We live in societies that are ever more unjust, especially those of us in Guatemala, one of the world\u2019s most unequal nations.<\/p>\n
We can clearly see that the structure that promotes and perpetuates extreme economic, gender, and opportunity inequality survives on the appropriation of democracy by a lobbying aristocracy. Put differenty, it survives because it\u2019s impossible to access political power without the approval of the wealthy.<\/span><\/p>\n Oxfam\u2019s new studies on inequality show that when we find ourselves in this situation, it\u2019s almost impossible to pull ourselves out of it without bold political solutions. The state will continue to serve the interests of those who own the most and inequality will continue to grow. Seven in ten people live in countries where inequality has grown over the last 30 years. 85 people are as rich as the bottom 3.5 billion.<\/span><\/p>\n Enough with the statistics! We need to act<\/b>!<\/span><\/p>\n First, we have to free ourselves from the stoneage intellectual bondange of the idea that \u2018what isn\u2019t capitalism is Communism,\u2019 so that we can propose alternatives to the basis of civilization: how we produce and distribute wealth. We propose to act through the smallest, most humble businesses. To experiment, take on risk, create new models, nourish them with criticism and improvement, enjoy our attempts, inspire entrepreneurial people to adopt a new path of local production with a fundamental commitment to local community improvement.<\/span><\/p>\n Our analysis of the economic, education, social, and gender systems that surround us has convinced us that we must create alternative economic models that are as creative as they are sound, whose ultimate goals are to contribute to the public good, and to fund social projects.<\/span><\/p>\n We need alternative structures to defeat those that create inequality, but we can\u2019t create new structures without developing a way to finance them and make them sustainable. It\u2019s difficult to be only and always playing the NGO international finance lottery, to be submitted to the policies, perspectives, and interests of the donors. Pragmatically, as non-profit civil society organizations, we continue to chase opportunities for grants and to write proposals. But it is vital to create parallel alternatives for finding funding.<\/span><\/p>\n There are new ways to finance our projects, and they come from emerging economic models that prioritize the common good, ecological consciousness, economic transparency, and a new paradigm of competition: the most successful are those who bring the most to their communities.<\/span><\/p>\n This is why we created the culinary social enterprise (mmm!) Aqu\u00ed me Quedo. Aqu\u00ed me Quedo is a project of the Asociaci\u00f3n Payasxs (Clown Association), born of many years of grassroots human rights activism and a desire for a less unequal world.<\/span><\/p>\n Ordering from Aqu\u00ed me Quedo is to push the whole food system in the right direction, because it is also:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n To discover artisanal food that seduces your dinner guests through culinary creativity instead of industrial production. We use no hidden ingredients or chemical enhancements.<\/span><\/p>\n To eat healthy, without deep-frying or other ploys to trick your senses, and to eat as many organic, whole-grain, fresh and, of course, local ingredients as we can find.<\/span><\/p>\n To support a business that wants to be a leader and a model in how it treats its employees, respecting the contribution of every member of the team in their different roles.<\/span><\/p>\n To encourage the development of more direct relationships between consumers and local, artisanal, and organic producers.<\/span><\/p>\n To promote novel ecological programs like our Plan Verde use of nondisposable items.<\/span><\/p>\n To financially support human rights projects that aim to uproot the social structures we don\u2019t want to contribute to by creating alternatives. (Find out more about our projects at www.metoca.org.)<\/span><\/p>\n Finally and above all, ordering from Aqu\u00ed me Quedo is supports a political, social, and economic alternative that is sowing the seeds of systems change, by providing models that others can replicate anywhere.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We live in societies that are ever more unjust, especially those of us in Guatemala, one of the world\u2019s most unequal nations. We can clearly see that the structure that promotes and perpetuates extreme economic, gender, and opportunity inequality survives on the appropriation of democracy by a lobbying aristocracy. Put differenty, it survives because it\u2019s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2424,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[411],"tags":[458,65,121],"class_list":["post-2427","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alternative-economy","tag-food","tag-guatemala","tag-xela"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/10418366_366170436881019_8593659640209599224_n.jpg?fit=960%2C753&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7ljt7-D9","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10380,"url":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/economy\/unequal-salaries-wages\/?lang=en","url_meta":{"origin":2427,"position":0},"title":"Unequal Salaries\/Wages","author":"EntreMundos","date":"16 enero, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"By Mar\u00eda Longo Minimum wage set for working Guatemalans is insufficient to cover the basics of subsistence living.\u00a0 Meanwhile civil servants and other public workers have exorbitant salaries and wages. For 2023 the Guatemalan government set the minimum monthly earnings for the Department of Guatemala at Q 3,416.38 (approximately $456)\u2026","rel":"","context":"En \u00abAlternative Economy\u00bb","block_context":{"text":"Alternative Economy","link":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/category\/economy\/alternative-economy\/?lang=en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/money-2180330_960_720.jpg?fit=960%2C640&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/money-2180330_960_720.jpg?fit=960%2C640&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/money-2180330_960_720.jpg?fit=960%2C640&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/money-2180330_960_720.jpg?fit=960%2C640&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3089,"url":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/uncategorized\/icefi-cutting-the-cake-of-inequality\/?lang=en","url_meta":{"origin":2427,"position":1},"title":"Icefi: Cutting the cake of inequality","author":"EntreMundos","date":"8 junio, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"By Juan Jos\u00e9 Urbina, Senior Economist, Icefi (Central American Institute of\u00a0Fiscal Studies) A 10-layer cake, each layer smaller than the last, symbolizes the wealth of the nation, reminding us of its inequitable distribution. It\u2019s a metaphor used often to explain income inequality, that was brought to life during a recent\u2026","rel":"","context":"En \u00abCorruption\u00bb","block_context":{"text":"Corruption","link":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/category\/politics\/corruption\/?lang=en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/pastel-por-deciles.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/pastel-por-deciles.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/pastel-por-deciles.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/pastel-por-deciles.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/pastel-por-deciles.jpeg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11613,"url":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/uncategorized\/three-challenges-for-the-new-government\/?lang=en","url_meta":{"origin":2427,"position":2},"title":"Three challenges for the new Government","author":"EntreMundos","date":"19 enero, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"POR FREDY PASTOR\/TRANSLATED BY GEOFF WATSON A few years ago, I participated in an interesting workshop on Public Policies and Development. The event facilitator asked us attendees if we knew what \u201cthe north\u201d meant. We all nodded, it was a simple question. Then, she asked us to close our eyes\u2026","rel":"","context":"En \u00abFrontPage\u00bb","block_context":{"text":"FrontPage","link":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/category\/frontpage-en\/?lang=en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/366369274_280196074629863_3209473277002308910_n.jpg?fit=960%2C720&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/366369274_280196074629863_3209473277002308910_n.jpg?fit=960%2C720&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/366369274_280196074629863_3209473277002308910_n.jpg?fit=960%2C720&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/366369274_280196074629863_3209473277002308910_n.jpg?fit=960%2C720&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3147,"url":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/economy\/guate-in-graphs\/guatemalas-poverty-statistics-compared-to-the-region\/?lang=en","url_meta":{"origin":2427,"position":3},"title":"Guatemala’s poverty statistics compared to the region","author":"EntreMundos","date":"10 junio, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Rates of poverty\u00a0and extreme poverty in Guatemala have both been increasing, while the rates of most other countries in the region are decreasing.. The chart below from ECLAC\u2019s 2015 Social Panorama report\u00a0also shows\u00a0that the poor are getting poorer in Guatemala, while in most other countries in the region this is\u2026","rel":"","context":"En \u00abGuate in Graphs\u00bb","block_context":{"text":"Guate in Graphs","link":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/category\/economy\/guate-in-graphs\/?lang=en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/socialspending18.png?fit=921%2C620&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/socialspending18.png?fit=921%2C620&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/socialspending18.png?fit=921%2C620&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/socialspending18.png?fit=921%2C620&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9015,"url":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/economy\/guatemala-development-at-what-cost\/?lang=en","url_meta":{"origin":2427,"position":4},"title":"Guatemala: development at what cost?","author":"EntreMundos","date":"23 julio, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"By Anna Luisa Sch\u00f6nwald y Fabio Cresto Ale\u00edna In the past 25 years, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Guatemala has increased largely and it is now at $85.3 billion with an annual growth rate of 2.95%. With that number it is in the top third of international ranking lists\u2026","rel":"","context":"En \u00abClimate Change\u00bb","block_context":{"text":"Climate Change","link":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/category\/environment\/climate-change\/?lang=en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/10-perdida-de-bosques-a-nivel-nacional.png?fit=554%2C682&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/10-perdida-de-bosques-a-nivel-nacional.png?fit=554%2C682&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/10-perdida-de-bosques-a-nivel-nacional.png?fit=554%2C682&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6568,"url":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/economy\/food-security\/covid-19-health-inequity-in-guatemala-will-have-dangerous-consequences-during-the-pandemic\/?lang=en","url_meta":{"origin":2427,"position":5},"title":"COVID-19: Health inequity in Guatemala and the pandemic","author":"EntreMundos","date":"12 mayo, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"By Aaliyah Sayed, Megha Thomas, Thomas Bocian, and Riley Felsher The novel coronavirus has altered our reality, and health systems all around the world are being put to the test. In New Jersey, an hour away from New York, marginalized communities and those with preexisting health problems are suffering disproportionately\u2026","rel":"","context":"En \u00abFood Security\u00bb","block_context":{"text":"Food Security","link":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/category\/economy\/food-security\/?lang=en"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/indigenouswomen.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/indigenouswomen.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/indigenouswomen.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/indigenouswomen.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2427","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2427"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2427\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2428,"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2427\/revisions\/2428"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2424"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2427"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2427"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.entremundos.org\/revista\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2427"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}