La Pista

The best part of the micro consignment model is that it provides sustainable community resources that are not dependent on donor funds. The model distributes the profits first to the Guatemalan entrepreneurs and then invests a percent into new projects such as the Centro Creativa in La Pista.

Although the main objective of the Center is not to directly drive the local economy, the educational services the Center provides do work toward to having a future impact on the development of the community. The Center provides alternative methods for learning and focuses on helping kids think creatively and critically; both are skills necessary for an economy to grow but rarely found here in Central America. Entrepreneurship and general business development require creative problem solving competences and therefore, the Center is contributing to the future economy by investing in the education of today’s youth and future entrepreneurs.

The Center has a library, computer center, creative space (like most kindergartens full of toys that build the imagination) and a kitchen so that the teachers can provide snacks to the students since most are undernourished. The students that attend the school are the ones that have fallen behind in the regular schools and need a bit of extra reinforcement after school hours.

We did a map project today with the youth by recording the different landmarks in town and drawing a map to scale. This community map will then be carved into wood so that the kids that come to the Center will be able to read the map and identify places in town, as well as begin to comprehend the world outside of La Pista. The best part of the day was wondering with the kids and letting them tell us all about the important places they like to visit such as the chocobanano and ice cream stand! I also let one of the girls take picture with my camera and it was fun to later see the world from her lenses.

During our trip we also got to sample Box Bol for lunch which is a traditional food made with a corn paste wrapped in leaves then boiled. You top it off with hot sauce and a pumpkin seed sauce that together create a tasty dish. I have had a little bit of a queasy stomach since I ate it but I am just going to think positively and hope I wake up feeling good!

In addition to seeing the Center and taste testing, the trip to La Pista was fascinating because it was one of the first battle grounds and military bases in the highland area. The military first set up in area in ’82 and after it was attacked by the guerillas in ’86 it grew in size and began requiring the indigenous people to fight. Some people fled to avoid fighting due to their distrust toward the military because they murdered and attacked multiple indigenous villages. We sat for a few hours talking about the war next to a tree alongside the military runway and deep trenches. The stories the Maya man told us about his family and the wartime are too detailed to retell in a blog but my main conclusion is that the Maya have endured some despicable violence and hardships.

Boxboles