.
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Awareness Campaign “What Unites Us” Launched to Prevent Discrimination and Xenophobia
A multicultural fair on April 14 in the Nicolas Ulloa Park in Heredia, Costa Rica, supported by the Municipality of Heredia and the National University, included the launch of the “What Unites Us” campaign. The campaign is an initiative of the USAID and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Integrated Responses on Migration from Central America Project.
The campaign raises awareness among migrants and host communities about the importance of preventing discrimination and xenophobia in Costa Rica. The initiative includes participatory workshops in the cantons of San Carlos, Upala, Limón and Tarrazú, where migrants and community members reflected on the importance of social cohesion, unity and a culture of peace.
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Tool to Protect and Assist Victims of Gender and Domestic Violence Launched
The Ministry of Women of the Dominican Republic presented “SARA,” a digital tool designed through artificial intelligence with the support of USAID's InfoSegura Project and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to increase efficiency in the victim protection system and prevent domestic violence.
This channel operates 24 hours a day, every day, and provides information on prevention and care services for women victims of gender and domestic violence. The SARA chatbot is hosted on the website of the Ministry of Women and uses intelligent algorithms to adapt its responses and provide support in each situation in a natural way, simulating "chatting" with a friend from any electronic device.
“Gender-based violence affects women of all ages, socioeconomic levels and walks of life, and despite its high prevalence, there is a low reporting rate due to various factors such as gender stereotypes, naturalization of violence against women and girls, and lack of knowledge about reporting mechanisms,” said USAID Dominican Republic Mission Director Rebecca Latorraca. She added that “the SARA chatbot represents a significant step forward in our efforts to address gender-based violence in society.”
Learn more about SARA in this video.
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On March 8, 2017, a fire at the Virgen de la Asunción Safe Home in San José Pinula, Guatemala, took the lives of 41 girls and adolescents and left 15 others seriously injured, according to official data and reports from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
As a way to vindicate the name of the girls who died in that center, the “Girls' School” initiative emerged at the beginning of 2019 with the support of young women from the Girls’ Collective, allowing for an ongoing commemoration to address the root causes that led to that tragic event as well as the human rights of girls, boys and adolescents.
Through its Regional Human Rights Project with the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF), USAID is currently supporting the “Escuela de las Niñas,” workshops, which take place in Guatemala City's Central Plaza from March to May. The workshops, aimed at children and adolescents with limited opportunities to access formal education, due to lack of resources and unfavorable schedules, among others, address the rights of children and adolescents, the social context and discrimination, violence prevention and children’s dreams. As a result, it is expected that children and adolescents will know and be able to defend their rights and obtain the necessary tools to demand respect for gender equality and equity and non-discrimination. They will also learn about the different State agencies and institutions in charge of overseeing, investigating and acting in favor of their human rights. Finally, it is hoped that they will continue to pursue their dreams.
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