Education by Youth for Youth for a sustainable future.

The project "Education by Youth for Youth for a sustainable future" is in progress at the same time in two states: in Yucatan in the biosphere reserve of Celestun and in Campeche in the communities of Nuevo Becal and 20 de Noviembre within the Calakmul municipal area.

Calakmul

Around 25,000 people grouped in approximately 85 communities inhabit the Calakmul municipality. The population is very young - according to INEGI (2002) 48% of the population is less than 14 years old -, poor and with low levels of education with an illiteracy rate of 25 to 30%. Although there is an indigenous Maya population living in and around the Biosphere Reserve of Calakmul, the vast majority of the population consists of recent immigrants (30% of the total population was not born in the state of Campeche) coming from 23 different states in the Republic of Mexico. Many speak other indigenous languages like Chol and Tzeltal.

Celestun

The Celestun municipality is located on the northwest of the Yucatan Peninsula within the Biosphere Reserve of Ria Celestun. The population of 6065 inhabitants includes 1228 young people between the ages of 15 and 24 - 636 are men and 592 are women (52 and 48% respectively). The community contains primary schools, a secondary school and a college. Many of the young people of Celestun also travel elsewhere for study purposes, including the city of Merida.

Objectives

Provide the tools and information that allow the advancement of leadership and organisational skills among the community youth through activities such as: exchange of ideas with other groups, workshops, talks and cultural activities.

1. Integration of three youth groups of the communities of Nuevo Becal, 20 de Noviembre and Celestun.
2. Analyse the environmental problems from a youth perspective.
3. Provide information that promotes the knowledge of natural resources and their sustainable use in the region.
4. Increase knowledge on health topics that allow the youth to make more informed decisions regarding their quality of life.
5. Promote the exchange of experiences about the work in the community achieved by the youth of the two regions
6. Promote the design, planning and completion of projects from the youth perspective.

Results

The project involved 50 young people organised in three groups from the communities Celestun, Nuevo Becal and 20 de Noviembre.
The main problems in the communities were diagnosed from a youth perspective.
The youth received basic information about basic ecology concepts and natural resource management.
Three projects were designed and initiated: a) Celestun: Design of a park for promoting environmental information and awareness. b) 20 de Noviembre: Cleaning the stream, one of the main sources of water for domestic use in the community c) Nuevo Becal: Construction of a playground and maintenance of the village plaza.
Opportunities for collaboration with other institutions were identified to strengthen working relationships with municipalities, the Mexican Institute of Social Security, State Council on Population, and the Department of Ecology and the Ejido.

Expectations

Create and promote local leadership capacity, based on a knowledge of their resources, an analysis of the situation and identifying of strategies and concrete projects that help to improve the quality of life.