Hugo's first weeks in NM

These are our volunteer Hugo first impressions after two weeks around, they're written in the first person. Due to technical problems a part of the text came highlighted in white, but we didn't want to keep you waiting, so here we go :)

Getting from Spain to New Mercedes took me 2 days. I spent the first one in a plane, so you can imagine how boring it was. However, I spent the second one travelling Guatemala by bus, so it was a really fun experience. Going from Guatemala City to Nueva Mercedes in one day was a stunning shock. I changed the noise of cars by the sound of the multitude of animals that you can find around here.

It was night at the time I arrived, so after talking with Filipa and taste the delicious dinner she had prepared for me, I went to sleep thinking about all the things I would be able to live in the following weeks. The next day was Wednesday, and that means it's the day to do all purchases in the market of Telemán. It was full of colors, smells and tastes. Before going there I had a first contact with the children and teachers at school, and they welcomed me with open arms. In the afternoon, we had an activity with children, and afterwards I visited with Filipa and Edwin the orchards that are within our program. So, aside from getting a lot of information on it, I could walk around throughout New Mercedes, a really pretty village, and meet its people.

It was a very intense and exhausting first day for me. In addition, all was accentuated with the weather: very hot and humid, so I was sweated all day. I had to take a shower three times that day!

During the following days I got to know the functioning of various primary grades and kept doing afternoon activities. It is my first time as a volunteer, the first time I have to deal with children and the first time I'm in Latin America. Therefore, the beginnings were not easy for me, but with the support of everyone here in Nueva Mercedes I was able to adapt quickly. I think every time I'm knowing more about every children and I hope that, in the future, I will become one more for them.

Mainly, I help in the teacher Rony classes in second grade. They are improving their reading and mathematics skills. I feel very comfortable with them and I feel I'm helping. We are also trying to start tutoring Básico and Diversificado students. Of course, afternoon activities and kitchen gardens program also interest me very much.

 I think the next few weeks will pass very fast, and at the end of all I hope I have contributed in everything I can. I will have many memories and I also want to know, at least, some Q'eqchi! Till now it was sunny almost every day, but we are about to begin the rainy season, and I am sure that with it many more adventures and experiences will come.

Winds of change

This week we welcomed Hugo to the team and in a couple of weeks there will be a third member with us, our projects gain a new rhythm and the kids learn so much through their questions to the newly arrived!

Welcome Hugo!

On the other hand, we started our info sessions cycle, which did not go exactly as expected…in spite of info dissemination trough, several community meetings and spaces the truth is that the attendance was much lower than expected. On the bright side, the attendants shared many of their stories and we were surprised to notice that some women in the community are aware that girls have the same rights to study as boys, that studying is fundamental to have better opportunities and improve life standards and quality. We are negotiating with the speaker the possibility of a second info session where we would make sure, through our scholarship projects, that at least those parents would attend, this would amount to 22 parents (youngsters invited too).

What about reptiles?

The kitchen gardens projects suffered a bit of a low moment: there was a problem with the community’s water source and part of the structures had to be cleaned, so for several days they had no water for themselves, excused to say that to water their kitchen garden neither. This causes frustration and the draught killed some plants. 

 

Instructions to prepare organic insecticide

Preparing organic insecticide

Now water is back and motivation too, last Friday we had a meeting were women learned how to do organic insecticide and to discuss the future of the project. To be sustainable the only key part missing is the seed bought. We have been doing it until now and though from the second round of planting the families give a small contribution (responsibility and engagement levels as well as ownership are strengthen trough that contribution – but could they find a way to do it by themselves? The reactions were mixed, but most were afraid of that opportunity for independence. As this is brainstorming on the future we calm them down as all we want is to hear from them and, together, find the best solution. After all, sustainable development requires the projects to be as self-sufficient as possible, empowering the people as the agents of change in their own lives.

Our partnerships are moving forward and stronger and we will welcome a new member to the team in some weeks. Keep checking our blog and facebook out for the latest!

 Best from Mercedes

Another world – 11 km away…..

I will share a personal story with you because it reflects so well what we see here in NM.

Last weekend I (Filipa) went to Teleman, more specifically on Sunday. It is not an easy day to get transportation, so I waited for almost an hour for a pick up to take me. While I was waiting I got the company of this young boy, C. , he is 13 and attending 6 grado in Teleman. We had seen each other before as a friend is friend’s with his father, so he saw me waiting and started chatting. Firstly he asked me, perfect Spanish, were was I going, and living, were I was from….all of those regular ‘get to know you questions’. At a point I gave him a compliment for his Spanish level, further into the conversation I asked him about his q’eqchi, he didn’t speak q’eqchi. His sister is studying Medicine, his mother was a teacher at the local school and at least one of his uncles is a teacher. 

Picture of Teleman - source: https://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/27180348.jpg

He was complaining about the garbage in the floor and telling me he would like to study in Flores (up north) as the capital was too noisy and dangerous and he likes Flores. He practices sport at school and three times per week he has soccer training to play in the local football team.

‘Are there many girls in your class?’ –I asked him;

‘More than man!’ – he replied.

If we compare the reality of ‘the town’ to ‘the community we quickly realize that there is a bigger distance between them than the actual number of km separating both.

As I hopped on the pick-up that took me home, through the cloud of dust raising from the unpaved roads, I saw the dust as a metaphor to our conversation: exactly as the paved road ends by Teleman’s exit many other things end too. This boy is 11 km away from the kids at NM but they would probably have troubles communicating, as language levels, on both sides, do not meet. He is 13 and planning to study further, he has travelled, understands the importance of keeping nature clean and safe….Losing his native language is a pity, but at the end of the day he is the one getting to pursue his studies, having and giving better living standards to his family and dependants (hopefully!).

These two realities are a world away, but here in NM Li Ch’utams work tries to bring those worlds closer as we all deserve to live on the same one.

We have great news regarding a new volunteer joining the team early May, and thanks to our local volunteers there is also progress in finalizing the library, the activities are ongoing and we keep our weekly visits to the Kitchen Garden project, counting now with 15 active families and one family about to enter the project (next week). The results have been good though we have to insist in the watering, as it has been very hot and the seeds need extra water to grow. One of the families, Olga’s, appeared to be frustrated due to their first attempt and they told us they were waiting for the rains (may) to start planting. You can’t imagine how happy we were when we passed by theirs and noticed they had prepared and fenced the land and were willing to try again, Edwin helped them plant and now is just wait and water…..

The 8^th of May we will start a new activity: a cycle of info sessions given by qe’qchi speaking professionals on subjects that matter to the community: education, defence of nature, health, nutrition… are some of the foreseen topics.

With this pilot info session the 8^th we will measure the communities’ interest and engagement, if it is positive then we can start planning the following ones.

Last time I wrote, I mentioned our current challenges with the IT classes, soon we will get another laptop and some usb sticks with a lighter version of the programme, this might allow us to recover a couple more of pcs and re-activate the PC related activities. I am not using the term ‘IT literacy’ because it is much more than that. Getting to know a little bit better the programme I realized how it can help kids developing their capacities and competencies, not only in using a computer but on the main-basic subjects – maths, reading, logic, physics… 

Meanwhile we will keep meeting old and new partners strengthening our position and raising the changes for synergies in order to solve this computer issue.

Talk to you soon :)