The emerald of Guatemala : La Esmeralda and the reality of women and men organized and participating cooperatively for community development

Abstract

Collectively and organized, after having lived in refugee camps in Mexico for more than a decade, the Guatemalan refugees were returning home to build a 'New Guatemala'. A group of more than six hundred refugees, speaking nine different Mayan languages, returned to the Peten to be part of the reconstruction through building a new community, La Esmeralda. Using the insights gathered during my six months in La Esmeralda as an international accompanier and researcher, this thesis focuses on their community development efforts. Through their collective participation in their cooperative (La Nueva Esperanza, or the New Hope) and women's organization (Ixmucane), and their associated projects, in less than a year after their return, they had a thriving community. Their organized collective participation, however, was not without its problems.

In search for potential solutions to the participation is reviewed. Many of the interpretations of participation have neglected to include the importance of organization, a fundamental component of participation in La Esmeralda. The few reviewed that did, more adequately describe participation in La Esmeralda, but do not capture its spirit. Finding none of the interpretations of the various definitions given to participation were adequate, a specific definition is developed, organized participation with empowerment. In light of the experience of La Esmeralda, the barriers to organized participation with empowerment are discussed. There are no instant remedies to these obstacles, but taking them into consideration, a list of 'factors to be considered' are suggested for development projects, community or women's organizations which strive to have organized participation with empowerment.