Amy Glasser

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Snapshot
Programmatic Focus:
  • Leadership Development
  • Gender
  • Health Education
  • Holistic Community Development
Country:

Guatemala

Participating Communities:

San Cristóbal Verapaz

Partner Organization:

FUNDENOR AQ`AB`AL

 

Artistic Medium:

icebreakers, art activities, visual arts

Workshops with Young Women Scholarship Recipients
(03/28/2010 - 12/28/2010)
Project Planning
Background and Needs:

Due to cultural and economic issues, it is very common that women in Guatemala do not complete their studies. FUNDENOR offers scholarships to girls in various communities in the Verapaces so that they can keep studying. One group of girls from communities in San Cristóbal Verapaz meet once a month to discuss a variety of issues that interest them. Topics include sexual education, studying tips, clarifying dreams and making handicrafts. FUNDENOR also helps to sponsor two larger annual workshops to work on leadership skills, self-esteem and community development. It is hoped that using the arts and popular education techniques will help enhance these important workshops that encourage the women to stay in school.

Collaborative Goal:

To increase awareness of the partner organization's mission through art and engage more people in its work.

Project Objective:

By the end of the year, FUNDENOR scholarship recipients in San Cristóbal Verapaz will have strengthened their leadership skills.

Project Description:

These workshops with the scholarship girls are intended to strengthen their leadership skills, keep the girls motivated and tgive them an open space to reflect on their studies and who they are as strong individuals. Various artistic means such as handicrafts and icebreakers will be utilized in each workshop. The first meeting was used to determine the girls' interests. Most of the subsequent monthly meetings will be facilitated, in part, by one of the girls.

There are two larger annual workshops that will also be organized and planned by the girls. I will help facilitate each workshop by motivating participants, developing leadership, building self-esteem and encouraging community-building within the group.

Partner Organization Collaboration:

FUNDENOR is in charge of administering the scholarships.

Community Collaboration:

The girls chose what they want to learn about, and they will help facilitate the workshops.

Planned Activities:

  • talks on sexual education
  • motivational icebreakers
  • artisan skills
  • shampoo- and soap-making
  • talks on personal health and hygiene
  • talks on nutrition

Updates and Completed Activities
Completed Activities Date

March 18, 2010

Today was the first workshop, a diagnostic to see what the girls are interested in. We did a couple of icebreakers to get to know each other. Afterwards each girl made a silohuette of their hand and wrote five goals that they would like to achieve by the end of the year. I felt it was successful as all of the girls participated and were motivated in the activities. We then organized our plan for the year, deciding what we were going to discuss each month and who was going to be in charge of facilitating the discussion. This workshop was good for the girls as they opened up and got to know their fellow scholarship peers.

06/28/2010

April 23, 2010

Today we discussed the topic of hygiene. We started with a couple of introduction games and an icebreaker about hygiene. They divided into groups, make a collage about hygiene and then explain it to the group. It is good practice for them to speak in front of groups, so that they can develop leadership skills and self-esteem.

06/28/2010

May 2010

Today a girl from the group volunteered to teach the rest of the group how to make natural shampoo with aloe vera. As I realized during the process, the materials used were not natural nor local, as they come from the capital, are petroleum based and contain additives. I explained that there are a lot more innovative ways to make shampoo without these chemicals. The only reason why they say its natural is because aloe vera is used. Next time we will make shampoo with natural, local ingredients, but it was a good for the girls to exchange techniques and skills in this workshop.

06/28/2010

17,18 June 2010

Retreat with the Scholarship Recipients

The first two day retreat for the young scholarship women was intended to open a space for them to exchange experiences and to motivate each other to continue their studies. Workshops during the retreat covered diverse topics such as studying techniques, forming goals, sexual education and cultural identity. The workshops also included activities such as motivation games, learning how to massage and stretch and icebreakers of all sorts. After dinner, we had a cultural night, where the girls broke out of their shells and cortes and danced to reggaeton. I feel that these retreats are essential for their studies, for their self-esteem and so they can be strong leaders and role models for their communities.

06/28/2010
Results & Reflections
Results & Impact:

The workshops with the girls were empowering and allowed them to be comfortable with themselves and each other. They were encouraged to vocalize their thoughts, dreams, and aspirations.

Post Objective:

Collaborating with FUNDENOR, we were able to create innovative and empowering workshops that have allowed the girls to express themselves comfortably.

Preparation:

The workshops involved much preparation and took into account what the girls wanted to learn and how the activities would be run.

Community Collaboration:

The young women eagerly participated in all of the workshops, and a few even opted to facilitate some of the workshops.

Community Participation:

Communites of San Cristòbal

35 young women

 

Sustainability:

The project is sustainable if there is a constant flow of funding for the workshops. The scholarship for girls is a large project for FUNDENOR, so they are constantly trying to improve and alter it.

Personal Reflection:

Working with these young women was one of my favorite projects. Spending time and creating workshops with them has allowed me to see them open up and express themselves, which is often difficult for Pokomchi women to do. I created close relationships with them and, in the end, we felt a mutual appreciation.

Post Lessons Learned:

Spending quality time with a group and worrying less about the intended goal is the best way to make a difference and ultimately understand your accomplishments.