This post is also available in: Spanish
At the beginning of my service with MCC, I had a lot of questions swirling around in my head. Many of them made my doubt I’d be able to do my job. Back then, the only thing I was sure of was that I had made one of the best decisions of my life. This might seem crazy, but I feel like it was the strength that allowed me to give my best in those difficult moments.
Coming from a family who has experienced economic difficulties makes you believe that you can understand or at least be sympathetic to people who are living with the same reality. The thing is, there are other people and families who face even more complicated situations than yours. I understood this when I visited the bordos for the first time.
The organization where I’ve volunteered these past months and years has been working, among other things, to change the way these places are described. Although they are commonly known as bordos, we prefer to call them communities, to recognize the dignity and inherent value of their residents. Of course, this is only the first step toward the restoration of their rights. More than anything, it is meant to help residents of each community not feel excluded from the topics that are covered in the various activities that we facilitate there.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Maybe you’re asking, what’s this about bordos? Well, I’ll explain. Bordos are communities situated on the rivers’ levees (bordos in Honduran Spanish) here in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. At first, I didn’t understand this part about living on the riverbanks since in the city in Nicaragua where I’m from, there aren’t rivers or levees. It wasn’t until I visited that I understood. These are communities or neighborhoods along the banks of the city’s rivers, built on untitled land. But in the rainy season, the rivers often overflow their banks. Basically, they are little settlements in these flood zones. They’re not seen in a very good light by society because of their insecurity, not only because of fear of flooding or landslides due to rain, but also for the fact that it’s thought that people of ill repute live there.
The population that lives in these areas is rejected, marginalized, forgotten, and discriminated against by neighboring communities, by businesses, and the state. Many children and teenagers from these communities are bullied in their schools because of where they live. The saddest part is that some teachers do nothing to address this problem. So in response, the project where I serve offers workshops, talks, and trainings in these centers of learning for those who work with children and teens and are a part of the program: mothers, fathers, or guardians, and teachers.
This part is important because it trains not only kids, but also teachers, parents, and guardians on topics like basic and fundamental rights; self-esteem; recognizing, identifying, and mastering one’s emotions; and nurturing parenting, among others.
I’m sure you’re wondering why we do this or, rather, why we offer workshops, talks and trainings on topics like these. Well, as I mentioned, we are talking about human beings who face discrimination in their workplaces, schools, and general environment. As such, both their self-esteem and their love toward their children, siblings and family may be damaged, and they may pass on abuse and mistreatment, whether physical and psychological.
So, what we try to do with these workshops is show the parent that mistreating their son or daughter is not a good way to raise them. We’re trying to let them know that, just like the rest of society, they too have rights and that it’s their duty to know them. This is how we try to empower parents and guardians so that this knowledge also reaches the child in the hopes that, above all, their self-esteem improves little by little. We give parents and guardians tools to improve their ways of thinking, acting, and raising their children. The most important thing in all of this isn’t anything material we can offer them, but rather helping them begin to believe in themselves and value their own identity. Something I am sure of is that, after living so long in these places, people lose their identity. Even sadder, they lose sight of the value and importance of their lives. We would like to help them regain that.
I have not been surprised by anything I’ve shared so far, but what has surprised me is the children and teens’ capacity for learning and their openness to advice. I have been surprised to see how, over time, they open their hearts and how they receive us with a hug and a smile when we arrive in their communities. I have been surprised to see how they have been willing to open their minds to receive the information we share. It has been extraordinary to see how, as time has passes, they have become leaders inside and outside their communities, how they are examples for others and how, little by little, they are breaking the cycle.
One of the best ways that we have found to teach the kids is to include activities or games in the workshops like “The Dice of Knowledge.” In this game, the child rolls the dice and according to the number they roll, they answer a question about one of our past topics. In this way, we reinforce past content and can clarify any uncertainties about it. This is just one of many of our activities to help the kids absorb as much information as possible. We cover every topic in a different way and offer a different game or activity with each one. This is how we use – and eventually reuse – various materials to make learning tools for different topics and audiences, whether for children, teens, or adults.
Coming here to Honduras was one of the best decisions of my life. I’d make it again and again. Being here has allowed me to see how much God has blessed me. Things that used to worry me in the past now seem so trivial that I am ashamed to even have thought them. I have learned that I must be more conscientious with the people around me and take advantage of my “privilege” to help others and to fight for what is just and right, without fear of speaking the truth.
Elieth Blanco is the Community Facilitator with MCC partner Comisión de Acción Social Menonita (Mennonite Social Action Commission) in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.