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águilaBoletín del fondo de becas Guadalupe Musalem

Reports“Making sexual and reproductive rights ours”

During their time as fellows, through the workshops they participate in each month at the Casa de la Mujer, young women from various Oaxacan communities have learned about self-esteem, leadership, and, one of the core themes this year, youth sexual and reproductive rights. In the sessions they’ve had about this last theme, they’ve learned about the thirteen rights and different ways to teach them. During the month of October, the fellows had the opportunity to present everything they had learned in their own communities, primarily through meeting with groups of secondary and high school students. When we met, each fellow presented just one of the thirteen existing rights, so that her friends would understand the message very well. In later activities, they will begin to talk about the remaining 12 rights.Each fellow conveys the information she’s learned in different ways. For example, they lead discussion about videos, show photographs, hold workshops, etc.In their communities, the fellows’ activities have had a great effect, helping motivate the fellows to keep organizing activities.

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Learning Their HistoriesSilviaCitlalli López Pérez

Silvia Citlalli Lopez Perez, from the community of San Pedro el Alto, Zimatlán, is 16 years old. She is currently in her third semester of high school at the Instituto de Estudios de Bachillerato of the State of Oaxaca.

Silvia is the eldest of five siblings, and she’s been a fellow since July 2008.

Proudly, she said: “The day that I joined Casa de la Mujer, my life started down a new path, helping me pursue my ideals and goals. Being a fellow of the scholarship fund means many things, but the most important is that they train us through the different workshops they give. It also means a great opportunity to pursue my own goals: changing my way of being an indigenous woman and of seeing other indigenous women in my community, teaching people about gender equality, while still respecting the customs and context of the community. Also, being a young woman leader capable of accomplishing everything I imagine in my life. Being here has changed my life notable. Now, I defend my rights, not only in my family but overall, it’s changed little by little. Over time, I’m sure it’ll change even more.For me, helping my community makes me very proud, since these are beautiful experiences from which I learn each day.”

In her community, she’s in charge of a group of children from the children’s library where she volunteers every Saturday, in addition to participating in group activities with her school friends and with her teachers, learning about risk-free maternity, youth sexual and reproductive rights, indigenous women’s rights, etc.In the future, she’d like to be a great doctor specializing in pediatrics, in order to bring her knowledge back to her community, just has she has done to date.

“I feel very thankful to the Casa de la Mujer ‘Rosario Castellanos,’ to the ‘Guadalupe Musalem’ Scholarship Fun, and to my mentor Herminda Fernandez who has been accompanying me along this marvelous journey. I also thank all those people that have helped to keep this project going.

“I feel very thankful to the Casa de la Mujer ‘Rosario Castellanos...”

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The Fellows Say

Abigail Rodríguez BautistaOriginaria de Santa María Apazco

16 años de edad

“Being a fellow in the Guadalupe Musalem Scholarship Fund means broadening our knowledge, working together to support each other, learning to be democratic leaders, and

many other things. Being here has given me the necessary tools to stand up for myself in my day to day life and to fight for justice for everyone. Thank you!”

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The Mentors Say“A mix of different people - women

- is always necessary, because diversity brings in multiple points

of view, helping us understand our world.

In the exchange between fellow and mentor, we bridge differences of

age, world views, education, family and life experiences, thoughts,

ideas, ideologies, realities. These differences provide a starting point

for reflection.

As mentors or fellows, let’s make it possible to live as women who are strong, persistent, and dedicated,

supporting our desires to live of and for ourselves.”

Laura Susana Chía Pérez

Opening Doors

Brenda Margaret Vargas Velasco

Born August 2, 1989 in San Juan Atepec, in the Sierra Juarez. Her family includes 5 women and 3 men. She received her preschool, primary and secondary education in her community, but for high school she had to leave home to study in Capulalpam de Mendez, since her community has no high school.

“My community is very pretty and very important to me. I grew up there; I developed in different ways, but mainly, it represents my personality and my culture. What fascinates me most about my town

are its tourist sites, since it has lots of waterfalls, caves, plains, etc. While I’m in my community, I feel very calm, I feel free. I also feel very happy to be able to be with my family, sharing joys, sorrows, too, but living through them together. At first, leaving my village to go to school elsewhere was very difficult, because I had to leave my family. But I had a huge desire to study, and before I finished secondary school, I got the advertisement for the “Guadalupe Musalem” scholarship fund, which motivated me to submit an application. That’s how I applied for the scholarship, but unfortunately, when they announced the results, I wasn’t chosen. I think maybe there were other girls that

were in more vulnerable situations than mine.My first semester in high school, I got an average scholarship, which I kept for a year, and then it got canceled. So I decided to look for a job in my community in order to pay my school costs and help my parents out.When I got to the fifth semester of high school, my Mom encouraged me to apply to the “Guadalupe Musalem” scholarship again, but this time I was chosen. The news filled me with joy, because with this scholarship I could pay for my school costs without having to work. that way, I could focus on my studies. I shared all this happiness with my family, and as always, they

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motivated me to keep going and not give up. I finished high school satisfactorily, and one year of the scholarship was enough to learn a lot. Also, the monthly workshops I attended had a really important influence on my ways of thinking, feeling and acting.Later, I went to the University of the Sierra Juarez for a BA in Biology. Once I was there, I found out about the possibility of getting certified as a preschool teacher. But, since I didn’t have a voting card, another person get the scholarship. In the end, it wasn’t all bad, though, because they gave me an internship for six months and I had to go work in a community called Abejones, where I’m still working now.My most important motivation for working hard is my parents. They’ve given me their full support at all times, which is something I really, really appreciated. I also appreciate the Casa de la Mujer ‘Rosario Castellanos’ because without their support I wouldn’t have been able to finish by studies. To this date, they haven’t stopped supporting me.”

Currently, she is studying at the National Pedagogic University (UPN) in the city of Oaxaca on the weekends. From Monday through Friday she teaches. During her stays in Oaxaca City she stays at the hostel “Mi Casa,” sharing her knowledge, experience and culture with the rest of residents from other communities.

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Donors

Ariel GuzmánFundación Alfredo Harp Helú Oaxaca A.C.

Marie-Clarie Figueroa

graciasgracias

gracias

gracias

gracias

Agradecemos y damos la bienvenida a los donantes que se integran a la red de donantes frecuentes y a quienes aportan desinteresadamente para que la construcción de una sociedad más justa y equitativa sea una realidad, ya que gracias a sus aportaciones, no solo estudiamos nuestro bachillerato o preparatoria, sino también recibimos la formación necesaria para ser líderes comunitarias y con ello llevar el saber de la equidad y la justicia a nuestras comunidades.

La anterior lista de donantes se encuentra en estricto orden alfabetico y corresponde a los donantes que se integrarón en este bimestre. La lista completa de donantes puedes consultarla en www.gesmujer.org

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The World We Want To BuildOver the course of the last 11 years, we have given scholarships to young women from communities throughout the state of Oaxaca. Today, after having been trained in workshops during their time as fellows, some of these young women are joining us to help train new fellows in the themes of leadership, self esteem, and sexual and reproductive rights, among others.

Luna Maran Martinez, a student in Visual Arts at the University of Guadalajara, has been in charge of our welcoming and graduation ceremonies for several years in a row. Through photography, video, radio, and other media, she has shown other fellows ways to promote sexual and reproductive rights.

Salome Loaeza Gabriela Santos is currently studying Law at the Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez in Oaxaca. She has given workshops on topics like personal growth and leadership.

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Cooperating

Join us! Please help us support young women’s education and social development. All donations are tax deductible in the U.S. and Mexico, and our financial statements are audited annually, presented to our external review board, and available to you upon request.

Your support, donations and volunteer work strengthen the organization, and we welcome as much as you are willing to give. You can donate on the Internet with Pay Pal. Also, if you send us a deposit slip with your information, we’ll send a tax deductible receipt.

If you know someone who is interested in supporting this cause, please send us the following information by email: name, address, telephone number,

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postcode and email so that we can be in touch with them.

Olga Lydia Calderon Zarate, Scholarship Fund CoordinatorAddress: 3 Private Guadalupe Victoria No. 107, Col. Libertad,Oaxaca, Oax., C.P. 68,090, MexicoTel: (951) 51 4 69 27 / Fax: (951) 51 6 68 10

E-mail: fondobecas @gesmujer. org / Website: www.gesmuj er.org

Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 p.m.Wednesday 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

From Outside Mexico

International bank transfers can be processed under the name Grupo de Estudios sobre la Mujer Rosario Castellanos, AC, using the account listed below:

Account Number: 0153441342Branch: 0715Name: BBVA Bancomer S. A.Address: García Vigil No. 120, Centro, Oaxaca, México, C. P. 68000

ABA121000358SWIFT BCMRMXMMPYM