I want to take this opportunity to introduce myself and my developing methodologies for teaching and sharing communications. Primarily my beliefs are based on my personal drive to learn from other cultures, and my experience in finding people in all cultures interested in sharing with me. This motivation has made my life incredibly rich, always putting my on the frontier of human discovery. 

The indigenous cultures of North and Central America have distinct ways of showing formal respect in familial and casual ways, which has led the growth of this center to be more like a home – that and that it is my home at this point because we don’t yet have funding for a building. So when women who can’t make the last bus or boat home, thy often work late into the night and sleep in the dormitory here. The schedule has had to be flexible, I have always been available to small groups, large groups, here and in other towns, whenever it is possible to get the word across. 

Guatemala itself is a technological frontier – there is a serious shortage of phones, and that is really hard. I have taken a motor-boat, a bus, ridden in the back of a truck and then walked a half a mile to leave a message with someone that there will be a meeting the following week. The government seems to be concentrating on funding highways, but is desperately trying to sell the national phone company — without much luck. There are lots of private non-governmental projects afoot here that are concerned with other serious issues, ecology is number one, then health and then education. All of them are limited to same difficulties due to the lack of communications technologies.

In developing these curriculums, I have been led by the requests of the women who come and want to see how the stuff works. Cameras are popular and exciting, easy to use and a real ice-breaker. My approach is to get it active in any means possible and keep the learning interactive.

Different groups are at different language levels. We all use Spanish as a second language; there are 22 different defined indigenous language groups in Guatemala, all oral, and many women are not encouraged to leave their group for any reason. I have started to develop different curriculum at various basic levels, all hands on workshops, and encouraging advancement as I evaluate ability in practical skills. I try to employ the social interaction that normally takes place while using the cameras to develop exercises that will flow with the moment. 

There is a generation of indigenous women right now that’s about to burst onto the scene, motivated, intelligent and strong. They usually come from families with many children, in a culture where most don’t encourage daughters to pursue the expense of school when they are only expected to be mothers in the end. Somehow they squeezed through. Some only made it to our second grade, or maybe 5th, but they can read and write in Castiliano and the want to learn something more. They are willing to work to achieve it. Because of this wea re planning to add more formal classes in computer training. 

Not only are computer skills important for employment, but there is no better defense against human rights abuses than information exchange. History will not repeat itself in Guatemala if indigenous women have their voices heard. With today’s user-friendly communications mediums available to them, these women will establish themselves as a conscious and participating force in future world events. 

People in Guatemala are focused on business, on making their livings, marketing their goods, and they want to use multi-media and internet to enter the world market on heir own terms. For the most part they seem frustrated by poverty and ready to move on. They intend to take advantage of the enforced peace and the spotlight on human rights abuse here to move forward.

My interest is to facilitate this group’s access to communications mediums so that they can use them in whatever way they decide – and then to leave the center managing itself within a year or two at the very most. We are just starting out and our success has been phenomenal, interest in the project is high all over the country. I am also very much encouraged by the progress of the individuals taking part in developing this center.

I want to thank everyone for all the support I’ve received up till now with getting this off the ground:

My dad, Raymond A. Guidi, for coming through with more money than he ever wanted to; and all the academic support – Dr. Lori Colomeda for being a true friend on line – Ruth Silverthorne for putting me up while I packed up my life in her living room – Patricia Aqiimuk Paul for coming on tour here representing north american indigenous women – Don Richardson for sending materials – Vivamos Mejor, Panajachel for giving us our first job – and all the participants who have spent effort and time and put so much faith into it – we are just getting started –

En Paz

Padma