Youth from different communities in the Pueblo a Pueblo office
Pueblo a Pueblo has taken on an exciting new initiative in the past year -- and we are excited to share it with you! As we hinted in last month’s newsletter (sign up for updates here!), we have launched a new project to support our organic school gardens: the Youth Leadership project.
We launched the project when we saw how many youth in our partner communities had few economic opportunities available to them locally. Director of Programs, Montse Deu, described the situation:
We launched the project when we saw how many youth in our partner communities had few economic opportunities available to them locally. Director of Programs, Montse Deu, described the situation:
The younger generations are no longer interested in farming, which results in the youth of rural communities emigrating to urban areas or to another country. The project was created with the belief that providing youth with the necessary skills [...] would open up new opportunities for them to remain in their communities and support social development at a local level
Youth leaders with primary students at the Nueva Vida School garden We developed the Youth Leadership project as a pilot in early 2015 through a partnership with FECCEG (La Federacion de Cafe Especial de Guatemala, or The Guatemalan Specialty Coffee Federation), an organization that works to bring together smallholder specialty coffee farmers, providing technical trainings and support, promoting organic agriculture, and helping to export their products at fair prices. FECCEG has strong community ties and has been critical to the project’s success.
The Youth Leadership project has also helped to increase community involvement in the organic gardens. The groups of youth are leading their communities, and they demonstrate the benefits of community gardening. Montse described another goal of the project, saying:
The Youth Leadership project has also helped to increase community involvement in the organic gardens. The groups of youth are leading their communities, and they demonstrate the benefits of community gardening. Montse described another goal of the project, saying:
The project sets the groundwork for several generations (youth, children, teachers, and parents) to work together to produce something amazing: a functioning organic school garden. When the school garden does well, it becomes a tool to teach children the benefits of growing organic foods; it shows teachers how to use the garden as a comprehensive educational tool; it provides the youth a tool to be productive while being socially conscious; and it gives the whole community a new opportunity towards environmentally conscious development
Youth leaders participate in a training with Hony (center) at the Pueblo a Pueblo office
During its 2015 pilot phase, the project partnered with three youth in Guineales and five youth in Xojola, both communities located in the Boca Costa region slightly outside of the area around Lake Atitlan. After a successful pilot, the program went official at the beginning of this year. There are now 20 youth (15 women!) between the ages of 16 and 24 participating in four communities.
In workshops, the youth have been learning about organic agriculture, school/community gardens, techniques for working with school children, project management and development, entrepreneurship, and community service. Several trainings have been held in the community gardens, as well as in Pueblo a Pueblo’s Santiago Atitlan office. Most recently, the youth from all four communities participated together in a three-day workshop series, gaining new skills and knowledge and exchanging what they have already learned.
In workshops, the youth have been learning about organic agriculture, school/community gardens, techniques for working with school children, project management and development, entrepreneurship, and community service. Several trainings have been held in the community gardens, as well as in Pueblo a Pueblo’s Santiago Atitlan office. Most recently, the youth from all four communities participated together in a three-day workshop series, gaining new skills and knowledge and exchanging what they have already learned.
Learning composting techniques
Pueblo a Pueblo’s Garden Technician, Hony Julajuj, has taken the lead in the new project, enthusiastically carrying out the trainings with the groups of youth. He says, they are “really interested in learning and excelling, and they consistently show a positive attitude about the project. They are excited to undertake a project that will give them the skills to ultimately earn an income in the formal economy.”
We are extremely excited by the progress that we’ve seen since project launch -- and we can’t wait to see how much more it will grow!
We are extremely excited by the progress that we’ve seen since project launch -- and we can’t wait to see how much more it will grow!
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