People Over Projects: Marvin Lopez Torres
Marvin Lopez Torres is the Co-Manager of TWP’s Mesoamerica Program. Based in Honduras, Marvin originally joined the team as a consultant in 2020, and has since been crucial in deepening our work in his country.
“I was born in western Honduras, in the department of Copán. This department shares a lot culturally because it borders Guatemala and El Salvador. So there are many things that I grew up with there in the west, with the influence of many traditions, especially the Chʼortiʼ Mayan culture... So I grew up in these places, in these mountains. I loved to go swimming in the rivers and streams with my friends. I always had that connection with nature, and that was a big part of my growth, my development.”
As was common in his community, Marvin initially began his university studies in accounting; but quickly, he found the path he’s followed since.
“Later on, being at the university taught me other things. It made me reflect and return to that connection I had with nature as a child. And that's where the decision to study biology came from.”
As Marvin became an accomplished biologist, his close work with local communities heavily influenced his approach to his work.
“From my lived experiences, when I saw how communities organized themselves in the dry corridor of Honduras, even without technical concepts of climate change, they were already resilient, supportive, and organized. For me, inserting myself into these dynamics meant recognizing that I was the apprentice, the one learning from them, and I was only offering the little knowledge I had.”
After collaborating with communities on watershed management in the dry corridor of Honduras, Marvin became involved in forest protection efforts, including construction of improved cookstoves. It was here that Marvin’s path first crossed with TWP.
“With TWP, I came to understand that projects are important, but what matters more is the impact on communities, how communities feel, not disrupting their dynamics, traditions, and culture. It was quite new to me. I had a hard time understanding it, but it has been part of the learning process and for me it has been wonderful, all an experience of life.”
Listening to local communities is at the root of TWP’s work. Marvin, like all local staff, helps us keep our relationships strong and our priorities grounded.
“I really enjoy learning about other cultures and beliefs, being a sponge that absorbs what is happening around me in order to empathize with it. I enjoy listening to people – even in my own neighborhood, people who don't have the opportunity to raise their voices – and recognizing them. I feel this comes from my professional work, which has also allowed me to grow in my personal life.”
