The city of Puerto Iguazu is located in the north of Argentina, right on the border with Brazil and Paraguay and is home to the Igauzu Waterfalls, a world-renowned tourist destination. Our project partner was a technical institute that had previously participated in a CIDA funded program, which had aimed to tackle the increasing problem of youth unemployment, among both indigenous and non-indigenous Argentineans. The program offered computer and English classes as well as three-month long training programs to become a maid, receptionist, waiter or pastry chef. While the training programs had been intended for both indigenous and non-indigenous people, it soon became apparent that the two groups were unable to participate in the same programs.
This led to the subsequent creation of a separate program for the indigenous community, namely a bi-lingual school (Guarani and Spanish) to train local indigenous guides. With the creation of this school came the idea of building a path within the adjacent rainforest to be able to give tourists a guided tour of the cultural and natural heritage of the local indigenous population. The project aimed to help the community gain an income, at the same time ensuring the preservation of their culture.
My job title was "Indigenous People Entrepreneurship Support Officer," which meant that I worked directly with the indigenous community program. My role was to help build the capacity of the indigenous community and develop their cultural tourism enterprise to such an extent that it could become an indigenous-owned, financially-viable business venture. Luckily for me, my Spanish at this point was at a high intermediate level, as all community members spoke only Guarani (local indigenous language) or Spanish.
Coming from the Western world, my aim was to complete the tasks in the most timely and resourceful manner possible. However, I soon realized that my concept of work ethic and time management did not coincide with that of Argentines, much less that of the indigenous community! One of my colleagues was an anthropologist, which greatly helped my understanding of the indigenous culture, as he was able to explain some of their cultural heritage and thinking. I learned that for this ancient culture the aim is to follow the sound of the water in search of the land without evil. Therefore the indigenous people are similar to nomads, which effectively means that their perception of time, possessions, and community are very different from mine. This was an important learning progress that I am very grateful for, as it taught me a lot about patience, empathy, and diplomacy.
Having faced years of discrimination by the white Argentine population, as well as the Spanish colonizers, it was no surprise that they seemed rather skeptical when confronted with a group of white strangers. Despite my intentions of wanting to do good deeds, I learned that it is vital to understand peoples’ background in order to be able to work with them effectively, in such a manner that it not only prioritizes their wishes but also respects the rhythm of their own culture. Moreover, I learned that the bond established between indigenous and white people is always very delicate, and it is of utmost importance to never make a promise that will not be kept.
The local project manager was a knowledgeable, enthusiastic Argentine who had worked with the indigenous community for the past seven years. He had managed to establish a good working relationship with them and proved to be a vital asset in the successful completion of projects. Having familiarized myself with the community and their reality, which was largely marked by discrimination on all levels (education, health etc.) and chronic poverty, caused mainly by low education levels and unemployment, we began to plan the activities of the program. It was not easy to find a middle ground between what the program sought to achieve in the given time frame and what the indigenous community was realistically able to commit to. In addition, my team and I faced continuous health problems, as the north of Argentina has a very hot, subtropical climate and is home to many diseases such as malaria, dengue, yellow fever and the old time favorite for travelers - diarrhea.
About two-thirds of the way into my internship, activities were well on their way and we were able to successfully complete our planned capacity-building sessions. Moreover, we managed to expand the path that had been built, and with the arrival of a group of Canadian volunteers, we managed to put up signs and construct some basic infrastructure (benches, stalls etc.), enabling the community to become better equipped for hosting tourists.
As CIDA’s support had come to an end during the year of my internship, there was an urgent need for funding to be able to continue the planned activities. My colleague and I thus spent the final months of our internship writing a funding proposal, which was granted a few months later. With the new funding, the indigenous community will be able to increase the much needed infrastructure to be able to host tourists adequately (eg. toilets) and continue their capacity building sessions, in order to be able to effectively manage their business enterprise.
I was actually able to extend my stay in Argentina to nine months, which enabled me to guide the community in this next stage of implementation of the new program. I left Argentina with a heavy heart, many new friends, a rich intercultural learning experience, and many new professional skills.
My team and I went on to various jobs both in Canada and abroad, working either for NGOs or government agencies. During my internship I realized that one’s own initiative is a key ingredient to one’s professional and personal growth. The internship proved to be not only a vital personal and professional learning curve, but also a great stepping stone towards a career in International Development.
Despite currently living in Africa, I have returned to Puerto Iguazu various times and maintain very good relationships with both the local project manager as well as my Canadian host organization, and continue to support the project wherever possible. To me, the internship was one of the best experiences I have ever had and I am grateful for having been given this opportunity.
Contributed by:
by Alexandra Niesslein
Proyecto Mate was created as part of a three year, CIDA-funded program in the city of Puerto Iguazu in Argentina. It was implemented by Niagara College, Instituto Technico Iguazu, and the indigenous community of Yyryapú. The program was designed to deliver community based education and social development programs as well as support self-sufficiency among the indigenous community of Yyryapú. In 2009 the community formed an independent, indigenous managed foundation called Foundacion Mate, which will be administering the new grant from the Inter-American Foundation. The Escuela Clemencia, the bi-lingual school, is separately supported by a Canadian registered charity called Friends of Yyryapu.
Alexandra Niesslein worked in Argentina until June 2009. She still acts as a consult and advisor to the project. Today she works and lives in Africa.
