Don’t pass over your mistake, learn from it…

…this was the message the youth presented to the community over the weekend. Over the course of three days we worked on the last ecological project of the summer (school starts September 1st). After spending only two hours collecting garbage in the park, we came back the next day to the crowded marketplace and literally built a mountain of trash in front of the entrance.

The youth did a great job presenting the activity and its mission. They stopped observers to talk about the problem of garbage in our town. They explained they were holding the demonstration as a way to raise awareness of the problem and hoped they could make people think the next time they threw a plastic water bottle on the ground.

In the few hours we were there, most people thanked the youth council for their work. The local radio station heard about the event and even came down to interview some of the youth.
So after hearing about the great programs the youth are already doing, you might be wondering…why do they need Melissa? Well, the majority of my work will be behind the scenes of the organization and the incredibly motivated youth that are there. For instance, this week we are working on a database of the group’s past projects. As of now, there are no written records of the past programs and activities. Having a database that can be continuously updated will help the organization in a variety of ways. Most importantly, when the group is applying for funding, scholarships to seminars and conferences, and other resources. The database will serve as proof of activity. Additionally, we plan to use the database in conjunction with a new visual aid (okay in simple terms…a piece of poster board on the wall with a chart on it) to help members of the council be accountable for his/her programming requirements. Every member is required to participate and manage a certain number of activities (To my res-lifers out there….does this sound familiar?).

These two tools are my first contributions to the organization’s sustainability, but certainly don’t make for very interesting photos and blog posts like fabricating a mountain of garbage and holding a peaceful demonstration.