Join a group of people from the U.S. and Central America working in solidarity with the community of Bisan, Guatemala to help build capacity and sustainability.
Please email holashannon(at)gmail(dot)com if you are interested in further information!
Palmer “Pablo” Legare, founder of the Guatemala Solidarity Project, led an international delegation of 15 volunteers to Bisan (also known as 30 de Junio), Guatemala in February 2002. The goal of this delegation was to identify the basic needs of the community and work in solidarity with the community to come up with grassroots solutions to local problems and help in any way we can to implement these efforts. We spent three days in the community in intensive discussions with almost all of the adult members that were living there. For more information on the Guatemala Solidarity Project, please see: http://www.guatemalasolidarityproject.org/index.htm
Mission:
The Bisan Solidarity Project was established in 2008 to work in solidarity with the community of Bisan, Guatemala. The overall goal of this project is to promote social and economic development of this traditional Ixil community, while maintaining and strengthening it’s social and cultural integrity. The two main aims are to assist with the provision of basic needs (such as blankets, roofing, and access to water) and to coordinate with the community to address long-term structural issues that will keep the community sustainable (such as sustainable development projects, education programs, and health programs).
Who We Are:
When I refer to the projects “we” are conducting, this includes myself (Shannon), members of the community of Bisan, members of the Bisan Solidarity Project, and members of the Guatemala Solidarity Project. We are from diverse backgrounds, including Ixil Maya adults and children, individuals from the United States, England, Canada, and other parts of Guatemala.
Projects and Activities:
Fundraising for Basic Needs.
To address basic needs, the Bisan Solidarity Project is helping to raise funds for buying blankets to protect people from the cold, buying roofing materials to keep out the rain in the rainy season, and buying a water pump to free up time women would otherwise spend walking up and down hills to carry water so that they can engage in more constructive and productive community activities.
To address more structural issues of economic development and sustainability, the Bisan Solidarity Project is assisting the community with marketing their artisan goods. Several people in the community are skilled weavers by trade, but there is fierce competition within Guatemala that prevents them from earning much from the textiles they produce. We are assisting the community to form a weaving cooperative which will market their goods outside their local market. We are also looking for individuals in the United States who are interested in placing direct orders for products to be shipped directly from the community. The first phase of this project is the Christmas Fund. If you are interested in buying Christmas gifts directly from Bisan, please feel free to contact us. If you contact us before July 30, 2008, you can avoid shipping charges. People interested in buying crafts may request particular arts and crafts in advance, and the women of Bisan will make every effort to create unique craft items specifically designed for buyers.
There are several projects we have in mind for the future, that are just beginning to take shape. One is to find a way to provide a sustainable supply of seeds for planting, and training for gardening, so individual families can provide some of their own food. Another idea is to assist with starting a self-help group for women who have been psychologically scarred by living through extreme violence during the civil war.
We would like to find health workers who can provide occasional check-ups for the children and anyone else in need of medical attention. It would be great to find a group of doctors from the United States or Guatemala willing to visit and work in the community for a few days. Another idea is to find a more sustainable way of cooking, other than using wood fired ovens. We are looking for individuals such as engineers who have experience putting together small, efficient stoves.
We are interested in finding sustainable markets for the artisan goods produced by the women of Bisan. Here are some examples of the beautiful weaving produced in the community. There are a lot more artisan goods, and we will be adding more photos soon...
Example of a woven purse (in the background)
Close-up of a "cinta," the traditional headband (which can also be used as a belt or decoration)
Wearing cintas (the traditional headband) and huipiles (the traditional blouse)
A beautiful woven scarf to keep you warm...
...that can also keep the sun out of your eyes (or decorate your table)
I am currently conducting a regional study on state response to violence against women in Latin America, focusing on Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. I work in solidarity with marginalized individuals and communities, who have given me much more than I could ever hope to return.
