The power of hands

Over 50 Tz’utujil hands rise up in the air in San Juan de Laguna’s city hall on a sunny Saturday morning. They are learning to make official decisions by voting. Since Hurricane Stan, life has been hard for this Guatemalan community living in the district of Tzanjay and whose main mode of subsistence is agriculture. The people’s earth has been washed away by rain, making growing coffee, beans and corn difficult.

The people’s earth has been washed away
by rain, making growing coffee,
beans and corn difficult.

Nevertheless, the community has been making efforts to rebuild what it has lost, and with the help of CECI and Fundación Solar, its inhabitants have been learning that united, they can grow much faster. Better yet: if their association becomes a legal entity, they will be able to open a bank account, quicken and structure the decision-making process and allow the community to achieve its goals more efficiently. ‘We are here at this assembly to learn about our rights and obligations [within the association],’ explains Pablo Silvestre, a Tz’utujil elementary-school teacher. As part of their obligations, they will have to elect a board of directors and a judicial board. Their goals are to strengthen and develop agriculture, education, health and arts and crafts.

‘We are a group of people that wants to help all the families in our community,’ explains Antonia Xicay Garcia, a woman dressed in colourful Mayan attire. She is the president of this association. All the women in the room are dressed in traditional, intricately woven skirts and colourful blouses, testament to their rich Mayan culture. Many came with their children, who giggle at the sight of a camera.

When they leave legal training clinic, these Tz’utujils will have a few more tools at their disposition to rebuild their country as part of a sustainable and fair decision-making process. And they will know that their hands can have a lot more power than they’ve ever imagined.