Henry s e l a t r o P z e Per Hola!
My name is Henry and I live in La Confianza with my mum Joaquina and dad Pedro, older brother Samuel (21) and younger brother and sisters Mayra (11), Giselda (8) and Erilin (5). We moved here 10 months ago with little more than a cardboard box containing our possessions and the clothes on our back. uel and I set about The community gave us money to buy plastic and Sam leaves for beds. making a house, using branches as a frame and palm
Henry s e l a t r o P z e r Pe The house is basic and it can feel like an oven at night but it is dry and we call it home. Six days a week I get up at 4am and grab some beans and tortillas for breakfast before walking an hour to the plantation. Working on the plantation is difficult but I am no stranger to hard work – my earliest memory is when I was taken out of school to work at a factory.
I was given a metal spike to ra ise heavy p alm fruit o my should ver ers in orde r to smash i the ground t off . I was paid 50 cents a day and m mum woul y d buy food f rom one of small shop the s in the tow n. My parents moved her e so that o day we can ne hopefully o wn a small plot of lan d to feed o urselves.
Naheli z e r r e i t i u G i Damar Hola!
I live with my mum Maria and dad Rigoberto, sister Diana (17) and brother Dani (11). My nickname is ‘Little Warrior’ because I have a r strong sense of justice and I hope to become a teache their homes. and help other children who have also been forced from er get used to Today I woke and felt like I hadn’t slept at all – I’ll nev sleeping on palm leaves and under a blue nylon roof. , in our As time passes I almost forget what our old life was like hometown of Cabrera.
Naheli z e r r e i t i u G i r a Dam Both of my parents had good jobs and I was excited about entering my first year of secondary school. My parents lost their jobs due to their involvement in the MUCA land movement, a cooperative of five communities including La Confianza. These communities are trying to reclaim 11,000 hectares of land and face violent attacks – several members of MUCA have been murdered.
We canno t build strong hou ses becau se they are b urnt down by the landowne r’s securit y. I am reall y pr - my mum oud of my parents is one of t he few female ca mp leader s while m dad is Pre y sident. Living her e consists of either long hot d ays workin g on the plantation s or even longer hot days in th ter e camp ki tchens.
K R O W L L A LET’S R E H T E T G TO 1. Split into four groups.
In what ways are the lives of Naheli and Henry similar to your own?
In what ways are the lives of Naheli and Henry different to your own?
2. each take a piece of paper. 3. each write one of the following questions at the top:
In what ways are Naheli and Henry denied their human rights?
In what ways can we learn from and be inspired by life in the community of ‘La Confianza’?
You have five minutes to write down your answers so get cracking!
K R O W L L A LET’S R E H T E T G TO Now swap your paper with another group and spend another five minutes.
Homework activity
with? e e r g a u o y o What d ourself? y s a e d i e r o any m Do you have has p u o r g y r e v e g until n i p p a w s swap p n e e h t Ke d n a s n questio l l a d e r e see w s d n n a a n o i t s e u first q saying. back to your n e e b s a h e e els what everyon
How would they feel if your life or community was threatened?
Write a blog explaining how your lives differ or are similar.
Offer words of support to Naheli and Henry. Link this activity to the Message in a Bottle activity on page seven.
click here to watch footage
Due to security risks and tension in the area La ConFianza Naheli & Henry were unable to make the video. Instead, we have footage taken in La ConFianza in August 2010 which features Digna, the girl on the Trocaire box this year and her parents Carlos and Carmen. click here to watch footage