MEET CARMEN:
HEROINE OF GUATEMALAN LANDSCAPES
A COMMUNITY LEADER
Carmen Gómez of San Marcos, Guatemala, says the greatest achievement in her community, 31 de Julio, has been uniting women, men and young people together to protect the area’s mangrove ecosystem.
Carmen's community is located on the Pacific coast of Guatemala, which is one of the most important agricultural areas in the country. Here the large-scale production of bananas, oil palm, and sugarcane flourish.
Solidaridad and its partners in the LandScale pilot project have worked with stakeholders in the 31 de Julio community, which is located within a mangrove landscape, since 2016.
In May 2021, the LandScale consortium launched a campaign called “Sembrando Huella”, promoted by the National Forest Institute (INAB) in Guatemala. Carmen is one of the community stakeholders and leads mangrove restoration and many other activities.
Mangroves have the capacity to absorb up to four times more carbon dioxide per area than upland terrestrial forests. The remarkable traits of the mangrove ecosystem translate into a wide variety of goods and services that benefit local communities and the planet.
Carmen works to promote conservation practices in the landscape as the president of her community’s environment and reforestation committee. For her, the biggest challenge has been raising awareness and changing behavior around single-use plastics among community members and visitors. The community would like to stop single-use plastic entirely and has been encouraging people not to leave behind any trash or waste when visiting the mangroves.
Even though old habits die hard, Carmen points out that they have seen great progress through the mangrove restoration initiative. The community is proud of their progress and highlight efforts to educate visitors and other stakeholders on the topic.
AN ADVOCATE FOR INCLUSION
For Carmen, it’s important to include all people living in the landscape. If they are involved, they are able to appreciate the work done.
Carmen sees women as key influencers and works to motivate them so that they gain greater self-confidence. When she encounters other women who are hesitant to get involved, Carmen employs a short speech and a pep talk that helps her encourage them to join landscaping efforts in the mangroves.
A very important point, which has been achieved thanks to the organizations that are supporting us, is that the group is more united and balanced in terms of gender equality. Women and men work equally.
She also regularly asks men to encourage their wives and daughters to participate and ensure that they have access to options and opportunities to study and receive training. She reminds them that they will not be there forever and the importance of raising daughters who are confident and unafraid. Carmen reiterates: "We have to change the idea that women only belong home."
BUILDING YOUNG ENVIRONMENTALISTS
Carmen is also an advocate for the inclusion of young people and children in conservation efforts. She believes that if they are left out of conservation efforts, then they won’t be aware of the damage they can cause through their actions.
Since they are children, they don’t know the procedure involved in planting trees or the care they require. It is important that they participate, so they see the work that is needed and to take better care of the progress already made.
Carmen's neighbors are grateful for her work in the community:
Not many of us are willing to dedicate so much time working on the landscape and supporting our community asCarmen does. In the mangrove restoration project, Carmen’s enthusiasm motivates others in the community to work. She is the reason we have been able to work with Solidaridad and the other organizations.
Built with Shorthand
