A learning story for SERES
Magdalena Buc, youth leader
What are the challenges that women face in becoming leaders?
How do they describe their journey in SERES? What are they proud of? What stops them from continuing to be leaders? These questions have been with us for the last six months.
In collaboration with Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women, we conducted a study about the SERES Youth Journey. As an organization, we understand "learning" as being ambitious, being brave, daring to doubt yourself and enjoying the right to fail, as a path to innovation. Therefore we focused on success stories but we also invited young men and women who have not been active in their leadership for years.
Today I want to invite you, deep-dive, into Magdalena Buc's story. She is a Mayan Kakchique leader, from Aldea San Lucas, Santa Apolonia. This community is dedicated to agriculture, lots of plantations, unpaved roads that can be reached on foot or by 4x4 pick-up. The community is formed by 12 families and there is a small population of young people.
Magdalena is a daughter, sister, and aunt, she lives with 10 members of her family, she is a weaver of huipiles (traditional garment).
Her journey in SERES began in 2017 at 18 years old, at 19 she became an ambassador (graduated from all of our programs), and she was active until 2018.
I came to SERES through an invitation from ABPD (SERES partner association) and decided to participate. The biggest learning for me has been finding affirmation that I can do things. During the Activate Community Congress, I met Glendy, Flor, and Axel - SERES facilitators - and they are incredible. From my community, I participated together with two young girls and we invited more young people to our group, all of them were men. Our action plans have been reforestation and cleaning campaigns plus we placed solid waste deposits.
One of the things that I still do to this date is garbage management and saving water. Before SERES I assumed that all the people had access to water, valued the life of the forests, and the importance of living surrounded by nature makes more sense to me. Also, when started in SERES I was very shy, I was afraid to express my thoughts and even to introduce myself...
Then I was invited to be in Catalyzers (a program specifically for facilitators) where Fabiola and I participated, it was our first time being away from home for a week. It was amazing and what I value the most was meeting more young people. During the sessions, I discovered that I can start a new life, set goals for my personal life.
My journey with SERES has been an invitation to change, to meet other young people from different parts of Guatemala and El Salvador. Learning has helped me a lot in building personal dreams, making better decisions. What I enjoyed the most about being with the youth network was the time we spent together, I miss meeting with the friends I made there. Everything was special and I liked hearing different perspectives on a topic, each one was very different in their way of thinking and acting. I learned a lot from these dialogues.
As a woman, the biggest change is knowing that I have rights and now I stand by them and defend my younger sisters.
The difficulties that led me to leave the network had to do with different reasons. I had a very challenging year in my personal life and the context changed for me: My leadership partner got married, and felt that I lost support and that I was alone. The group began to have action plans that needed money and since we all depend on our parents, so it was not easy to get it, My dad died during that year and since he was the one who encouraged me a lot to participate in the activities, he was a member of COCODE - community council -, I got discouraged and didn't want to get involved anymore. During this time I always received calls from Glendy - SERES facilitator - to invite me to co-facilitate programs and other activities, I always said no, I couldn't tell her what was happening. Then I started working on what I could in and around the community and time became a constraint. I also lost my cell phone so I was disconnected from everyone.
During this very difficult time, I think that having a visit from SERES would have made a difference and encouraged me a lot. I remember that when they visit us it is always a very pleasant surprise and it kind of encourages us to continue. So when they visit us it is pure joy.
My dream is to study. Now I am supporting my younger brother so that she can study, but I would like to be supported. I see that other people have their mother's support, in my case, my mother finds it difficult to support me. I have the will, but there is so much to do in my family. I want to do it, at the moment I finished elementary school. I hope that I can keep studying.
I believe that everything can be done if you have the will. It is never too late to do what you want. I want to work and study, life surprises us with many things and you have to be prepared.
The SERES team is designing a peer-to-peer mentorship program among youth leaders. A more structured program to accompany and follow-up the youth journey and respond to their needs.
Abigail Quic,
Co-Executive Director
