Promoting strategic actions for harmonious social coexistence

Within the framework of the project "Decolonization and depatriarcization for transformation from education", funded by SAIH and implemented by the Center for Multi-Ethnic Women's Studies and Information (CEIMM) of URACCAN, a dynamic workshop was held, entitled "Implementation of lines of action of Research, Gender, Violence and Spirituality", with community and community on the island of Rama Cay.

Different topics were addressed during the activity, such as; "discrimination, gender-based violence, women: spirituality and religion, and self-esteem." This workshop was attended by 20 participants, including men and women.

COVID–19 from the worldview of the Rama people

The workshop began by addressing the current context of COVID–19, which reflected on coVID risks and precautions to be taken to prevent contagion. Participants made their practices known from their ancestral roots, ensuring that measures such as hand washing, alcohol and masks, for them are also important, but stressed that the use of traditional medicines, which involves preparing and drinking daily tea with every family, has been of great help in coping with the situation of this virus.

Community empowerment

Henry Ruiz, a member of the Rama Communal Government, said that such workshops empower women and the population to respect different thoughts and feelings. "It is very important, because between community members we have shared the little experience we have and the ideological differences we have; even though we are from the same community, we have seen that there are differences between thinking, religion and gender-based violence," he said.

Empowering women on what their rights are and the value of each person was the theme most addressed by community and community.

Spirituality and practice

Knowing about spirituality is a big step, because we learn to live together, because one can understand and identify when we are doing an act of violence and when we are discriminating, and that helps us stop wrongdoing.

Hortencia Omier, a community teacher, said that knowing about spirituality is a big step and emphasized that women must execute shared knowledge. "Many of us know the information that is being provided here, but we do not put it into practice, it will be of no use if it is not put into practice. So the ideal is to know the information, share the information and put it into practice, so that we can live in peace," he concluded.

Participants appreciated everything taught, just as it was individually and collectively strengthened as a community through readings, group and individual exercises, which helped to better understand the themes developed.