Download Economic Relief Program for the Indigenous Guatemalan Mayans

Economic Relief Program
for the Indigenous
Guatemalan Mayans
By: Janelle Kluczynski
December 14, 2012
Marginalized
Mayans and
poverty.
"We are not myths of the
past, ruins in the jungle or
zoos. We are people and
we want to be respected,
not to be victims of
intolerance and racism."
--Rigoberta Mench'u Tum,
winner of the 1992 Nobel
Peace Prize.
**http://www.criscenzo.com/jaguarsun/mayanow.htm
l
 Mayans make up over half
(51%) of Guatemala’s overall
population, and are the only
indigenous culture.
 The problem remains that
the many Mayan groups of
Guatemala are still treated as
outsiders, living in
designated areas, many
facing revolving doors for
opportunity leaving the
majority exposed to extreme
poverty and
malnourishment.
**http://www.minorityrights.org/2555/guatemala/maya.htm
l
Catastrophes in Guatemala
and economic challenges of
Indigenous people
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfKAzr9PW_Q
 According to Indian Country’s website, the death toll has
risen to 52 people now, while many people still remain
missing.
 “Many villages are also damaged and no one is paying attention,”
said Juan Carlos Zelada, a veteran Red Cross worker in the
department of Quetzaltenango. “They feel a little abandoned.”
 Many Mayans who faced extreme poverty before the multiple
disasters within the past few years, still face legal constraints,
cultural constraints, and problems with receiving resource
supplies.
Quote retrieved from: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/rights/humanitarian-crisis-after-guatemalas-earthquake
Issues Mayans face and
why relief is needed
Everyday life burdens that hinders opportunity for social class
advancement:
 Legal Constraints: “While many non-literate indigenous men continue to be
forced into the military against their will, only 14 per cent of the police force is
indigenous in a country that is overwhelmingly indigenous.” In addition to this,
people who commit crimes against indigenous people are lightly sentenced or
not brought to justice at all.
 Social Equality and Cultural Constraints: “Many indigenous groups consider the
government's use of sacred grounds (so called Mayan ruins) as profitable tourist
destinations as an affront to their spiritual rights. There is no free access to these
sacred sites for indigenous Guatemalans and no government policy guaranteeing the
long-term preservation or protection of ceremonial sites as archaeological preserves.”
 Resource Supply: Ongoing resource issues include increased activity
of the mining industry, which has forced some indigenous people to
relocate.
***All information and quotes were retrieved from: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/country,,MRGI,,GTM,,49749d163c,0.html
Concerns and
Issues:
 With Mayans making up
majority of Guatemala’s
population, and still
facing issues of depravity
from social advancement,
equality, and the
government or justice
system, there is little help
for them to overcome the
burden of natural
disasters.
 The issue here then is not
only social justice, but
also the problematic
living circumstances with
little resources and poorly
constructed homes.
Picture: http://dawn.com/2012/11/08/powerful-quake-hits-guatemala-killing-at-least-48/
Concerns and Issues
continued…
With poverty, comes
overpopulation, limited
resources, riots and war, and
disease infestation…
This then becomes a question
involving social justice,
equality, and social
responsibility.
Who is held responsible for
meeting the sustainable
health needs for the
lifestyles, and making equal
survival opportunities (than
non-indigenous) and living
circumstances for the Mayan
people in Guatemala?
Picture:
http://www.mercycorps.org/photoessay/foodtofamiliesaftereart
hquake#photo-1
Authority: who can we
turn to for help?
Over 500 families in San Marcos alone are still needing any given assistance. Many
Mayan’s adobe houses collapsed, leaving multiple families in shelters, or without any
shelter at all. The people whose houses still stand are scared to go inside, because of
fear it could still collapse from the aftershocks. Who can people of need turn to? (1)

Local Red Cross and MercyCorps help provide some recovery. “The government
provides one “supposedly hot” meal per day, said Red Cross worker Zelada. (1) In
addition, MercyCorps is attempting to assist with getting more food distributed.(2)

“One way the U.S. may help is to assist the undocumented Guatemalans already inside
the U.S. obtain a “Temporary Protected Status” (TPS) by providing these individuals the
opportunity to receive a temporary work permit so they can send money to their
families and help in the recovery. “ (3)—Joel Vargas
 Pay attention to this. Keep in mind that Mayans are seen as the inferior, thus
this opportunity given is most likely to be distributed to people of some social
significance.
(1) http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/rights/humanitarian-crisis-after-guatemalas-earthquake
(2) http://www.mercycorps.org/photoessay/foodtofamiliesafterearthquake#photo-2
(3) http://www.examiner.com/article/guatemalan-earthquakes-and-the-u-s-war-on-drugs-perspective
Proposal
 I propose to build an Economic Crisis Recovery Program
specifically for the Mayan community within Guatemala.
This would not just be limited to helping the Mam Mayans,
but all of the indigenous people in Guatemala.
 Our purpose: Promote social equality in spreading
knowledge about the Mayan history, and their rights today.
In need of assistance for recovery from natural disasters, we
will help work with the Mayan communities in building
their own emergency shelters, or homes with them. We
will assist in working and promoting Red Cross and
MercyCorps in the promotional work for our Indigenous
Recovery Act Agency.
Steps to Take: will be based
out of
1.
Build a board of members for the nonprofit organization. Including but not limited to construction and plumbing, professionals. I’ll do
marketing communication among organizations and promotion handling. In addition , we will need an accountant for budgeting
purposes, a computer technician for viral services and programming, and an office manager and customer service team to station in head
offices and handle the organization of schedules, community outreach, and volunteer services. Then need lawyers for legal terms.
2.
Build a few websites for the purpose of the organization, to educate people on the cause, and the history of why this organization needs to
exist due to oppression.
3.
Talk to Chairs of MercyCorps and Red Cross on proposing cross marketing opportunities to help people in need.
4.
Talk to U.S., London, South American, and Mexico governments & university systems to propose co-op or intern opportunities to
volunteer and gain experience assisting in a great cause. In addition , we will approach the Guatemalan government for assistance, despite
us anticipating a rejection the first time around.
5.
Promote on websites and media outlets, and radio… everywhere. Have a click donate through the websites for people who want to donate
anything at all , they are willing to. Monetary donations can be made through PayPal. 50% Food and clothing will go to MercyCorps or
the local Red Cross, while we keep $$ for building purposes .
6.
Through publicity, and expanding promotional opportunities we can get mainstream popular media figures involved in wanting to help
with the purpose and cause, while educating them to speak out about the cause. Adam Levine has already disclosed public statements
about Guatemalan needs in this catastrophic event.
7.
Start with Guatemala and expand to all Mayans in Mexico and then meso-america depending on success levels.
8.
Then before bad image goes publicly mainstream of Guatemalan government, we then ask them to cooperate, and eventually lead to social
change in how the Mayans are treated.
If no one talks about the problems, it leaves outsiders oblivious to the the issues others face…
Marketing & Budgeting:
How
 Websites, radio, and other mainstream publicity will be
of minor cost to increase awareness of the cause. We can
also allow corporations to advertise on our websites, and
for competitive payment purposes they can donate a
charitable bid monetary amount based off the number
website visitors we have in time frame of their
advertisements. $250/ visitor.
 To get our organization off the ground, we are in
detrimental need of $23 million.
 This will cover salaries of professionals for the
organization, hotel, airfare, food, and on-ground travel
for 60 people to help in increments of 31-day time
periods, over a 3 month time frame.
Breakdown of budget:
The main headquarters for this organization will be based out of Tuscon, Arizona
for the U.S. and another headquarter office located in Guatemala City,
Guatemala for easy commuting purposes…







$5 million distributed among 180 workers and professionals – we will look to
government assistance for this in non-profit organization.
$15 million for reconstruction purposes and supplies…Each adobe house costing
approximately $10-15,000… allows us to begin helping about 1000 homes be
rebuilt, and expand from initial infrastructure.
$200,000 for airfare expenses for 180 people round trip tickets from Tuscon,
Arizona to Guatemala City Guatemala.
$200,000 for hotel booking of 30 hotel rooms with two beds for 60 people to stay in
in increments of 31-day time periods for up to 3 months (180 people total)
$ 600,00 for on-ground travel and food for the 3 months for all organization’s
people.
$1 million for apprenticeship and/or internship program for universities.
$1 million for publicity and promotional activity and travel.
Airfare info retrieved from:
http://travel.travelocity.com/flights/InitialSearch.do?Service=TRAVELOCITY&flightType=roundtrip&dateTypeSelect=exactDates&dateLeavingTime=Anytime&dateReturningTime
=Anytime&adults=1&children=0&seniors=0&leavingDate=1/1/2013&returningDate=1/31/2013&leavingFrom=TUS&goingTo=GUA&WA1=03010&WA2=cheapflights.com&WA3=c
pc&WA4=27&WA5=trave_airbookeng_tier4_|t&WA6=air
Hotel rates: http://www.booking.com/searchresults.en-us.html?aid=346969;label=hotel-344366_Pool-com_Slice-99999;sid=d63fb1c99a6d6362b1127e417a14056e;dcid=1;checkin=201301-01;checkout=2013-01-31;city=-1141980;highlighted_hotels=344366
Outcome: benefits vs.
burdens

Benefits: Empowering Guatemalan Mayan communities and promoting
social equality through educating outsiders of the history and results of
the many oppressions and discriminations of the indigenous people
endure.
Providing the indigenous peoples of Guatemala with the
same tools and resources for advancement socially and economically for
them to succeed.
Burdens: Time constraints and the amount of time it may take to jumpstart
this program’s success and publicity. In addition, the monetary needs to
get this agency for empowerment started and expanded into successful
resources is a financial strain hindering the timely concerns of this
project.
With your help, we can evolve this program to improve the
economic and social structure of Guatemala as a whole.
Conclusion & moving
forward
 With this help, we hope to expand knowledge around
the world of the Indigenous Mayans and where they
stand today. Eventually with the success and outreach
for support driven by publicity and support given by our
volunteers and listeners around the world, we hope to
expand into providing help to Mayans in other areas of
Mexico, Central and South America!
 Empowerment is our goal for the long time unheard
voices of Guatemalan Mayans.
Thank you so much for your time. I hope you are interested
in becoming involved in sustaining health and equality in
Guatemala for the indigenous people, who have been in
long time need of help from our surrounding communities!
References

http://www.criscenzo.com/jaguarsun/mayanow.html

http://www.minorityrights.org/2555/guatemala/maya.html

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/rights/humanitariancrisis-after-guatemalas-earthquake

http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/country,,MRGI,,GTM,,49749d163c,0.html

http://dawn.com/2012/11/08/powerful-quake-hits-guatemala-killing-at-least-48/

http://www.mercycorps.org/photoessay/foodtofamiliesafterearthquake#photo-1

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/rights/humanitariancrisis-after-guatemalas-earthquake
References continued…

http://www.mercycorps.org/photoessay/foodtofamiliesafterearthquake#photo2

http://www.examiner.com/article/guatemalan-earthquakes-and-the-u-s-war-ondrugs-perspective

http://www.booking.com/searchresults.en-us.html?aid=346969;label=hotel344366_Pool-com_Slice99999;sid=d63fb1c99a6d6362b1127e417a14056e;dcid=1;checkin=2013-0101;checkout=2013-01-31;city=-1141980;highlighted_hotels=344366

http://travel.travelocity.com/flights/InitialSearch.do?Service=TRAVELOCITY&f
lightType=roundtrip&dateTypeSelect=exactDates&dateLeavingTime=Anytime&d
ateReturningTime=Anytime&adults=1&children=0&seniors=0&leavingDate=1/1
/2013&returningDate=1/31/2013&leavingFrom=TUS&goingTo=GUA&WA1=030
10&WA2=cheapflights.com&WA3=cpc&WA4=27&WA5=trave_airbookeng_tier4_
|t&WA6=air

http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/survey/so/2010/car092910a.htm

http://www.directrelief.org/2012/11/supporting-indigenous-populationsaffected-by-guatemala-earthquake/
References continued…
 http://www.iadb.org/en/countries/guatemala/co
untry-strategy,1060.html
 http://www.iadb.org/en/countries/guatemala/co
untry-strategy,1060.html
 http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/1
56448.pdf
 http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2045.htm