研修で、同期とグループワークをしたんじゃけど仕事以上に、 深い所まで話しができてほんとに嬉しかったし、それぞれの目標に向かって頑張って行きたいと思えた。
来週からは研修先が熊本でしばらく東京を離れるんだけど、どんな時間が待ってるかそうぞうするだけでワクワクする。
近況はまた報告します。
それじゃお休みなさい。
大学時代一緒に時間を共有した仲間と今も一緒にすごせること。立場とか関係なく想いを語りあえれこと。とてもステキな時間じゃった。
こうしたささいな時間を大事にこれからもしていきたい。
OCTOBER 2009
GUATEMALA | Supporting peasant associations to increase their sales
As a UNV volunteer working for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Guatemala, Francesco Bailo’s role is to help peasant associations in the department of San Marcos and Huehuetenango increase their business and thus improve the living conditions of communities in remote rural areas such as the Altiplano Marquense, where 97.7 percent of the population is living in poverty, and 85.4 percent in extreme poverty. Francesco’s vision is that “the Internet can change their perspective, as it has no centre or periphery. Access to mobile phone and Internet services is already a reality for many poor communities of the Altiplano Marquense. Our experience with the UNV Online Volunteering service is an example of how to take advantage of the Internet. Through the service website, we have built a direct link between two rural associations of the Altiplano and online volunteers from 15 different countries on five continents. Their contributions were a big push for developing the associations’ business.”
One of the associations that benefited from the support of online volunteers is ADICTA in Tejutla, a little town of 4,000 inhabitants. The association has approximately 250 members and its main economic activity is the processing and selling of fruit and vegetables grown by its members. “The products are being sold through a little shop in the association office. The association board agreed that a first necessary step towards opening new markets was to redefine the image of their products. Through onlinevolunteering.org we were able to find a Norwegian graphic designer based in London eager to help the association in this task. In less than six weeks she sent us 12 brand new stickers with a new logo ready for printing. The volunteer did not just design some stickers, but she helped raise the association’s self-esteem,” says Francesco. "We are now proud to present our products at fairs”, says Victor Ramirez, the coordinator of the association. “We have nothing less than what the biggest producers have. We are no longer just another informal producer.”
“Another boost to the image of the association came from three online volunteers who supported ADICTA in developing an English and Spanish website that presents the association and promotes their products. Also, two volunteers developed a brochure that explains with simple text and pictures the importance of a correct diet and consumption of local products, promoting ADICTA's organic products to counter the massive consumption of imported junk food in the communities,” says Francesco. Angélica María Hernández Balderas from Mexico, who had prior experience marketing local products with rural communities in her home country, developed the brochure’s content, while Lilian Yip, a communications designer from Malaysia, designed its layout.
“As we were trying to convey messages about the benefits of organic products and a healthy diet, we worked at keeping the leaflet to-the-point. This was achieved through a combination of minimal copy and easy-to-understand graphics. I also created a chart to illustrate the recommended food intake that can be used as a tear-a-way sheet,” Lilian says.
The next project is already underway. “We’ve just set up a team of 13 online volunteers with expertise in the trade of agricultural products. We want to explore possibilities to market ADICTA’s jams and honey abroad, and to enter Fair Trade markets. The volunteers from six different countries will help identify which channels we can use, which regulations we have to follow and which labels could help us increase sales - information impossible to collect for ADICTA without their support,” says Francesco, who is also planning to provide training to the associations on the management of online volunteers so that they can continue the collaboration once he moves on.