Presenting Posters
Presenting Posters
Making the Posters
Discussing the Origins of the OrganizationsYesterday was an amazing day. The research group of the FULAM opened their doors again to me, and allowed me to participate in their meeting with leaders of about 19 Organizations of Displaced Persons from Medellin (a total of about 25-30 participants). The turnout was amazing, since the team wasn't really sure how many leaders would join them. The idea was to present to them their research proposal and hopefully get them to participate. The FULAM's research project is entitled "Organization of Displaced Population and Restoration of Rights in the Cities of Medellin and Bogota."
The meeting was a success, and many leaders were very enthusiastic about participating. It must be said that many were very skeptical and wary at first, because they felt that they had been used many times before. One woman leader expressed her distrust, because she had participated in other research projects that had not been forthcoming about the impacts on the displaced community, or that had promised things or outcomes that never materialized. She was very clear in stating that the only way in which she, and therefore her organization, would take part in the project was if they promised her "sincerity, clarity, respect and honesty."
Other leaders were enthusiastic about the project's aim to provide feedback on what can be bettered in the organizations in order to be more efficient in restoring the rights of the displaced populations in Medellin.
Some were happy to have their pictures taken, videotaped and audio taped, while others, who were under death-threats opted out of any images of them being taken. Rightly so. Being a leader in this violent context can be very dangerous, and unfortunately, many have already lost their lives.
The research group had several interesting dynamics and activities geared toward getting to know each other and the histories of the different organizations. One that I felt was very efficient, was called the "visualization tree". In this activity each organization had to draw a large tree with information about their organization. In the tree they needed to write the name of the organization in the trunk, in the roots the demands and necessities, to the left of the trunk the potentialities and strengths, and to the right the difficulties and obstacles. On the top of the tree and to the left the accomplishments and to the right the challenges. After this was completed people from 9 organizations stood up in front and shared their trees.
This activity was very enriching because it made clear what each organization has accomplished, what difficulties they have faced and where they want to go in the future.
I am very thankful to the team at the FULAM (especially Jenny and Alfredo) for their generosity in allowing me to participate in this activity. It taught me a lot and allowed me to meet wonderful people with whom I hope to work with and learn from while I am here, and hopefully create lasting relationships.
Next week (Tuesday and Wednesday), I will attend a 2-day workshop of the Mesa de Organizaciones de Personas Desplazadas de Medellin (MOPDM) (TODPM - see previous post) and I hope to be able to talk more at length with some of the leaders I have already met, and of course to meet new ones. I admire their tenacity and dedication to the people they are helping and to the fight for the restoration of their rights.
FULAM's Laboratorio Universitario de Estudios Sociales -LUES- website for this project:
http://organizaciondesplazados.ning.com/
The meeting was a success, and many leaders were very enthusiastic about participating. It must be said that many were very skeptical and wary at first, because they felt that they had been used many times before. One woman leader expressed her distrust, because she had participated in other research projects that had not been forthcoming about the impacts on the displaced community, or that had promised things or outcomes that never materialized. She was very clear in stating that the only way in which she, and therefore her organization, would take part in the project was if they promised her "sincerity, clarity, respect and honesty."
Other leaders were enthusiastic about the project's aim to provide feedback on what can be bettered in the organizations in order to be more efficient in restoring the rights of the displaced populations in Medellin.
Some were happy to have their pictures taken, videotaped and audio taped, while others, who were under death-threats opted out of any images of them being taken. Rightly so. Being a leader in this violent context can be very dangerous, and unfortunately, many have already lost their lives.
The research group had several interesting dynamics and activities geared toward getting to know each other and the histories of the different organizations. One that I felt was very efficient, was called the "visualization tree". In this activity each organization had to draw a large tree with information about their organization. In the tree they needed to write the name of the organization in the trunk, in the roots the demands and necessities, to the left of the trunk the potentialities and strengths, and to the right the difficulties and obstacles. On the top of the tree and to the left the accomplishments and to the right the challenges. After this was completed people from 9 organizations stood up in front and shared their trees.
This activity was very enriching because it made clear what each organization has accomplished, what difficulties they have faced and where they want to go in the future.
I am very thankful to the team at the FULAM (especially Jenny and Alfredo) for their generosity in allowing me to participate in this activity. It taught me a lot and allowed me to meet wonderful people with whom I hope to work with and learn from while I am here, and hopefully create lasting relationships.
Next week (Tuesday and Wednesday), I will attend a 2-day workshop of the Mesa de Organizaciones de Personas Desplazadas de Medellin (MOPDM) (TODPM - see previous post) and I hope to be able to talk more at length with some of the leaders I have already met, and of course to meet new ones. I admire their tenacity and dedication to the people they are helping and to the fight for the restoration of their rights.
FULAM's Laboratorio Universitario de Estudios Sociales -LUES- website for this project:
http://organizaciondesplazados.ning.com/
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