Women drawing water from the polluted lake

More landslides to come for a village with few resources

KASLEM MANDALA and Humanitarian Aid.Saturday, Sept 4, 2010. Deforested mountainsides came crashing down on San Antonio once again, three months after the landslides of Agatha tore through this tiny village. There were fewer immediate deaths in a village still stunned by that tragedy, devastated and exhausted emotionally and economically.

Just a few days earlier Kaslem Team and Reforestation for Education had led 200 school children and youth of  Escuela 15 de Septiember in planting trees to prevent the relentless crumbling of the mountains that threaten their lives tomorrow and in the years to come.

Kaslem Team returned to San Antonio on Sept 7 to try to reach the school where they had started an in-depth program teaching 500 school children to plant and protect the trees that provide root systems to hold the mountain together. Getting up to the school was impossible. It was also impossible for the sparse amounts of food arriving by boat to get up the mountain. A couple days later, the principal of the school made the heart wrenching statement that 375 children, mothers and fathers sheltering in the school had no food or water. Kaslem Mission is to teach young people how to prevent disasters like this.  A long term solution addressing the Root Cause – literally. Kaslem has no resources for providing humanitarian aid.

All we can do is try to contact people bringing in aid and plead that they connect with the school up the hill. Mayan Families is one of those organizations. We are also looking for water filters to place in the school as fast as possible. I remember the black water that poured from our kitchen tap in Panajachel and think of the women drawing water from the lake polluted by broken septic systems - and think of Pakistan and Haitian refugees still living in tented refugee camps. Where are the resources to provide for the needs of a tiny village on Lake Atitlan?

Kaslem Mandala is working for the future, providing green jobs and environmental education for young adults who will soon have the power to make decisions that safeguard their communities. The lake is rising. The mountains are relentlessly crashing down. The future is in the hands of a generation of environmentally aware Children and Youth.

Kaslem Team promoters are organizing the planting days that include a strenuous hike up the mountain, a long walk that gives the Team an opportunity to share environmental tips with the children about how to protect their New Forest, to encourage the children to pick up the garbage that litters many villages and to teach them that they are very important in helping return Lake Atitlan to its once pristine beauty.

Thanks to Tara Mclaughlin, coordinator of the Fundraiser, Kaslem Mandala received a small grant to continue our Work-Study Stipend program with the Kaslem Environmental Promoters Team. That fund will allow them to keep teaching Environmental Education classes to 4th, 5th and 6th graders in local schools and tend the Kaslem Mandala Center experiential teaching gardens while steadily organizing and facilitating the planting of the 50,000 trees with children and youth who will long treasure the value of Their Forest. Keeping young people busy improving the future for their generation and being of service to their community -  This Is What Kaslem Is About!

Please see 50,000 Trees Event article below –

Kaslem Mandala Environmental Education Program 

QUE PASA en ANTIGUA EVENT of the Month:                                      

What’s Happening in Antigua Guatemala – July 2010

Spurred by the desire to take immediate action, instead of waiting for the conclusions of ongoing scientific research and community debate, a group of proactive individuals, who have a personal stake in the health and success of Lake Atitlán, have partnered with K’aslem Mandala Environmental Education and Youth Leadership Program to do something now. Something that everyone can agree will help:                                                                                  Plant trees – 50,000 of them.

The K’aslem Mandala Program, founded by the non-profit organization Los Cimientos Alliance, is the natural partner for these concerned citizens. The program focuses on two central themes: in depth environmental youth education with theoretical, practical, and leadership components, and providing green jobs for at-risk youth so they can eventually support their families in eco-responsible ways. In whole, the program bridges the gap between ecological and social issues while aiming to eliminate problems such as deforestation, water contamination, uncontrolled garbage, and dysfunctional leadership that are threatening the health, well-being and economy of Lake Atitlán.
Reforestation has always been a ‘green ticket’ when working to solve environmental problems, and it is an effort that, no matter what, will help improve the current situation at the lake. One thing is for sure, sturdy root systems are desperately needed to alleviate soil erosion and prevent mudslides, as can clearly be seen in the wake of Agatha. By partnering with K’aslem Mandala, the hope of community involvement with the reforestation project will be a reality, and the participation in the planting and care of the trees will create green jobs and foster a sense of pride-of-ownership in the reforested areas among community members – an essential component of the long term success of the project. In addition, local communities will benefit from harvests generated once the trees mature. To begin with, the trees will be planted on private and public land within the Panajachel and Santa Catarina Palopó areas. Use of public land will be accompanied by a long term contract with local governments that the trees will not be felled.
Q10 will buy one tree and cover the cost of planting and care. With 50,000 trees to plant, this project needs your help to become a reality. On August 1st, Panza Verde will be hosting a fundraiser with 85% of the profits directly funding the purchasing and planting of trees and the other 15% going towards K’aslem Mandala. The fundraiser, Reforestation for Education, will be a two-part event. The evening will start with a cocktail party on the terrace including an informational exhibit in the gallery and a raffle. From 5-7 PM, this portion of the evening will be open to everyone and free of charge, although the organizers of the event are hoping their guests will contribute what they can to the donation box and are expecting to raise funds through drink sales. The cocktail party will be followed by a benefit dinner and silent auction for ticket holders, which will include a scrumptious three course meal, glass of wine, live music and fire dancing. The evening will surely prove to be an enjoyable event and with your participation a great step towards the future environmental health of Lake Atitlán.  

Donations for the raffle and silent auction are still being accepted. For more information regarding the reforestation project, fundraiser or to make a donation, email kaslamtree@gmail.com. Esta dirección de correo electrónico está protegida contra los robots de spam, necesita tener Javascript activado para poder verla Also, look for the event on Facebook: Reforestation for Education Fundraiser. For more information on K’aslem Mandala, go to www.kaslemmandala.wordpress.com, or email loscimientosgt@yahoo.com. Esta dirección de correo electrónico está protegida contra los robots de spam, necesita tener Javascript activado para poder verla Tickets for the benefit dinner are Q275 and can be purchased at Panza Verde (Antigua Map L4), or to reserve tickets with your credit card, call 7832-2925.    Written by Keri Peyton

EVENTO DEL MES: REFORESTACIÓN PARA LA EDUCACIÓN

 Impulsados por el deseo de tomar medidas inmediatas, en lugar de esperar a las conclusiones de la investigación en curso y el debate de la comunidad científica, un grupo de personas proactivas, que tienen un interés personal en la salud y el éxito del lago de Atitlán, se han asociado con El programa de Educación Ambiental y Liderazgo Juvenil K’aslem Mandala, para poder hacer algo ahora. Con ese algo, todos están de acuerdo podrá ser de ayuda: plantar árboles, 50.000 de ellos.

El Programa K’aslem Mandala, fundado por la organización sin fines de lucro Alianza de Los Cimientos, es el socio natural para estos ciudadanos consternados. El programa se centra en dos temas centrales: la profundidad en la educación ambiental en los jóvenes con componentes teóricos, prácticos y de liderazgo y crear empleos verdes para los jóvenes en riesgo, para que eventualmente puedan mantener a sus familias de formas eco-responsables. En conjunto, el programa cierra la brecha entre las cuestiones ecológicas y mientras que se trata de eliminar problemas como la deforestación, la contaminación del agua, la basura sin control y el liderazgo disfuncional que están amenazando la salud, el bienestar y la economía del lago de Atitlán.

La reforestación ha sido siempre un ‘boleto verde’ cuando se trabaja para resolver los problemas del medio ambiente y es un esfuerzo que, sin importar cómo, ayudará a mejorar la situación actual en el lago. Una cosa es segura, se necesitan sistemas de raíz profunda con urgencia para aliviar la erosión del suelo y evitar deslizamientos de tierra, como se puede ver claramente en la estela de Agatha. Al asociarse con K’aslem Mandala, se espera que la participación de la comunidad con el proyecto de reforestación sea una realidad; la participación en la siembra y cuidado de los árboles va a crear empleos verdes y fomentará un sentido de orgullo sobre la propiedad en los miembros de la comunidad de las áreas reforestadas—un componente esencial del éxito a largo plazo del proyecto. Además, las comunidades locales se van a beneficiar de las cosechas generadas una vez que los árboles maduren. Para comenzar, los árboles serán plantados en tierras privadas y públicas en el área de Panajachel y Santa Catarina Palopó. El uso de las tierras públicas va a llevarse a cabo con un contrato a largo plazo con las autoridades de gobierno locales que no permitirán la tala.

Q10 comprará un árbol y cubrirá los gastos de plantación y cuidado. Con 50.000 árboles para plantar, este proyecto necesita de su ayuda para convertirse en una realidad. El 1 de agosto, Panza Verde será el anfitrión de un evento para recaudar de fondos con el 85% de los obtenido yendo directamente a la financiación de la compra y la plantación de árboles y el otro 15% va hacia K’aslem Mandala. El evento, Reforestation for Education (Reforestación para la Educación), será un evento de dos partes. La velada comenzará con un fiesta tipo cóctel en la terraza, incluyendo una exposición informativa en la galería y una rifa. De 5-7 pm, esta parte de la tarde estará abierta a todo el mundo y de forma gratuita, aunque los organizadores del evento esperan que sus invitados puedan contribuir a la caja de donación y recaudar fondos mediante la venta de bebidas. La fiesta estará seguida de una cena benéfica y una subasta silenciosa para los asistentes, que incluirá una deliciosa comida de tres platos, una copa de vino, música en vivo y baile de fuego. La noche, sin duda, resultará ser muy entretenida, y, con su participación, un gran paso para la futura salud ambiental del lago de Atitlán.

Las donaciones para la rifa y la subasta silenciosa aún se están aceptando. Para más información sobre el proyecto de reforestación, el evento a beneficio o para hacer una donación, escriban a kaslamtree@gmail.comEsta dirección de correo electrónico está protegida contra los robots de spam, necesita tener Javascript activado para poder verla . También, busquen el evento en Facebook: Reforestation for Education Fundraiser (Evento Benéfico Reforestación para la Educación). Para obtener más información sobre K’aslem Mandala, vayan a www.kaslemmandala.wordpress.com o escriban a loscimientosgt@yahoo.com Esta dirección de correo electrónico está protegida contra los robots de spam, necesita tener Javascript activado para poder verla . Las entradas para la cena benéfica tienen un costo de Q275 y pueden ser compradas en Panza Verde (Antigua Mapa L4), o para reservar boletos con su tarjeta de crédito, llame al 7832-2925.

Escrito por Keri Peyton
Traducido por Sofia Letona

K’aslem Mandala Environmental Education

Youth Leadership Program

San Lucas Toliman, Solola, Lake Atitlan, Guatemala

K’aslem: a Mayan word for Life ~ Mandala: a Sacred Circle    

To learn more about our work with youth and the environment, please click the tabs above to read about OUR MISSION and OUR PROJECTS. Thank you for your interest!

K’aslem ~ A Mayan Word for Life

Mandala ~ The Sacred Circle

Young people teaching children to care for their environmental future

K’aslem Mandala – Sacred Circle of Life

You can help! All contributions are 501(c) 3 U.S. tax deductible. Please see CONTRIBUTE and CONTACT page for options or click on the DONATE button below, which will take you to a Pay Pal page to complete your transaction.

Help Support K'aslem Mandala

During the Paypal Checkout process, you will see a box for “Optional Instructions”. Using that box, you can tell us if you prefer to have your donation support our Land Purchase; or Work-Study Stipends and Educational Activities for youth in the environmental education-delinquency prevention program; or to provide Operational Support.   Thank you!    Continuing this work is possible ONLY with the support of environmentally conscious people like you who value the role of Youth in the future of this Planet.

•  WISH LIST: More Money Please!

Thanks to Los Cimientos Italia for  being there each step of the way helping Kaslem Team achieve our shared vision to heal the children, heal the environment!