Leadership and Initiative Workshop: Chuacruz and Patanatic November 11th

On Thursday November 11^th I visited the communities of Chuacruz and Patanatic to continue with the replications of the Leadership and Initiative Workshop.  The format of the workshops was then same as the previous workshops I had attended   The groups, led by Maya Traditions’ scholarship students discussed the various problem in their communities, made lists of these problems, and then identified one problem that they collectively decided is the most important.  The causes and effects of these problems as well as the possible steps to work towards a solution were then discussed.  As in the previous workshops in the communities, I am continually impressed by the participatory attitudes of the women.  They do not need much encouragement to express their opinions and thoughts.

In Chuacruz the major environmental problem of the community was identified as deforestation and the major social problem as alcoholism. It was interesting though, that when the women voted on which problem they wanted to work on and discuss, the overwhelming response was deforestation. The women were asked why they chose deforestation over alcoholism and after a long discussion in Kaqchiquel, the response was that it is easier to develop solutions for deforestation, because alcoholism is disease.  This is a themes I have seen in various communities.  The women and students are aware of the drastic social problems that affect their lives, but opt to develop a project based on an environmental issue that has more concrete and identifiable causes, effects and solutions.

Patanatic decided that the major problem of the community is garbage.  Originally they discussed the idea of the lack of access to and education about medicinal plants as the major problem, but they ultimately decided that garbage is a more important problem and effects the lives of everyone living in the community.

After participating in the workshops in the communities of Chuacruz and Patanatic I was really struck by the importance  of developing strong and dedicated young leaders in the rural communities of Guatemala.  I was especially impressed by the leadership and enthusiasm of Lorenzo a scholarship student from Chirijox.  I can really see in Lorenzo a person who is going to change the lives of the people in his community and in Guatemala.  We asked Lorenzo to accompany us to other communities to support the other scholarship students who are more timid or less comfortable leading a group.  There Was a notable difference in the fluidity of the workshops when Lorenzo was present which I think has a lot to do with his personal confidence the charismatic way in which he involves the participants of the workshops.

 When I asked Dora, she told me that the students only receive one workshop on leadership and initiative skills before they begin to give their own workshops in their home communities.  I think that next year it would be very useful to include a more extensive training in leadership and initiate to the students identified as the leaders of the groups to more effectively prepare them to guide and help the people of their communities.

 I am overall very impressed by the enthusiasm and dedication in which the women and students express themselves and I feel that with a more extensive training on how to be effective and motivational leaders  their efforts will be more long lasting and reaching.  I strongly believe that the format of community education by scholarship student leaders to the women artisans that Maya Traditions utilizes is a very efficacious and also sustainable model, that creates awareness, communication and plants the seeds for change in the rural communities of Guatemala.  The necessity for opening a safe space for dialogue about crucial social and environmental issues among women and youth can clearly be seen in the openness and enthusiasm  in which opinions and ideas are shared in the workshops.  One of the most vital aspects of Maya Traditions work is that it inspires and encourages Maya women and youth to make their voices be heard in a society where these voices are often repressed due to ingrained systematic racism and sexism.