by Nate Van Haute Everyone I met in Guatemala during my Operation Groundswell program had a story to tell. Each story, just like each individual, was particularly unique. I heard a story from a guerrillo soldier illustrating the atrocities that ultimately my country was guilty
Eco-bricks. Bottle Bricks. Recycled bottles stuffed with inorganic trash.
This is what brought OG to a small indigenous Q’eqchi Maya community by the name of Tzibal. Working alongside a grassroots organization, our 2011 Guatemala team helped to construct new school rooms for the community.
Spearheaded by Ben and now run by the wonderful Christine, the OG Hub in Guatemala is a small space in which large ideas take root. Thinking of the many issues in Guatemala, the Hub seeks to help show locals – not just tell them – different ways to tackle some of the many problems the country currently faces. More than that, the Hub seeks to learn from the local people; to create an environment of cross-cultural exchange and healing “un poco, un poco” at a time.
Jake Borg was a participant on this year’s inaugural Rights and Resistance program. He beautifully captured his experience in Guatemala in a series of photos, below, which we’ve put together chronologically as a photo essay. You can find more from Jake on his Instagram.
Food security initiatives can take many forms. In the past, I have seen educational supermarket tours that help low-income families learn how to get the most nutritional foods out of each paycheck. I have seen backyard chickens fortifying the diets (and gardens) of people living in food deserts.
With over a thousand applications pouring in for our summer programs, we are so excited to announce that we have our early bird winner! Eleanor Hein was randomly selected as our early bird winner, which means her round-trip flight to join our Guatemala: Mayan Roots team is
The importance of this fight to the community is without comprehension until you see it in their eyes
This is something I learned and will never forget: everything is a work in process and must be respected as such.
Upon embarking on this trip, I didn’t have many expectations of what my experience would be like. I had been to “poor” countries before, but only for vacation.
I often forget how simple it is to find out more about the people you meet travelling by asking one-word questions: “how?” “why?” “when?”.
It’s 12:30am and the alarm is singing a sweet melody that in no way matches my mood. Starting a midnight adventure seemed like such a fabulous idea yesterday when the sun was shining and I was well rested.
Three pillars of agriculture are people, land, and equal distribution of surplus.
We put up a good fight against the waves at El Paredon!
Bucket baths are a small price to pay for the privilege of working alongside these incredible people
Written by Lindsey Berk, 2014 Guatemala: From Seed to Shelf “Eating is an agricultural act.” – Wendell Berry, American novelist, activist, cultural critic, and farmer We seem to have forgotten that. At least, I had forgotten that until I left my corporate job and my
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