Self-Sustainable Education in Paraguay

Students of the Cerrito and Belen Agricultural Schools in Paraguaya participated in a youth meeting in the city of Cuetzalan, Mexico, as part of a project aimed at the exchange of experiences in rural areas, in order to strengthen the knowledge acquired and replicate them in the country, in addition to also living intercultural experiences that enrich their personal and professional growth. Representatives of Ecuador, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Mexico took part in the exchange.

The Paraguayan students Roberto, Roberto Carlos, Jenny and Tania were accompanied by Amalio Enciso, Deputy Director of the Cerrito Agricultural School, who was the coordinator, as well as José Velázquez and Professor Midelaide Fernández, as leaders and chaperones. The organization La Esperanza del Mañana was the host of the meeting. It has received technical assistance from Fundación Paraguaya in the implementation of the methodology of "Learning by doing, selling and earning" as an educational model in Mexico.

Group work was carried out in order to integrate the young participants, in addition to seeing rural development and social entrepreneurship skills from rural areas. The delegation also visited the Taltokalis Field School, an educational center that replicates the methodology used by the Agricultural Schools of the Fundación Paraguaya.

Other interesting activities for the delegation was the tour of the city of Cuetzalan with the aim of knowing its historical and cultural review, traditional activities such as market squares, exhibition of handicrafts and agricultural products of its inhabitants. In the final days they visited the technological baccalaureate of the city, workshops with handicrafts, workshops of various productions, and met successful entrepreneurs who shared their life experiences with young people.