A YLAI Reverse Exchange in Guatemala
This piece was written by YLAI 2017 Fellowship Host Kiera Evans following her Reverse Exchange to Guatemala. Evans is an Events Manager at Ariel International Center in Cleveland, Ohio and hosted YLAI 2017 Fellow Gwendolyne Moino in fall 2017.
April 2018 will be an experience all of us will never forget. Myself and my co-worker, Michelle Eiermann, traveled to San Andres, Guatemala to actualize our YLAI Reverse Exchange Program with our partner group, the Asociacion Vision Maya. The basis of our program was to teach basic business models, marketing, and business to business selling techniques to the Association members. This is information that they otherwise are not exposed to with very few books, phones and other electronic devices, and limited to no internet access. The Association is made up of mostly women (and a few men who help with labor), that are head of households, or a part of large households that require a second income. Our host and YLAI Fellow, Gwendolyne Moino of Prana Events, helped us greatly with gathering information and communicating our presentation, as many of the members cannot read or write Spanish and only a couple speak English. She also taught both of us a lot about the Guatemalan culture and business practices.
The first day was spent getting to know each other, and us gaining an understanding of the specific needs and goals of the Association. Together, Gwendolyne, Michelle, and I tailored our presentation to focus on these needs and goals, and the next day we jumped into business. Asociacion Vision Maya is an association that brings together individuals who farm certain mushrooms, as a collaborative cohort that pulls resources together to provide a great product and help earn money for their families. The group wanted to be successful in selling their mushrooms and to find new markets and ancillary products. The workshop we hosted not only provided them with new business tools such as social media, funding, B2B ideas, and resources on efficiency in farming, but also with information on international networks, ways to actively market their mushrooms, and ways to be innovative with the mushrooms.
With a little push through shyness, their innovativeness was inspiring! One of the workshop activities was the women taking various materials and building something that would assist them with mushroom farming or sales. The various gadgets, structures and products they created were very impressive! Their ideas included a greenhouse for them to collectively farm for quality maintenance instead of bringing crop from home and breathable, degradable bags to hang the mushrooms to dry instead of shelving to condense space and produce more. We also spoke about serving new markets with the mushrooms, such as soups, spices, creams and other items! After working with the group for a couple of days, we added topics and tasks to our program to help with mental wellness; as many members expressed how the stress of business and money impacts them and their families. We also made Asociacion Vision Maya aware of other local and international farming organizations they can partner with.
A highlight of the week, for us and especially the Association, was made possible through our partnership with the non-profit organization, Ray of Light International, Inc. The mission of Ray of Light, co-founded by the partners of Ariel Ventures (Michelle and I’s employer), is to provide developing countries with food, clothing, shelter, medicine, and education for destitute women, children, and the aged. We were able to have Ray of Light donate $1,500 to the Association for rent, utility bills, some farming supplies, and a computer for them to gain an online presence. They could not have been more thrilled and appreciative. We are receiving updates from them as the funds are put to use!
The funds provided from YLAI and Meridian for us to carryout this project were also very much appreciated by the association members. We were able to leave each member with nice printed material from the presentation, so they can continue to reference resources and ideas. We were also able to generously feed them and their children each day, as well as provide the materials for the hands-on projects. Funds were also used for the space to actually hold the workshop, and equipment to display the presentation.
Their “Thank You” could not have been better than a mushroom pizza finale featuring their mushrooms!
During our visit, we also had the opportunity to stop by, Pintado Santa Catarina Palopo, a project created by a YLAI alumnus. This project paints houses in Santa Catarina with bright colors and traditional patterns. We made a small donation to their mission to help purchase resources for more homes to be painted. It was nice to see how YLAI programs make a difference and that our current project is going to make a difference too. Asociacion Vision Maya has given us updates on how they are using the tools we provided them with.
There are so many needs and opportunities to help the people of Guatemala, and so many of them are eager and willing to learn. The week-long workshop with the Association was an awesome start, but we know there is still more we can, and should do! Michelle, Gwendolyne, and I have begun to develop a project to create an English language school in rural areas of Guatemala. Many of the people we met with want to learn English, but do not have access to any schools or programs. We hope to travel back and start on this project in the near future.
The YLAI Fellowship and Reverse Exchange is a life-changing experience, both professionally and personally. If you get the opportunity to be involved in the program in any way, take it. Experience is the best tool to learn from.
Kiera Evans
Ariel International and Ariel Pearl Centers
