Each Knot, a Story: Weaving Opportunities

In October 1996, INEPAS launched its fourth project with the goal of strengthening the skills and capacities of the women of Choquiac, promoting their economic autonomy through the art of handmade crafts.

This initiative, known as the Local Handicrafts Program, lasted nearly two years and brought significant economic benefits to numerous families. The objective was achieved through training workshops that allowed participants to develop new artisan skills, introducing techniques such as macramé—a practice brought into the community.

Macramé thus became a tool for expression, personal growth, and community transformation.

Beyond the craft itself, this project became the starting point for something much deeper: fostering the active participation of women in the collective construction of the Choquiac community school.

What began as a creative activity transformed into a space for gathering, decision-making, and action. Through macramé, many women found a voice, a support network, and a reason to engage in the processes of change within their community.

By creating with their hands, these women also wove new possibilities—for themselves, for their families, and for the entire community of Choquiac.

In doing so, they paved the way for the construction of their community school: a living symbol of organization, hope, and a shared future.

In an attempt to reduce the number of teenagers that either dropped out of or did not attend school, INEPAS provided scholarships to selected students. Foreign citizens were invited to sponsor school students that came from families of scarce economical resources in the rural communities of Quetzaltenango. The sponsor´s financial contribution secured a teenager’s secondary education or enabled an older student to receive further education.

The role of INEPAS in this project was not limited to distributing sponsor money and maintaining contact between sponsor and student. INEPAS mentored the group of young people, complementing their education with workshops and activities which helped them:

• In their personal development, dealing with themes such as self-esteem. Some of these young people had suffered the abandonment of a father or mother, or had lived with the experience of domestic violence.
• In their social behaviour, dealing with various themes.
• In their studies, with workshops on motivation, spelling, reading, and themes of social, cultural and political interest.
• Once a month, whole-day or whole-afternoon sessions were organized with the young people. These sessions were directed by María Antonieta, who was sometimes accompanied by national or international volunteers.

Starting in 2003, the most recent project of the Education Support Program was the implementation of 31 Computer Laboratories, located in 30 rural communities around Quetzaltenango. The installation of the Computer Laboratories was carried out in collaboration with a Non-Governmental Organization based in Oregon, USA, called Compañeros en Solidaridad.

Each IT Lab had 30 to 35 computers, which were located in public rural schools. This program had benefited more than 6000 students.

The Computer Laboratory Project was created with 3 main objectives:

1. To facilitate the access to technology and training in the most important aspects of computing by the children and young people of rural areas, with the aim of closing the digital gap.
2. To use the laboratories to motivate students to attend school and learn, thus reducing the rates of school absenteeism and desertion.
3. To train teachers in technical maintenance of the hardware and provide working knowledge of the software.

This program was introduced in 1998 as a result of the social and legal problems observed while working with rural communities. INEPAS had found that aside from educational issues, there was also a great need to support families in reducing recurring problems such as domestic violence, alcoholism, lack of self-esteem, abuse of human/employment rights and poor nutrition and hygiene.

Objective:

The identification of problems which could affect the development of the family and the community. Above all, it was aimed at creating an awareness of the social problems which could be prevented or resolved.

Contents of the Program:

• The Social Support Program:

Types of support provided included: identification and recognition of family problems, home visits, individual meetings, community meetings and reconciliatory meetings. Advice workshops had also been given with the aim of promoting women’s rights, basic individual rights and advising on protection against domestic violence. In cases which involved individuals or families in extreme poverty, INEPAS tried to support them in any way it could, by applying for or acquiring aid from public institutions, financing medical costs or consultations at a reduced fee, or by donating basic necessities.

• The Legal Support Program:

Advised people in need of legal assistance on how to exercise and defend their rights effectively and fulfil their legal obligations. The cases most frequently dealt with concerned domestic violence, often involving people who only spoke K’iché (a native Mayan language). INEPAS was able to advise and accompany these people, to ensure they were treated fairly and obtained a proper hearing in a court of law if necessary.

In 2001, INEPAS began to support various Community Nurseries (Hogares Comunitarios) in the region of Quetzaltenango.

The majority of children in rural areas did not have access to primary education for economic reasons: it was not provided free of charge by the State. The Hogares Comunitarios came into existence as an affordable alternative to primary school and a place where children from one to seven years of age could be cared for during the day, while their parents were working.

Each Hogar Comunitario was located in a private rural home. In most cases, the mother of this home became the Primary Carer of the children. She was responsible for looking after 10-12 children from Monday to Friday. Although the government covered all running costs of the home (food, water, gas etc.), she received very little salary for her work.

Objective:

To support the improvement of conditions in the Hogares Comunitarios.

Contents of Program:

INEPAS provided:

• The professional advice of psychologists, social workers, doctors, education experts and solicitors.
• Essential teaching and medical materials.
• Volunteers to work in the Nurseries, for example as teachers, social workers or doctors.
• INEPAS also arranged meetings and workshops for the parents of the children on the responsibilities of parenthood, covering issues such as good behaviour and the importance of hygiene.