The majority of our education programs take place during the first stage of our partnering process. This is when Un Mundo focuses on encouraging communities to build a vision and vocabulary to conceptualize and communicate their reality. Many marginalized people simply do not have the words to accurately describe their reality, much less to envision different ways of living, which is necessary for them to affect change. We have found that at this stage of the ‘development process’ art is an extremely powerful agent for promoting the consciousness and unity needed to begin the process of self-determination.

The following are past programs that have used art as an agent for promoting community consciousness and discussion:

Cinema Campesino — This innovative program uses provocative films as an instrument of social awareness and to promote dialogue. Film festivals are shown in villages in which discussion follows the screenings. Video clubs are set up as well.

Mural Campesino — Putting the power of the mural in the hands of the people, Mural Campesino dramatically projects a people’s reality into their public space while teaching history and encouraging collective action.

Theater Campesino — Based on the Theater of the Opressed, a methodology developed by Brazilian theater director Agusto Boal, this program seeks to promote dialogue through interactive plays.

The following programs follow in the more traditional vein of standardized education. These are focused on building lasting institutions within the communities and take place during the second and third stages of our partnership process:

Break the Cycle — Break the Cycle is a scholarship program designed to break the cycle of poverty through education. The program enables families to attack the indirect costs of education which would otherwise keep their children out of school

Global Visions — A series of workshops for high school age children designed to link personal and regional experiences with global issues. The workshops promote critical consciousness through dialogue and to date include language, music, literature, computers, journalism, and the environment.

Each One, Teach One — This program helps realize Un Mundo’s long-term educational goals by providing communities with guest teachers who introduce a dynamic pedagogy to stimulate students and encourage development of the faculties to creatively solve problems. Guest teachers stay for a year, and not only teach in their assigned community, but train local teachers in the importance and mechanics of liberating pedagogy.

Poetry Campesino — Participants write their own poetry as well as learn about Honduran and Latin American poetry before producing a public poetry reading and discussion.

Arte Campesino — Children are exposed to a variety of arts and crafts activities designed to stimulate their creativity and expose them to new ideas to old problems.

Los Juegos que Jugamos — This program uses a series of interactive games to build trust and understanding among participants.

MINKE STICHTING IS OUR DUTCH SISTER ORGANIZATION WHICH HELPS TO FUND VARIOUS EDUCATION PROJECTS IN THE COMMUNITIES WHERE WE WORK. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR PROJECTS IN HONDURAS.