Youth Exchange

Setting up the Tents

On January 15^th, the National Youth Commission (CONJUVE) organized a camping trip for youth in commemoration of the 20 years since the signing of the Peace Accords. Youth participants came from the different departments of Morazán, San Miguel, San Salvador, and Sonsonate. The following day of January 16^th the youth delegation migrated to El Mozote, where the official commemoration of the signing of the Peace Accords took place.

Cultural Event: Los Torogoces Perform

OSCA Youth

CONJUVE Banner

The University of El Salvador (UES) is performing a study to verify the feasibility of establishing an Institute for Applied Science and Technology (INCTAUES) in the five departments of Morazán, Chalatenango, Cabañas, Ahuachapán and Usulután. The intellectual authors of the INCTAUES envision the educational centers as stepping stones to university education, creating an intermediary nexus between high school and college education.

The diagnostic will assess the feasibility of establishing the INCTAUES in terms of its potential to fulfill the guidelines put in place by the UES. The assessment will also calculate the required budget to begin classes, the architectural design, and define the degree choices that will be offered based on local needs and the territorial character.

          Morazán’s Reality of Educational Poverty

The Morazán population lives a reality of educational vulnerability. The only option to continue post-bachelor studies is to displace to the neighboring department of San Miguel or even to San Salvador. The percentage of native Morazán students that study in San Miguel is high. According to a representative of the University of Andres Bello, located in San Miguel, some 20% of their student population comes from Morazán. Such displacement requires extra cost and time.

The INCTAUES may provide a solution to this vulnerability; its structure will take into account the socio-economic vulnerability of its student population. The graduation requirements, for example, are completing 80 hours of module or unit rather than two consecutive years of studies (these two years can be an insuperable financial obstacle). In this form, students will be able to leave their studies for a time to work and save money and then to reinsert themselves.

          A Diversification of Degree Options

On January 17^th, civil society members, representatives from the local and national government, and representatives from NGOs met in ADEL Morazán to conform four consulting roundtables. The consulting firm, OBRA Latino, facilitated the dialogue with structured questions directed towards the participating parties. The questions were oriented towards reflection on the necessities of the department of Morazán also considering its labor potential. The roundtables discussed the territorial potential of Morazán and how to offer a diversity of degrees rather than replicating the traditional degrees that are already offered in San Miguel and San Salvador (computing and law). The following was discussed:

-The receptivity of local businesses to hire candidates with two-year degrees, also taking into account that there are no                                                 businesses in Morazán.

-How Morazán articulates, or has junction points, with the surrounding departments of La Union and San Miguel. The Port of La                                                Union was identified as a tourist and commercial center.

 

Workshop Graduates with their Kits

On January 12^th, 27 youth from throughout the department of Morazán (residents from the municipalities of Lolotiquillo, San Francisco de Gotera, Jocoaitique, Meanguera, Osicala, Chilanga, and Cacaopera) celebrated their graduation from an electrician’s seminar. As an effort to prepare youth for insertion into the labor force, the workshops covered both theoretical as well as practical

The 'Table of Honor'

applications of installing electricity in residential areas. The workshop was imparted by the Salvadoran Institute for Professional Formation (INSAFORP) through the Polytechnic University of El Salvador.

The international community was critical in the success of the workshop. The French Embassy invested some $13,000 towards the workshops as well as 27 electricians’ kits that will serve as the base of the graduates working tools.

OSCA Youth receiving his Work Kit

The workshop is one of many that has been organized through the National Commission for Youth (CONJUVE) that works to strengthen and promote leadership processes pertaining to integral health, violence prevention, education, and the environment.

The audience

Youth Receiving his Kit

Mark Meets with the Pastoral Team

Bartholet, Assistant Pastor at St. Peters Church, visited Comunidad Segundo Montes in the hopes of strengthening the sisterhood relationship that St.Peters has held with the Community.

Mark met with the Pastoral Committee and the OSCA youth group. He also visited the massacre site at El Mozote and the Technological Institute in San Luis.

Pastoral Team

Pastoral Team Presents their Strategic Plan

 

Pastoral Team

 

At the new Technological Institute

The new Instituto Technologico will offer two-year technical careers in Tourism and Engineering

Mural at El Mozote

Mozote Mural

Historia de Mozote

Patricia Hernandez

Paty Preparing Snacks for the OSCA

Community members of Northern Morazán are mourning over the death of a twenty-two year old university scholarship student as she was on her way to meet her fellow students at an end-of-the-year camping trip. On December 28^th, Patricia Isabel Berrios Hernandez was waiting on the side of the road for public transportation to take her up the mountain, when a truck coming down the mountain lost control and ran over her.

Patricia was in the stages to become a community leader. As a scholarship student, she was in her second year studying nursing at the University of Andres Bello in San Miguel. Patricia was also one of the eight founding members of the youth group ‘Organización Social Casa Abierta’ or OSCA as well as the founder of a youth group in her neighborhood of La Ladrillera, Hatos II.

La OSCA

In 1981, on December 10^th, 11^th, and 12^th, the U.S.-trained Atlacatl Battalion massacred hundreds of men, women, and children in the three communities of El Mozote, La Joya, and Los Toriles, municipality of Meanguera, department of Morazán. Tutela Legal, the San Salvador Archdiocese’s human rights office identified 819 individuals killed in the massacre, of which over half were under the age of twelve.

 This year in an annual commemorative event of the massacre, local community members of El Mozote, government figureheads, and international solidarity workers came together in honor on December 10^th, sharing testimonies, music and theater performances.

Dance Group from Torola

This December 1^st, FSM held a closing ceremony for a food security project that was developed over a three year period in the two communities of El

Cooking Lunch

Progreso and Ojos de Agua, which are both located in the municipality of Torola. Financed by IRISH Aid, executed by the FSM, and coordinated by FSM agronomist, Ismael Gomez, the project covered several areas including agriculture, gender and leadership workshops, and environmental conservation.

The project worked to develop processes of production in both agriculture and micro business. With financing from the Irish organization and training provided by the FSM, the communities established a bakery, a candy-making business, a chicken coop, and community bank. Using organic methods, the 64 participating families planted vegetable gardens, tree nurseries, live barrier fences, and basic grains.

          

The Closing Ceremony in Torola

           Community Leaders in Training

A critical part of the project was the Building Leadership Skills component. Two community promoters, Reina and Fatima, who are both natives of Torola, gave six workshops of varied themes relating to building leadership skills, self-esteem, community organizing, etc. Each woman gave the workshops to three separate groups: the local community neighborhood boards, a committee of women and a committee of youth.

                    Signs of Local Sustainable Development:

-Improvement of diet and food security

-Self-employment with the bakery, chicken coop

-30% reduction in use of agrochemicals and non-degradable materials

-Improvement of environmental conditions and environmental sustainability

 

Dance Group

 

Posing

 

 

Banner Reading 'Stop Violence Against Women'

Within the Project ‘Familial Productive Units’ that works to secure food sovereignty, gender and sexual health rights, and environmental conservation,

Posing

FSM has imparted three forums that provide theoretical as well as practical knowledge to improve women’s living situations.

The First Forum: ‘Strengthening Knowledge of our Rights and Duties’

The March

Focusing on women’s rights and guarantees of the Salvadoran Constitution. the first forum detailed the rights and duties of vulnerable populations. For more information and photos see the Blog: http://voicesfromcsm.wordpress.com/2011/09/08/the-fundacion-segundo-montes-presents-the-informational-forum-%E2%80%98strengthening-knowledge-of-our-rights-and-duties%E2%80%99/

The Second Forum: ‘A Different Economy isPossible Working Together’

Julia Martinez, an economics professor at the UCA, concentrated on three global systemic crises: The Economic Crisis, which turns the health care and education system into commodities, the Food Crisis, in which 60% of people who suffer from hunger are women, and the Environmental Crisis.

Julia Martinez also explained the concept and the practice of economic solidarity as a methodology to solve common economic problems: by promoting local production and fair trade, economic solidarity is an alternative to the capitalist economic system. It supports the creation of an economy based on solidarity, putting in first regards the basic necessities of those with limited market access.

The Third Forum: ‘Stop Violence against Women’

Snack

On November 20^th, the FSM held their third forum, ‘Stop Violence against Women’ in commemoration of the ‘International Day of Non Violence Against

The Third Forum

 

Women’ (November 25^th). The day started with a march from the Youth Center in Quebrachos to the location of the forum at the Torogoz Restaurant in Acaem. Over 150 women participated in the march.

The forum was held in honor of women that have been working for gender equality and human rights. FSM representative, Enrique Ruiz, presented diplomas of recognition to ten women each who has a long and dedicated history in the struggle for women’s rights.

 

The March for Non Violence Against Women

La Caseta Renovated

Painters

Beginning Stage

Over a period of several weeks, I worked with the youth of La Planta to design, draw, and paint one of the bus stops in La Planta, municipality of Jocoaitique. We ventured to draw our natural surroundings of pine trees and the national bird of El Salvador, the Torogoz.

Painting bus stops is more than just a fun, recreational activity. It gives youth the chance to participate in designing their own history and to create their own piece of artwork through a collaborative process that gives them a sense of investment, ownership, and pride of their community.

 

Woman and Baby

El Torogoz, National Bird of El Salvador

Finished!

 

After Mass Snack

On November 16^th Comunidad Segundo Montes commemorated the 22nd anniversary of the murder

2,000 Tamales Made for the Occasion

of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter by members of the Salvadoran armed forces in a massacre ordered by the Salvadoran high command. The Pastoral Committee organized a committed group of women to prepare 2,000 tamales that were distributed in duos after the current governor of Morazán and liberation theologist, Miguel Ventura, gave mass. The women began the tamale process before 6 a.m. and finished in the evening at 7 a.m.

The Templo of San Luis