"I see myself here for a couple of years being quite successful, I think big, I want to create jobs." (Ana*)

 

Ana* is a young woman from Nebaj who, at 18, has seen relatives, friends, fellow students and neighbors emigrate. All, with the expectation of offering their families a better quality of life. Most of them have set out for the United States, as it seems that this country can offer them better job opportunities.

"One way or another we realize that they are no longer here, that they have migrated". 

She is aware that migration strongly affects people, families and communities, because it causes the social fabric to weaken: many children grow up without their parents, distance causes families to disintegrate, those who leave suffer loneliness and communities run out of workforce.

“Being here is very different than being in a huge country, that they don't know… They are living alone and they don't have the support of their family… Like here, their family misses them, they feel sad without that person, more if it's dad or mom ".

For Ana*, migration is not an option, although, at some time, he thought like many of the young people of his age and was about to go abroad, with his father, in search of a better economic position. However, when that idea invaded his thoughts, he began, along with some friends, to participate in the REJUDEM youth network. There she realized that many of the members of the Network shared with her the same concerns: in her community there are very few educational and labor opportunities, so that most of her age people are involved in a spiral that cuts them off. development possibilities, because they are no longer studying, but they also do not have the necessary skills to enter the world of work.

The boys who participate in REJUDEM are sure that if they work together they can influence the change of their municipality and their country. They are struggling to help the community get ahead, by strengthening the capacities of young people. The Network is part of the Youth Commission, which works in coordination with Save the Children to create scholarships in different disciplines. These scholarships aim to generate employment options for young people, in their own communities and, thereby, strengthen social development and prevent migration, as this phenomenon puts people's integrity and life at risk.

As a member of REJUDEM, Petronila benefited from a scholarship to study a communication course, facilitated by the Technical Institute for Training and Productivity, INTECAP. The training lasted 80 classroom hours, in which he learned to create web pages, conduct radio programs, design advertising spots and edit audio and video. As one of the practices of the course, students developed advertising spots, in Ixil and Spanish, for the prevention of migration and human trafficking.

Ana*, who has many skills in the area of communication, believes that the course is a tool that is helping her draw up a work profile that, otherwise, she could not have forged. To start, with what he learned in the workshops, he has already produced some advertising spots for his sister, who has a clothing sale.

“It helped me a lot because I like driving radio shows. Based on that they called us one day, to conduct a program on the radio La Voz de Nebaj ... And it was a great opportunity that I received, thanks to the course, because that's where they met me". 

Within the program, also, haircut and gastronomy courses were provided. The scholarships covered all administrative, academic and material expenses.

"All they needed was our will, availability of time and responsibility".

Currently, those who participated in the aforementioned courses are in the process of opening commercial stores, where they can put into practice what they have learned, by starting a collective venture. With the support of Save the Children, they will open a dining room, a beauty salon and a communication office. The initial investment is a contribution of Save the Children, but the maintenance and rental costs of the premises are borne by the new entrepreneurs.

“What Save the Children wants is for us to develop more in our areas. In fact, they have already started with other scholarships ”.

She thinks that it is necessary for young people to be trained to undertake their own projects, so that they do not have to depend on an employer to survive and, therefore, together with other members of the Network, has met with children from surrounding communities to See what are your interests and the needs that exist in the environment, in order to propose training initiatives and start the management for new scholarships. Among the topics that stood out as priorities are the cultivation of flowers, design of floral arrangements, confectionery, automotive mechanics, upholstery, tailoring, makeup and beauty.

“The truth is that I feel that Save the Children is the organization that has supported the most here, because they have given us several opportunities and training”.

For Ana*, the venture that he will start with his colleagues is only the first step to start his own business: an office where he can devote himself to creating web pages and working on audio and video editing. She is convinced that, like her, the youth of Nebaj are beginning to see a more promising future in their country. He believes that the mentality of the new generations is beginning to dismiss migration as the only option for progress, but he also knows that for young people to have the necessary skills to work and start their own businesses, they need the political will of local governments and the support of organizations that work to strengthen social development. He also believes that mutual support, among young people, is a very powerful weapon to achieve true social transformations.