In August of 2005 the Oaxaca Community Foundation launched the project, Information Technology Training for People in Marginalized Conditions in Oaxaca State. Over the following three years, six Information Technology (IT) training centers were installed in some of the most marginalized communities of the state. So far, more than 1,500 impoverished indigenous Oaxacan youth in elementary, junior and high school have been taught the essential computing skills and have received specified training to promote employability. Some have experienced the global, digital world via the Internet for the very first time in their lives.
Youth in some of the most marginalized communities of Oaxaca have daily computer access.
For this newsletter the Oaxaca Community Foundation sent an online survey to young people who are currently enrolled in the IT training and support programs, and we received 45 lively responses. We looked at responses from 17 of those young people aged 11-19 from San Juan Jaltepec de Candayoc, Flor Batavia San Andres and San Jose de las Flores who commented on the profound impact that technology has had on their lives.
As a result of this project, these young people now have access to the Internet for at least two to three hours a day, allowing them to obtain more information to complete their school work. Almost all of the participants agreed that the Internet center has facilitated their learning, helping them to be better students. “I feel accompanied and no longer alone,” says Silverio Murillo Arroyo, 16.
“It can be very difficult to find information in a book, but that has changed,” says Eduardo Marcelino Lopez, 17, from Jaltepec. Delifina Martinez Torres, 17, from San Jose de Las Flores agrees, “I’ve been more involved in my homework. Before I wasn’t able to do this, because of a lack of information.”
The new IT centers allow students to obtain more information for their school work.
Some participants affirmed that technology has helped in their research of support programs and grants, which could help their communities. A few reported that the Internet has been a useful tool in not only searching for employment opportunities, but also in getting a job. “When you get hired for a job, it’s based on your knowledge of computers and programs,” comments Eduardo. Others mentioned that they were now able to acquire more knowledge “about the world” through viewing news programs and periodicals online. Three of the young people found the Internet beneficial to communicate with friends and family living outside of their communities. Most importantly, says 17-year-old Hipolito Alguilar Sanchez, “Now the people of San Juan de las Flores can use the computer, which they couldn’t do before.”
Young people using technology to improve their community.
Community pride and indigenous empowerment are clearly important concerns for these participants. Several of the young people, when asked what kind of website they would like to make, said they would create pages to inform the public about their communities. Delfina, for example, says her website would describe, “the beauty of the San Jose de Las Flores community, its natural resources, customs, traditions, history as well as its people.” José Ranulfo Vasquez, 17, from Jaltepec wishes to make a website concerning indigenous strategies to maintain culture and how to take care of the environment.” When asked what they would communicate to the president in an email, many requested he give more support and resources to the communities in indigenous areas. Maria de Jesus Jimenez Bello, 19, from Jaltepec, would like to ask him why we haven’t yet had a woman as president. In regards to the importance of cultural language and the Internet, 14 of the 17 agreed that Internet pages should be translated into indigenous languages because, in the words of 16-year-old Indira Biban Gómez Malgoza from San Jose, indigenous languages “they are important…it is who we are and how we identify ourselves.”
The majority of the youth’s parents are farmers, and almost all of the participants were certain the Internet would be a beneficial resource for their families´ harvests. According to the youth, families could potentially research new methods and different materials like organic soils and fertilizers. At 11 years old, the youngest participant to take this questionnaire, Alejandro Peralta Cruz from Jaltepec, says he hopes the Internet will help his parents learn how to read.
