Former BTS Interns working with our partners at the Mesoamerican Permaculture Institute, the New Hope Foundation, and the Rabinal Community Legal Clinic. Apply to be a BTS Intern Applications for the Atlantic Council for International Cooperation’s (ACIC) International Youth Internship Program will open in early February — and BTS [...]
Dear BTS friends and supporters, Warm greetings on behalf of the Breaking the Silence Community Council. We are writing to you now because many of you will have received a letter from Tatamagouche Centre, indicating the need to pause programming and recognizing major financial challenges which may necessitate permanent closure [...]
I came to Guatemala for a placement connected to rural and Indigenous agriculture, and although my time with the Campesino Committee of the Highlands (CCDA) gave me a starting point, most of what I learned came directly from the farmers and community members themselves. It was in their fields, kitchens, [...]
Anonymity doesn’t really exist here in the way I’ve come to know it growing up in Canadian cities. Rabinal boasts a vibrant sense of community. Sometimes it feels like everyone knows each other, a fact which can be both beautiful and overwhelming. Connecting with one person means connecting with their [...]
As I sit here reflecting on my time in Rabinal with a cup of sweet black coffee in hand listening to the cacophony of roosters, there is one word that comes to mind as emblematic of my experience: curiosity. It’s hard to believe how quickly the 88 days since my [...]
The Q'eqchi' families living along the coastal stretch of Izabal in Eastern Guatemala have been here for over a century. Census records from 1913 document their presence, though their roots go back even further. This land is not just a political issue or a legal battle. It's home. It's where [...]
After several days spent with IMAP (the Mesoamerican Permaculture Institute) learning about permaculture, traditional and ancestral agricultural practices and how food sovereignty is being developed at the community level in Guatemala, our visit to the CCDA (Campesino Committee of the Highlands) was a chance to situate our learning within the [...]
A Coffee That Cries for Justice: Solidarity with Guatemala’s Campesinos It is Monday, November 3, and the air is thick with the aroma of coffee, not just any ordinary coffee, but one that cries for solidarity and justice. Our group is here to visit the Campesino Committee of the Highlands [...]
Day 2 of the BTS Delegation Today, we left Guatemala City first thing in the morning and headed for Lake Atitlan. The drive in our mini bus was fast and furious while taking in 4 hours of breathtaking views and sneak peeks into the life of Guatemalans. We drove by [...]
Stepping outside this morning, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to smell the strong, rich smell of the earth after the gardens were watered by IMAP employees. I felt the heat on my face and heard the birds singing, a true enrichment of senses. If I could [...]
