Contribute to
Sustainable Livelihoods
Sustainable Livelihoods make all the difference in areas of poverty and marginalization.
Natik and our partners know that having an independent income is key to sustainability.
For organizations, mission-related revenues contribute to overhead, model the can-do attitude of entrepreneurial ingenuity, and generate income for people in the community.
For that reason, Natik partners have been encouraged to explore income-generating ventures that utilize locally-sourced talents, skills, and materials.
In rural areas, entrepreneurial ventures that tap local talent, skills, and materials are generally related to labor-intensive agricultural and artisan work.
Natik and our partners know that once the excitement and practical knowledge derived from startups has been experienced firsthand, a return to an attitude of victimhood, surrender and defeat is highly unlikely.
Therefore, opportunities to engage in micro enterprises are a powerful counterbalance to economic marginalization, even when the activity might seem inconsequential and the income is minuscule when perceived from outside the community.
It’s all in the attitude. People who believe in themselves and in their capacity to generate a dignified, locally-based income for themselves and their families are less likely to be dominated through intimidation.
Communities that aren’t easily intimidated have the power to transform economic marginalization into economic opportunity — with or without the help of outsiders.
For an idea of what different levels of donation could cover:
- $1,000
- $500
- $250
- $150
- $100
- $50
- $10
Entrepreneurial ingenuity is a powerful counterbalance to economic marginalization.
One of the consequences of generations of economic marginalization (poverty) is a pervasive undercurrent of hopelessness; of being trapped in a system that is beyond the capacity of individuals to change.
This culturally internalized sense of inferiority is the enemy of sustainable solutions to the normal challenges that face all communities everywhere.
By contrast, the sense of well-being inspired by the hard work and creative problem-solving required for the survival of independent sources of income is often more valuable than the income itself.
Even failed entrepreneurial ventures offer valuable lessons — which can be applied to situations and opportunities for the rest of people’s lives.
The Puerta Abierta’s philosophy and curriculum address many of the root causes for continued poverty related to the lack of quality education.
Language Barriers
In Santiago Atitlán, many indigenous children speak Maya Tz’utuill at home.
Most the Puerta Abierta staff are Maya Tz’utujil, so children can ask for clarification in their native language.
Cultural Relevance
The Puerta Abierta integrates local culture and traditions into their philosophy and curriculum.
Children are encouraged to wear their traditional clothing and local holidays are celebrated
Quality of Education
Schools in rural and indigenous areas often operate with poorly trained teachers and inadequate educational resources, like books. The Puerta Abierta addresses this challenge through in-classroom teacher training and professional workshops.
Economic Barriers
Many families can’t afford to send their children to school, so they work instead of going to school.
The Puerta Abierta provides scholarships for many of their students and their artisan project helps mothers generate a dignified income. Their reading circles motivate adolescents to stay in school even when they must work in addition to studying.
Gender Inequality and human trafficking
Indigenous girls are particularly vulnerable, due to gender roles that prioritize domestic responsibilities over schooling. Parents of girls are frequently approached by human traffickers with tempting offers of employment as domestic workers in distant cities, with the promise of a safe home and education for their daughters.
The Puerta Abierta staff is mostly women and more than half of the children in the PA are girls. They focuses on empowering femails to find their voice, participate in local decisions, and be agents of change in Santiago Atitlán