Climate Migration Puts Pressure on the Next Generation
By Daniela Bueso, Director of the Central America Program
Kevin Lux Ortiz and Ever Otoniel Lux Ortiz, standing by their garden beds in the Community of Chimalgop, Canilla, in Guatemala
This past September, our Central America Program (CAP) team took an important 2-week trip to Honduras and Guatemala. Our first stop was Tegucigalpa, where we had the privilege of speaking with our outstanding partners, AHDESA, and COEAS, who continue to impress us with their work, innovations, and improving their organizational capacities. In Guatemala, we had the pleasure of meeting our newest TWP team member, Marlen Garcia (CAP Coordinator), reconnecting with our newest partner FUNDEBASE while visiting local communities around the Quiche Department, and visiting the community of El Tarral and other efforts by our partner Utz Che’.
There was a recurring topic during our visit that had an impact on me. It was the accelerated rate of migrants leaving these countries, but more importantly, was the impact it was having on the people who were left behind. The majority were single mothers and their young children left to fend for themselves and find ways to survive amidst the adaptations of climate change, controversial politics, poverty, and lack of economic opportunities.
During our visit to the community of Chimalgop, Canilla in the dry corridor of Guatemala, there were multiple stories of single mothers who were trying to meet basic needs for their families, while their husbands had fled the country up north for better opportunities. In each household, we met children, who by default, were now taking part in the initiatives being offered by our partner FUNDEBASE. Their goal was to help families with food sovereignty initiatives, creating community gardens, and workshops on how to sell their produce to have alternative economic opportunities. Walking around the community, we saw mothers and their kids show us their gardens, explaining each crop, their use, and if they were able to sell it at a local market. They also shared food, seeds, and produce, showing the deep connection and humility these families had with each other.
(left): Ever Otoniel Lux Ortiz, welcomed us to his home, where we visited the garden he had been working in along with his big brother and mother. (Right) A young girl who walked with us in her community, learning her family was also part of the food sovereignty project in collaboration with FUNDEBASE.
Hearing the tearful stories of these single mothers and explaining their day-to-day struggles put this reality into perspective. I can’t put into words how hard these families were working on getting by, and seeing their children be involved in the process was very touching, to the point where it became very motivational to see these young kids take part in all the initiatives being offered by our partners and their technicians. They would take time off of school to help their mothers with home duties and their gardens with big smiles on their faces while following in their mother's footsteps.
(left): siblings Kevin Lux Ortiz and Ever Otoniel Lux Ortiz and their mother showing us their farm, alongside women/single mothers who take part in the community project.
At TWP one of our main priorities is Youth Development, which we define as: “acknowledging that the next generation will inherit the earth, and need to be involved in its care today”, which speaks volumes! The Central America team is committed to continue working with local organizations that put the needs of those left behind first, support them to have a dignified livelihood, create opportunities tailored to families, single mothers, and their children, and invest in other incentives that provide more economic opportunities for the next generation.
Families walking with their children, visiting home gardens, sharing knowledge, and inspiring us!
