Greetings Friends!

As the new Executive Director of CoCoDA, I am so very inspired to join this community of visionaries, educational leaders, midwives, water champions, and advocates for public health. It is an honor to support the next era of CoCoDA’s inspiring history, building steps for healthier, stronger communities.

It is an exciting time for CoCoDA! We are continuing to grow connections while remaining committed to our longstanding partnerships. 

Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with our partner in El Salvador, ADES Santa Marta. Alfredo Leiva, ADES Member (left); Deborah Payne, CoCoDA Executive Director (right).

In a new collaboration with ALDEMA, our Nicaraguan partners, we will continue supporting students in Somoto, Mozonte, and Zacataloza. Ongoing support for our medical students builds hope for improved rural healthcare after graduation. We will also complete the rebuilding of a community center in Mozonte to honor Jim Mulholland’s legacy and create a space for connection and community action.

In El Salvador, we continue to support our Midwives, our teachers in Las Delicias, and our university students in San Salvador. We will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners, even if new political and fiscal realities change our ability to provide support in traditional ways. 

Deborah Payne during her visit to the Suchitoto Midwives Association in El Salvador.

Finally, CoCoDA is partnering with 32 Volcanoes in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, to focus on childhood nutrition, public health, and support for mothers in rural communities. This expansion allows us to continue our work across Central America and pivot between countries if social or political instability requires it.

As I move into my role at CoCoDA, I look forward to deepening our commitment to key areas including an expanded focus on public health and an emphasis on gender equity and inclusion. At a time when such work is experiencing disruptions, the need for healthy, vital communities persists. CoCoDA will continue to encounter complex challenges across Central America. From pandemics to politics, our work has always necessitated flexibility. In this light, however, we will adapt to the changing times, determining what it means to “show up” in a new and shifting context. 

Thank you for your continued support of CoCoDA! We look forward to having you with us on this journey into its next era.

Sincerely, 

Deborah Payne

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