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A thread of hope
![Violeta Mendes weaving [Marcella Haddad]](/var/storage/images/media_folder/cafod/images/international_images/latin_america_caribbean/guatemala/violeta_mendes/107766-2-eng-GB/violeta_mendes_medium.jpg)
Arturo Mendes teaches communities in Guatemala how to earn a living from weaving rather than cutting down trees
Arturo Mendes works at Radio Balam Estereo in Cabrican, Guatemala - a radio station which broadcasts programmes encouraging people to protect the environment.
In Cabrican, many people have traditionally made a living from cutting down trees. Encouraged by the radio station, Arturo has taught his friends and neighbours to weave as an alternative.
“The radio is very important. It gives good advice about the environment and agriculture," he says.
"Generations before used to cut down trees and burn lots of wood. If we continued doing this work we would not have any trees left. So we needed to find other work. Now more people are involved in weaving.
The radio has helped. They explain everything in our own language, Mam, and help us find ways not to destroy the woods
"I’ve taught our neighbours and friends to weave. Now children are learning from their families. Now a lot of people in the community are weaving. The radio encourages people to do this.
"My daughter who is 18 and my wife, Violeta, both weave now."
Alternative survival
Carlos Paten, is also a weaver. Despite his father earning a living by cutting wood and burning rocks for lime to make chalk, Carlos realised this was not sustainable, and decided to do weaving to support the family.
“I’ve been working for years now. The radio has helped. They explain everything in our own language, Mam, and help us find ways not to destroy the woods.
“It’s motivated many people not just me. We need to find alternative ways to survive. Things need to change for a better life. We have radio programmes, which tell us how to stop climate change, hurricanes and so on.
“The radio gives important news like when Hurricane Stan was coming last year. We gave basic grains when the radio was collecting food for people affected in other places.
"The radio motivated us. They went to the middle of Cabrican and told us to help our brothers and sisters outside Cabrican.
"Without radio communication we wouldn’t have a clue what was going on.”
