It's a bit
difficult to write this blog post. Difficult because these are the last lines
that I will write in this work, this project, this blog. The one who writes is a latin american
girl, who says what she feels and thinks, who is a rebel and dreamer.
When I
started working in ICS, I traced two clear objectives. First, I had to change
something positively. All of the projects by then looked like a good choice, a
choice I wanted to study and understand in order to make from it something much
more transcendental. Second, I needed for this change the commitment of those
who came to give everything to make it happen. Understanding Bolivia and the
"developing" world is something that can only be achieved when you
live it, so the first contact with our society had to be one that would
permeate into memory, leaving an indelible mark. It was my desire to try to
show these realities, the real Bolivia and Latin America, showing the problems
but also the beauty of being part of this continent.
It's been
11 months since I started in the British International Service as a Cooperante
Técnico of Project SOS Villages, 9 months since I was invited to be the Team
Leader of the Ciudadanos del Mundo (Zebras for a Silent La Paz) Project, but it
feels like an infinity of time. I learned a lot from me and the rest of the
world. Lifting the blindfold to see beyond the stereotypes I had about Europe.
Understanding attitudes and cultures that seemed so distant to me, gaining
patience and tolerance with coworkers, the partner, volunteers, myself. I strengthened
my decisions, my character. I learned that everything has a solution and if it
doesn’t, you have to invent one. Without really wanting it, I became stronger
by taking responsibility for the mistakes or failures of others with whom we worked,
which for numerous reasons were unable to assume them. I understood that the
"right thing" sometimes doesn’t exist, and that is in the mistake
were the truth lives, ours or other ones’. There were challenges, many, but I
want to tell you about what I consider the most important ones.


The biggest challenge began in Cohort 10, September 2014 with Ellie, Claire, Nazareth and Guy. It was a tough period of time for the noise pollution project and our partner. The political context (local elections) made it difficult to develop many of the ideas that had been proposed, the silence that we often promote, became present with our partner. We had the pleasant opportunity to meet our dear friends Zebras, young volunteers, dreamers, enthusiasts, unique people. It was wonderful, but our time with them couldn’t cover all the hours of work in the project. We spent a lot of time in the office looking for other alternatives that may follow the line of noise pollution. Many times our workshops were postponed or canceled. It was a difficult time, the end of school year were they were not accepting extracurricular activities, youth centers that were no longer attending, a huge disposition yet small possibility to collaborate. To observe that the enthusiasm of your volunteers decreases and that frustration takes over is a burden of conscience that leaves no sleep. Not only because of them, but also for the fact that one feels that the objective to make a change in the community, even a small one, is not happening. I wondered many times what else could we do? When all that was allowed had reached a limit. When we less expected, the opportunity to work in Santa Rosa de Mapiri came to us. This is a community 17 hours north from La Paz, in Nor Yungas, where human trafficking, teenage pregnancy, drug addiction, alcoholism and domestic violence are problems of a daily basis. Claire, Guy, Ellie and Nazareth worked tirelessly developing workshops on sexual health, drugs and alcohol. The experience we had there was something that has impacted on the lives of everyone. An important impact, that went beyond our comprehension. I will always be grateful for the fact that they believed it was possible to have another alternative. I thank you infinitely for daring to try.
Cohort 11
was the beginning of something new, a new colleague of dreams came to the
project, that also became a good friend,
Chiara Cariddi. Together as Team Leaders, we worked with partners like Arco
Iris and Alalay who work with street children in high risk situations. Lloyd,
Joe, Anjali, Silvina, Lauren and Daisy had as a result a close work with these
children, teenage mothers, girls who were at risk or had suffered sexual
violence. Spreading a message of peace, noise pollution, human rights and self-esteem,
we developed the workshops. The rewarding feeling we received this time is
something that can’t be calculated. We went to teach, but we ended up learning
more than what we thought. I had the great fortune to count with the help of
Judith and Debbie, cooperantes with a big heart, that in moments of self-doubt
or weakness were there to cheer you up and give above and beyond themselves so
that everything could be in order. They have been an important pillar in this
project, in a context that was still difficult for our main partner, so difficult
that we couldn’t get to know more about the young Zebra volunteers or have
workshops with them.
I'm in
Cohort 12 with seven wonderful volunteers who are not afraid to face the
challenges, and give more of themselves, more than what you ask them to give. Jack, Kate, Rowan, Kyran, Hannah, Danni, Madlen. I would like to thank them for
being here, for believing in Bolivia. Thanks for taking on tasks without
complaint, smiling. They are a fantastic group that has realized that the
important thing is to create opportunities in benefit of those who may not have
had them. They have also realized that it is not about having expectations, but
to observe on a daily basis what can be done and what must change for the good
of others and for oneself. They are a team that I’ll miss but that I completely
trust in. The activities to be developed in this project, with the Zebras,
drivers, hospital, patients, PEOPLE, will stay here, but all the learning and will
that you’ll keep cultivating in the future will remain in this world.
The
difficult political context came to an end. Our partner has shown the full
interest and collaboration that we were expecting. For the first time I
understood what being a young zebra is. I have enormous respect and admiration
for these young volunteers, urban educators. Being a Zebra has changed their
lives, and in turn, they are determined to change other ones in a positive way.
They are "rebel dreamers", tireless people who has no shame and who
had overcome fear. Young Bolivians that are going to change their society. I am
happy to have met them more before saying goodbye to this project.
I have not
forgotten the two goals I assumed when I first came to ICS, and I think that in
one way or another, I've accomplished them. I feel that most of the volunteers
I worked with and with whom I had a close friendship, have been able to
perceive and live the reality that not everyone can understand. It requires to leave
constructs behind, to have an open mind, to break the bubble, to permeate in memory.
I truly hope it was like this, for all of you, Citizens of the World.
Wish all
the success to Eloise Acland, a friend and Team leader, a great leader,
hardworking, intelligent. I'm very lucky to have worked beside her this short
period of time before leaving. I have no doubt that she will close the cohort
with great success. Judith Valdivia, the tireless fighter, a pride of Bolivian
women and the biggest support that ICS has given to me. In country volunteer,
Daniela Sarmiento that begins this learning with a big heart ready to acquire a
great professional and personal experience.
Eric
Nadeau, thank you for believing in me. Kate, Pisus, Anita , Cameron, Katyussa,
Jose, Alex, Chiara and all Team Leaders with whom we shared ideas and wanted to
make positive changes. The other co-workers, cooperantes (Mateo, Ale, Carlita, Emma, Debbie, Adriana), volunteers, all with
whom we share pleasant moments, thank you very much for giving me the opportunity,
for allowing me, in my rebellion, to move out of the lines and go back to them,
on and off. For the constructive criticism and shared dreams. It's a great
family that'll hold in my memory and heart, forever.
Thanks to the DCC and Zebras for their happiness.
Thanks to the DCC and Zebras for their happiness.
To
everyone, thank you for not being afraid of daring to try.
Let’s
change the world, it’s possible.
I’ll be
doing my best, I’ll see you all soon.
Eugenia
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteChanges are often not made in a loud, uproarious fashion.
ReplyDeleteEven though I’ve not known from firsthand the projects you’ve been working on, the people, the cohorts, the problems nor the places; as a friend, I’ve had the opportunity to know about your own dreams, your efforts, your frustrations and your drive.
Change -whether it is the change in a city or in the hearts and minds of young lads that come from the other part of the globe- starts with dreams, which, as dreams, at first can only be heard by ourselves. We have to communicate them, to translate them, to make them understandable, and hope for other people to share them.
The struggle, against idiosyncrasies, against time, against our own frustration, might be a long one. Ironically enough, your struggle has been somewhat silent, in the middle of a loud La Paz (because, yes, La Paz can be loud as fuck itself). This change all of you have been helping to make is not the uproarious kind; it began in a quiet but at the same time tireless way, and always with a positive grin.
So that when it becomes really hearable in the outside, it comes not as noise, but as a melody.
Congratulations!
(No sé por qué puse esto en inglés, ¡pero acabo de leerlo y está brillante!)