Educating for Social Change
Nearly 100 bright, motivated young people throughout El Salvador are receiving formal education and working for change in their communities through SHARE's scholarship and leadership development programs. Not only are these dedicated students working hard on their studies, they are organizing their communities to prevent violence, leading literacy circles, and educating their peers about sexual and reproductive rights.
In today's issue:
-
Meet Mirna Ramos, Community Leader and Recent University Graduate!
-
Theater for Social Change in Chalatenango
-
Welcome Roxana!
-
Ongoing Effects of Impunity Video
-
Join SHARE sistering organization CARECEN in celebrating their 30th anniversary
Meet Mirna Ramos
On August 26, 2011 Mirna Ramos was accompanied by her family, dozens of classmates and the SHARE team as she graduated at the top of her class from the National University's San Vicente campus with the equivalent of a Bachelor's Degree in Education. Mirna is the first member of her family to study at the university level, a huge achievement for herself, her family, and her entire community. She is a natural leader, dynamic, friendly, and open, with a gift of making everyone feel at ease and a part of any group or activity.
Mirna was able to study at the university level thanks to a SHARE scholarship program through CRIPDES San Vicente. These scholarships are aimed at creating community leaders with the professional skills to work for sustainable, long-term development in their communities.
Mirna will begin her first job soon, coordinating an NGO’s departmental-wide literacy program, a part of the Ministry of Education's program to eradicate illiteracy in El Salvador. Mirna is not new to literacy work; in her community, Las Pampas, she facilitated these literacy circles for three years. Nine people with no previous formal schooling reached the ninth grade level thanks to her patient attention.
Congratulations Mirna on this amazing achievement!
Learn More about Mirna's community leadership
Theater for Social Change in Chalatenango
On September 10
th 2011, the annual Youth Encounter was held in San Antonio los Ranchos, Chalatenango, a part of the SHARE-CCR Youth Leadership Development Project that provides high school scholarships for 16 youth leaders. Around 50 young people came together to laugh, learn, and connect with other young leaders. The agenda was lively, interactive and youth-led.
Although the content was serious and focused on youth development and organizing in Chalatenango, a fun spin on education and awareness was presented: education for social change through theater.
In the first play, a young man wants to get involved and do something meaningful and important. His opportunity comes, and he visits the home of two women in his community to sign them up for a literacy circle. The younger woman is immediately convinced and excited. The older woman resists, saying “What do I need to learn to read and write for? I'm old!,” “I have too much housework to do. I can't just leave to go off to meetings,” and “My husband won't let me.”
As the conversation between the young man and two women continues, young people in the audience are given the tools and arguments to get people in their community involved in the literacy circle. These are the reasons they'll hear for why people don't want to participate, and now they have ways to respond. The theater piece is engaging, interesting, funny, and a creative way to get young people involved, explain the importance of the literacy program, and give them the tools to organize people in their communities.
Welcome Roxana!
We are excited to announce that Roxana Leiva has joined the SHARE staff as the Outreach Coordinator for the U.S. Salvadoran Community. Roxana comes to SHARE with a wealth of knowledge and experience organizing Salvadoran communities in both the U.S. and El Salvador.
.
![Becaria_Cintya_Abigail_Gonzalez[1]](https://13b0bf3906-custmedia.vresp.com/1781e5f56e/Becaria_Cintya_Abigail_Gonzalez[1].JPG "Becaria_Cintya_Abigail_Gonzalez[1]")
