Guatemala, 2007: EDUCATION IN ACTION

Spanish instructor Roberto Miranda, PSAC member from Health Canada with a group of his students volunteered to embark on an Education in Action housing project in one of the poorest communities in Guatemala with the support of the Comité Campesino del Altiplano (CCDA), a grassroots’ coalition working to protect the rights of farmers in Guatemala.

Roberto Miranda, PSAC member from Health Canada and his students

Located in Central America and surrounded by volcanoes, Guatemala continues to suffer the consequences of 36 years of Civil War and genocide perpetrated against its Mayan population. Today, Guatemala has a population of 13 million, over half of which live below the poverty line. In some indigenous areas of the country, 95% live in poverty and 75% live in extreme poverty. Almost two thirds of the indigenous population suffers from chronic malnutrition. 

 The Civil War 1960-1996 formally ended with the signing of the Peace Accords at the end of 1996.  Efforts to rebuild were adversely affected by Hurricane Stan in 2005, when many communities were washed away and thousands left homeless.

The Education in Action Project supported in part by the PSAC Social Justice Fund, raised enough funds to build fourteen homes for  families in need, with the cooperation of the CCDA.

Criterias of selection of housing beneficiaries

On March 1, 2007 the volunteer group entered the community of Quixayá, San Lucas Tolimán, where children surrounded the transport vehicles with curiosity and excitement.  The volunteers were distributed amongst several families within the community where they set up residence and the project was underway.

Welcoming their new friends from Canada

Children welcoming Canadians

The people of Quixayá, San Lucas Tolimán are among thousands of indigenous communities expropriated by large landholders and displaced by military incursions into villages during the 36 year old civil war. Today, over 5,000 Mayan people live in the community of Quixayá, San Lucas Tolimán where conditions are very precarious and the level of poverty despairing. 

Nearly twelve years ago, a Spanish priest bought a small lot in Quixayá to build a church.  CCDA's leader, Leocadio Juracan, became a permanent resident of Quixayá where he continues to engage organizations world wide to protect the rights of indigenous people who are displaced and oppressed by their own governments.

The CCDA purchased several hectares of land in 2003, and now produces equitable and fair trade coffee, where workers receive fair wages. The coffee is being exported under the brand name, “Café Justicia” and sold in six cities across Canada, from Vancouver to Halifax. The PSAC Social Justice Fund supports Café Justicia by providing them with labels for the coffee bags.

Leocadio Juracan, President CCDA,   presenting a gift on behalf of Café Justicia

Marcello, a worker, separates the good coffee beans

Just 45 minutes South West of Quixayá, lies a community named El Esfuerzo (The Effort) where forty-six families are desperately trying to survive.  Three years ago, they bought the land from a private owner with the hope of establishing subsistence farming, by growing corn and a variety of vegetables.  The owner never determined a final price for the land, thus no contract was signed.  The displaced families were to complete payment for the land within four years or commence payment following the sales of their first crop.  Due to poor soil conditions and the lack of water, the community of El Esfuerzo has not been able to grow anything.  The landlord is expecting full payment for the land by next year.  They are desperate and have no idea what the future holds.

Family home made of bamboo and plastic

The community of El Esfuerzo is situated 20 km up a winding and densely-packed sand road, accessible only by foot or using a 4x4 vehicle.  Carrying up to 75 pounds of supplies and wood on their back or on their head, the members of this village must walk on foot to complete the long journey to their waiting families up in the hills.

Nine year old girl travels 1 km for water

They have built a school from bamboo but there is no teacher available to them.  Their meager homes barely provide enough room for sleeping. Often a bed is shared by the entire family.  Food is scarce.  The conditions are difficult and demoralizing. 

	Kitchen waiting for the next meal
	Family holding onto hope
	Banana leaf keeping seedlings moist

Clothing and medicine are delivered to the men, women and children; but food and water is a more urgent necessity. The private estates encourage entire families including children to work on their cash crops. The daily wage for agricultural work should be $14 US, but the law is not enforced.  As a result, many labourers accept reduced wages of approximately $4 US per day for the same work done.  Women are not paid equally and only receive half of what the men receive and children do not get paid at all, although they are obliged to work.  Labourers have barely enough money to purchase food for their families.  The CCDA is working desperately to find solutions to help this community.  

The women of this region continue to be oppressed, surviving 500 years of racial and cultural discrimination, gender inequality at home and exploitation on the private estates.  Aside from agricultural tasks, the women are responsible for maintaining the household, washing the clothes and caring for their family.  Young girls play a significant role in the family as they learn at an early age to become caregivers for their siblings.  By the age of puberty, young girls become women and live under the same oppression as their mothers.

Few women venture out of this role for fear of condemnation and rejection by their husbands and their community.  But there are women who are emerging as leaders. Lidia, mother of 5 children and Angela, mother of 10 children did not hesitate to work side by side with the volunteer building team, breaking rocks and leveling land to prepare the foundation for the homes to be built.

Lidia and her family

Angela with four of her ten children

In Quixayá, a women's group has been established by seven women, including Bertha, the President, Sylvie, Vice-President, Victoria and Emiliana. This group is responsible for administering many projects in the community.  These women have gained strength over the years and are no longer afraid to hand out information leaflets and to speak out trying to protect the rights of women.  The CCDA often engage these women to host events and help prepare meals for outside visitors such as the Canadian Education in Action group.

From left, Sylvie, Bertha, Victoria and Emaliana

Another group supported by the CCDA is a group of 390 women from 7 different communities.  The CCDA provides these women with 30 pounds of thread which they skillfully weave.  The women sell 20 pounds of their finished product in the market and the other 10 pounds is returned to the CCDA which in turn is sold and proceeds are re-funneled back to the program.  Although these groups are growing and want to share their knowledge and strength with one another, these women have no means of transportation. Hence communities remain distant.

Teaching a Canadian student to weave

The CCDA continues to develop programs of educational opportunities including scholarships.  Quixayá now has its first Accountant, a graduate who received a scholarship opportunity from CCDA.  Lesbia another graduate is the first woman to receive a scholarship in this community.  As the program develops, CCDA is encouraging other women to apply.

A Canadian volunteer from the Education in Action project is surprised by the entire community of Quixayá, San Lucas Tolimán when she returns from her day of building houses.  A cake was prepared and an evening of singing was underway to celebrate her birthday.  The heartfelt generosity received from the community was overwhelming to all.

Eighty children gather to celebrate a Canadian's birthday

In the beginning, few people came to help the Canadian volunteers in the building of their homes.  As the days went by, more and more people from the community joined to help.

Education in Action Volunteer group

The Mayans of Quixayá had no knowledge on how to use power tools, and few knew how to read a measuring tape, but once they learned, there was no going back.  As the project moved ahead, so did the engagement of the community.  In the early stages of the building project, people from the community gave a helping hand to the volunteer team. By the end of the project, the roles were reversed and it was the team of volunteers who were lending a hand to the community builders.

Now the community will continue to build homes with their new learned skills.

Quixayá will continue to build	Everyone wants to help
Children want to learn	Girls want to participate
	Victor 67 years, will soon have a home to care for his sick child
	Seven of the fourteen homes were built before the Canadians had to return home.  With the left over material, the people of Quixayá will be able to build the remaining homes.

Thanks to Roberto Miranda, Health Canada, Leocadio Juracan, CCDA, to all the Canadian volunteers and PSAC and its members for their contribution to the "Education In Action", housing project.

A gift from CCDA and the community to the Public Service Alliance of Canada

Special thanks to the people of Quixayá, Guatemala.