Over dit project

Projectbeschrijving

The hiphop movement hit Guatemala in 2002. Kids were captivated by the dancing and graffiti. However, communities and gangs were weary of the movement. To most, it just looked like the formation of another gang.

One major venue, La Bodeguita, opened its doors and provided four hours of practice time once a week to Guatemalan breakdancers. This was a start, but it was not enough. Kids were passionate and needed a full-time practice space. Their own neighbourhoods were not a safe place for them. Both gang and police aggression made it a dangerous area to be.

Still, the hiphop movement was strong in Guatemala. Several members of the movement started organizing breakdance battles and hiphop expositions. Soon, these events grew into the largest hiphop festivals in Central America! In 2009 a team of four b-boys, one DJ, one MC, and an enthusiastic Dutch volunteer decided that the time was right—someone needed to change the scope of the hiphop movement in Guatemala. They joined together to form the organization A.G.H. Trasciende.

A.G.H. Trasciende’s goal is to nurture and grow the hiphop movement in Guatemala. The organization works with youth ages 19 and 27. All of these youth, like A.G.H. Trasciende’s board members, have been a part of the hiphop movement for several years now and are important members of it.

With this specific project A.G.H. Trasciende now wants to bring the art of hiphop to the rural areas and exterior departments of Guatemala. Rural youth are coping with many of the same problems as urban youth. They need just the same support and opportunities.

Project doelstellingen

Short term goals: Provide a safe space for youth to enjoy and practice the four elements of the hiphop—breakdancing, dj-ing, mc-ing, and graffiti.

Long term goals: Provide an outlet for creative and artistic expression for Guatemalan youth. Give them an opportunity to find their passion and, with that passion, make something out of their lives--in particular, to avoid gang involvement.

In Guatemala City we have seen that breakdance and the other hiphop elements do function as an alternative to gang membership. We believe that hiphop can have the same impact in rural areas, where gangs also exist.

Project doelgroep(en)

Our target population is at-risk youth (both boys and girls) ages eight to 26—in particular, those who live in the most marginalized regions of Guatemala.

One hundred kids will directly benefit from each trip organized under this project—in total, a minimum of one thousand kids. For some kids this will be a changing point in their lives. In Guatemala City, we have seen how the hiphop movement has motivated kids to make positive life choices: return to school, study harder, and get involved with their own communities. Good kids make good communities. In this way, communities are major beneficiaries of this project, as well.

Op welke manier draagt het project bij aan het oplossen van armoede?

Guatemala is plagued by gang violence. Gangs are most active in poor areas and rob from their own people. Every store owner, even if he/she just has a small street stand, is obligated to pay a certain cash amount per month to the gangs. Local communities call this an impuesto, or a gang tax. If store owners do not pay, they are murdered. When a gang enters a community, many store owners choose to shut down their stores to avoid such a “tax.” This can lead to the collapse of the local commercial economy. Drawing kids away from gangs is one way to slow the growth of these corrupt and economically-destructive cycles.
Moreover, this program will motivate kids to aspire toward something more. They try to make more out of their school careers, because their faith in the future and in themselves grows. In this way they, their families and their communities will have a more prosperous future.

Duurzaamheid

Long term sustainability: A.G.H. Trasciende will be responsible for the continuation of the program. The organization’s board members will make sure that the program, including necessary running costs, are sustained through government funding and continued support from other Guatemalan organizations. Apart from that A.G.H. Trasciende is starting up a commercial section, selling breakdance and hiphop events to businesses and governmental organizations to cover the running costs of their program.

Facilitator training: The current members of A.G.H. Trasciende are already trained as workshop leaders. All of them give four to twelve workshops a week. These members will train Guatemalan youth to become workshop facilitators. The youth facilitators will accompany A.G.H. Traciende members on these trips to rural Guatemala. This will provide youth with leadership experience and job opportunities.

Project Risks: There are very few risks involved with this project. All members of A.G.H. Trasciende already have experience giving workshops in rural Guatemala. Moreover, we have sufficient community contacts to make all necessary arrangements for program logistics and safety.

Begindatum van het project

01 september 2010

Einddatum van het project

31 augustus 2011

Projectactiviteiten en tijdsplanning

We will visit ten different communities in several departments. For now we have chosen communities where we already have contacts. In each community we will provide a core set of lectures and workshops:

• Lecture on hiphop and the four hiphop elements
• B-boy/ b-girl workshop (breakdance)
• MC and writing workshop
• DJ workshop
• Graffiti workshop
• Cultural afternoon/ night where the participants can showcase their talents to their community

The number of days that we spend in each community will vary according to the number of children who live there. This is our program schedule:

September 2010
San Juan Comalapa (Chimaltenango)
(three days)

October 2010
Palin (Escuintla)
(two days)

November 2010
Ixcan Creativo (Quiché)
(five days)

Febrero 2011
Chimaltenango
(two days)

March 2011
Totonicapan
(four days)

April 2011
San Marcos
(five days)

May 2011
Amatitlan (Guatemala)
(two days)

June 2011
Petén
(five days)

July 2011
Izabal
(four days)

August 2011
Belize
(five days)

Verwachte eindresultaten

• Youth will be given an opportunity to use their time in a positive and productive manner. They may even find a passion and/or hobby.

• Every trip will directly serve one hundred Guatemalan youth. Thus, through the ten trips, one thousand kids will be exposed to breakdance, dj-ing-, mc-ing, and graffiti .

• The five teachers who facilitate the workshops will practice critical leadership skills. Making them better future employees, community members, and Guatemalan citizens.
• We will continue to reduce the stigmatization of youth, in general and in the hiphop movement specifically. There are many prejudices about youth in Guatemala because of the youth gangs. By holding public events the project will give youth the opportunity to showcase their positive talkents to their communities.

Projectbegroting

Totaal bedrag project

EUR 768

Toelichting begroting

Other costs:
Fee for teachers (5 x 4 x € 10,- x 10): 2000
Dvd’s, 20 per trip (€ 10,- x 10): 100
Pencils, 200 per trip (€ 20,- x 1): 20
Photocopies, 200 per trip (€ 5,- x 10): 50
Sheets of white paper, 500 per trip (€ 5,- x 10): 50

The budget is based on a budget calculation for a four-day trip, as the average trip length is four days.

Each trip will be lead by five facilitators. They will be accompanied by one driver.

Reeds ontvangen bedragen uit andere bronnen

None

Verwachte bedragen uit andere bronnen

In collaboration with ‘Amigos de Trasciende,’ we will organize several events to complete the budget.

Gevraagde bedrag aan 1%CLUB

EUR 768