QUE HACE RUIDO

One of the most pressing and worrying social problems that our country suffers is the growing emigration of our fellow citizens; today about 10% of the Guatemalan population has emigrated. Although we know that this is a phenomenon that has accompanied humanity since the most remote times, -as we will see below-, emigration is a human right that must therefore be facilitated under adequate conditions, whether caused by personal decision (the search better opportunities elsewhere), or forced by causes of nature, poverty, insecurity, or political persecution.

It was 2 million years ago that the first hominids left Africa, thus making the first migration in human history. On that occasion the trip was to Asia. A million years later there was the next great migration, this time to Europe. And the last of the emigrations occurred half a million years ago, a migration from which all the current inhabitants of the planet come.

It is important to highlight that the migrations of the first humans were not voluntary or conscious, but caused by climatic and environmental changes, which continues to occur to this day. In present day, like in the past, a good part of the migration is caused by a phenomena that we call “natural,” caused by the entropy that increases chaos and natural degradation, causing earthquakes, floods, and landslides; which then cause loss of assets (few or many) that people possess, further impoverishing families that pass into the unfortunate state of misery. Of course, today’s emigration is also caused by other factors, including insecurity, political persecution, and, of course, the illusion of finding better income opportunities in places far from their native land.

One of the mentioned causes of migration is economic, a product of the imbalance caused by the great demand for labor in the United States of America -the largest economy in the world-; that contrasts with that of our country -Guatemala- where employability is insufficient and incomparable in economic terms (in the US they pay up to US$ 15.00 equivalent to Q120.00 per hour; versus Q10.00-Q12.00 per hour in our country). So it is almost impossible to stop emigration in the face of such a great attraction. For this reason, the number of Guatemalans in the US, which already exceeds three million, will continue to increase.

The abandonment of the home, the cultural change, and the problems derived from it are causing family breakdowns. Most emigrants are young people from rural areas, a territorial space in which 42% of the Guatemalan population lives in thousands of small communities located in places with difficult access, increasingly reduced land (due to subdivision derived from inheritance), and without services that allow us to glimpse hopeful futures. The foregoing, added to the information that these young people receive through social networks from acquaintances who have “succeeded” economically in the north, makes emigrating the main attraction. Recent surveys report that more than 60% of young Guatemalans in the province aspire to leave the country.

For these reasons, and to curb the intention -or need- to emigrate, FUNDAP implements programs that seek to generate income opportunities for lowincome families.

The Foundation provides young men and women with a series of opportunities to learn trades that allow them to find a job or start their own business in a wide variety of fields and according to the interests of the person. This is done through short courses that are given at the Foundation’s facilities (in various departments in the western part of the country), or provided in the users’ place of life.

There is no doubt that the most powerful antidote to reduce emigration is to generate job opportunities; and the formula is that the interested parties themselves monetize their activity by starting their own business. To this end, FUNDAP provides them with the technical knowledge and entrepreneurship tools to start their business or, if applicable, enter the labor market in an already established one.

Today positive experiences number in the thousands; For this reason, FUNDAP continues its service, sustaining it with the capabilities of a committed, humane team and highly prepared to carry out “Development with dignity,” the motto that governs institutional action.

A few weeks ago I heard a song that aligns with the idea that I want to convey in this letter. Part of the lyrics of the song said: “Yesterday he left, took his things, and went sailing. A shirt, a pair of jeans, and a song. Where will he go? Where will he go? (Song by José Luis Perales – A sailboat called Libertad). If they had asked me 40 years ago, where is FUNDAP going? I would not have had the scope to answer correctly, because at that time we had no results to show.

What I can try to show over the years is not where we are going, but rather to express who we are, although it must be said from the outset that words would not reach me. Here is the answer to the question: What are the characteristics that FUNDAP has, which without it, would not be FUNDAP? Below, I explain what I have gathered from an exercise that we did with a group of collaborators who had ideas that gave life to this editorial. Jorge Gándara

One family, one heart: we are people

Wanting to change the world with small steps, actions that make a difference. For FUNDAP, every human being is valuable. With this eagerness to value life and work, the organization provides opportunities to eradicate poverty, seeking the well-being of those most in need. This is where the first characteristic fits in: What to do for others? And for this, we think that FUNDAP is created as a space to put human and professional qualities at the “service” of others.

Nowadays it is very important, for each one of us and for the organizations, to say who we are, to know our roots. I think that we can say of FUNDAP that it is a great family with one heart. But the organization goes beyond an entire infrastructure and logistics of it -this great family- is made up of many people, who together, carry out noble tasks, among them, cooperating partners, collaborators and beneficiaries of the different projects. However, it all began with two great businessmen -and great people- concerned about the development of Guatemala, Mr. Rodolfo Paiz and Mr. Jaime Camhi, who were the founders who inspired enthusiasm in other businessmen -among them our president Mr. Roberto Gutiérrez-, laying the foundation of what today is FUNDAP .

When talking about people, one must also talk about dignity. The spirit of the Foundation has been embodied in our motto: “Development with Dignity,” and it is here where I want to highlight that, if there is something that distinguishes FUNDAP, it is that each person who has contact with the Foundation, takes the satisfaction of have been treated with affection, sympathy, and especially with respect. These are not just nice words, since this treatment is maintained from our cooperating partners to the person who guards the door of our institution and who tries to do honest work to earn a living; And of course, the treatment also extends to each beneficiary who is our engine, our inspiration to be able to plan and execute projects based on their development.

People usually talk about famous leaders, who have participated in great events in history; however, and without going that far, there are leaders in our own towns, leaders in our families, who with small actions, give us an example that goals can be achieved and things can be changed, like FUNDAP, which is ‘a silence that makes noise.’

Transform society from within: A job well done and well finished

Over the years FUNDAP has grown in number of people, work, and intangible assets, such as experience and service. To do what FUNDAP does, I insist, people have been needed, competent collaborators, who are convinced of what we do, and for this reason we are committed to them and we are willing to make great efforts to train them humanely and professionally, in such a way that they not only the Foundation is benefited, but also those collaborators, becoming essential elements in their own development.

That is why the Foundation has collaborators who work intensely, and without a doubt each one contributes their bit, but who are important to carry out a job well done and well finished. Those grains of sand are worth mentioning: commitment, teamwork, inclusion, human warmth, humanitarian sense, justice, and a healthy sense of humor.

I take this opportunity to thank the work that the people who work at the institution do every day, especially those who have dedicated a number of years to the Foundation; those are many, too many to count with the fingers of one hand. Without each of them it is not possible to reach so many beneficiaries who need us -not because we are indispensable, but because we give them the necessary tools to fly high-.

At the same time, I also want to thank the beneficiaries who have welcomed us with open arms; As I said before, they are our vital force, they give meaning to each project and they are the ones who have awakened in us that sense of humanity and responsibility. They are also the strength and inspiration for us to be able to transform our society, so that it improves, develops fairly and inclusively, and we are the authors of our own history, authors of the common good.

All this work would not be possible without the trust placed in us by our cooperating partners, who not only help us with financial means, but also consider themselves an intrinsic part of what we do and therefore offer us their advice, their experiences with other organizations that they enrich us, but above all, they are our friends, who, as the word indicates, are by our side in this wonderful adventure.

That is why I have no doubt, FUNDAP tries to do things well, and that is only an echo of what our cooperating partners and beneficiaries state: “FUNDAP does it very well.” And to do it well, our collaborators are essential. That is why we must be aware that this is only the beginning of a story with an open ending, that there is still a long way to go and we must ensure continuity.

An intangible good: Service

Beyond numbers and goals, I want to affirm that our work is based on Service, -with a capital letter-. Sometimes we are unaware of the importance that our work has. A good action that we do has a positive impact on other people, the final result of which we will not know.

But, if I must emphasize something, it is that we not only work for the sake of working, but we also serve people, families, boys, and girls. Service is an act of the human being, where we not only offer professional qualities, but also human qualities, with affection, with love for people and for what we do; I insist, all based on our motto ‘A silence that makes noise’.

I would like us to realize this, since FUNDAP is a young institution, with years ahead of us and that everything we do is just the beginning: the beginning with an open ending -I said earlier in this editorial-, because those who come after will continue giving an answer to where FUNDAP is going (what a task), but let us keep in mind and uphold what distinguishes us as FUNDAP. I copied a phrase from G.K. Chesterton: “Mediocrity, possibly, consists of being in front of greatness and not realizing it.” FUNDAP is no longer small, it has grown, I hope we realize it. Let us not be afraid to continue doing good by making decisions that imply a commitment -many times personal, because we assume it as our Life Project- and to carry out with enthusiasm all the tasks that we have in hand, to finish them in the best possible way, to make them a quality service to others who are around us.

FUNDAP, respecting the different ways of thinking, reaches every corner of the south west of the country, bringing the possibility of empowering every person who has the will to improve their living conditions, to be a better citizen, to be a better father, mother, brother, or son, and support a family with a dignified trade. This does not seek a dependence on the Foundation itself, but the responsibility to create a better world, learning, or why not say so, creating innovative projects, sustainable projects, so that each man and woman feels useful in society.

Guatemala, the country of “eternal spring,” full of natural wealth, but above all the beauty that every Guatemalan heart has. Although it is true that it is one of the countries with the highest rates of malnutrition, illiteracy, and crime, but despite these red flags, our country is full of warm people who want to make a change in our society and therefore fight every day to raise their families, perhaps many times with great deficiencies and lack of opportunities. This is where the Foundation’s response comes in.

FUNDAP, a leading institution that has a passion for what it does, with dedication, commitment, that projects confidence, credibility that opens many doors for us with our donor friends, that respects both people and nature.

A dream come true for many beneficiaries, not only for those who had the courage to start this project, but also for the people who have had the opportunity to work in this institution.