SHELTER AND COLD
24% do not own their home
41% do not have sufficient roofing to keep them dry in the rainy season
41% do not have their own bed
24% do not have sufficient warm clothes for the winter months
90% do not have a manner to warm the inside of their home
FOOD AND WATER
38% stated they do not have sufficient food
62% of the families cook outside the home
10% cook only outside
28% do not have refrigeration for food
24% do not have sufficient daily water
76% do not have sufficient fruits and vegetables
76% do not have sufficient protein
SECURITY AND PROTECTION
14% do not have doors or windows on their homes
45% stated they feel they have anyone to protect them physically or sexually
34% stated they feel their children are at risk for being physically or sexually maltreated
14% stated they do not feel safe in the community
38% stated they were made to feel shameful or to feel bad about themselves
HEALTH
21% stated they have a member of their family who suffers from a disability
100% stated there is no public bathrooms in the community
45% stated they do not have antiseptics or band aides in the home
3% have not had vaccinations
34% state someone in their family needs eye glasses
86% state there is someone in their family that does not hear well
17% state they do not own toothbrushes
41% do not have anyone to help in a medical emergency
63% stated there is no medical care in the community or ability to access care in the nearby communities
EDUCATION
38% state they only read a little or not at all
30% state they do not write well or at all
51% state they do not do math well or at all
38% state they do not have sufficient funds to send their children to school
13% of the families who had children stated they will not have sufficient funds to send their children to high school
21 % of the families that had children stated they do not have the skills to help their children with school homework
10% of the families who had children stated they did not believe their children were learning to read and write at their age level
WORK
83% stated in the last 5-10 years there has not been an opportunity for work in the community. Of those who work, 86% of the individuals travel outside the community. One person works at the prison. 76% of the families do not have anyone working in their family
- 86% stated they needed additional money for nutritious food and water during the year
- 34% stated they needed money for medical care and medicine
SUMMARY of Survey and One Year of Activities in the Community
Food and Water: Water for the 15 homes that have municipality water is not consumable. Women expressed that when they use the water to wash their bodies and hair they received rashes. Most people utilize bottled water for bathing. The additional families who do not have access to municipality water use bottled water for daily care. Children state they bath one time a month. On the average family member taking the survey stated they only eat some form of protein one time a month. Cheeses, soy, chicken, pork, beef, eggs or rice (which could be used with beans to make a complete protein) are rare. 28% of the homes do not have electricity, therefore, access to food items that need refrigeration is problematic. Residents say they can grow only in the rainy season due to the lack of water in the community. Due to many children of single mothers, lack of funds, and very few vehicles in the community, it is not possible for families to travel the distance for supplies. They are forced to use the local convenience store for food supplies.
Safety/Protection: One oddity we found is the difference in how a higher percentage of individuals stated they do not feel physically or sexually safe, yet, only 14% felt they were not safe in the community. The responses may be that they have accepted physical and sexual abuse as a norm. The response should be discussed more deeply to discover if death is their “tipping point” of feeling safe or unsafe. Additionally, the issue of not having your own bed is of concern as there are many single young mothers in the community.
There is a possibility that older youth might venture into the lake. We did not ask the question “does your child know how to swim”. It is highly likely these children do not know how to swim.
Lack of land lines and cell phones creates a safety threat to the community.
There are approximately 3-5 dogs per home. Due to religious beliefs the large number of unsterilized dogs in the community has created starvation of the dogs and daily fighting of dogs in the street. These facts create a safety problem for the community. In July 2018 the wife of the delegado was bitten by a local dog. More people are becoming concerned about young children being harmed when dogs fight. Additionally, it is observed that many dogs are maimed by humans due to either protection or anger issues of the humans. There are children learning abusive behaviors towards animals in the community which does not bode well for positive child development and youth developing into healthy adults who can protect their families.
Health: The community lacks simple items for care of their children and themselves; antiseptics and band aides. Many children and only one adult to care for them does not allow for travel. Preventative care is available but only if they have reliable transportation allowing for small children and one adult to travel together. Often there is no phone available to call for help. Many of the residents qualify to use the national health program. Because there is a lack of reliable care takers in the community and because the price of a one-way ticket to the nearby village is $14 round trip per person, the distance of 4 kilometers provides little opportunity to use the nearby villages who have medical facilities. Preventive care is not an option for this community. Sadly, this has resulted in illnesses becoming more severe.
An informal observation is the members of the community believed their lives would never be better. It is noted there is a high sense of acceptance of their beleaguered life with having nothing (The Igor Effect - Dysthymic Disorder). Observation; there may be many who suffer from more Major Depressive Disorders as there is a high level of alcohol consumed in the community and the results of the survey show there are concerns for personal and family well-being.
Education: Some adults and youth of the community have only completed 6th grade or less. During the last year, 2018, we have noted many adults do not read or read well and are unable to write at a competent level. We are aware of a lack of competency in some of the elementary school age level as well. This supports our suspicions that many adults did not complete elementary school or were not at competency level when they left elementary school and may have been uncomfortable in sharing this information during the survey. Additionally, while in the community this past year we have noted there are youth 13 and older whose families are financially unable to send them to middle school. adult role models. When ask if parents thought their young children were at reading and writing levels only 14% stated they did not believe they were. The statement brings to question, if many of the adults do not have higher than a 6th grade education or less it would be difficult for them to comprehend if their child was doing grade level work. There are 3 computers in the school but there is no Internet in the community.
Due to the community’s proximity to Chapala the need for English in securing positions in restaurants, mercantile and other stores is growing. If residents of the community are to secure work in the nearby community for skilled labor and for blue collar work in the community. They would benefit if they had adequate English skills.
Work: There has been a lack of industrial work or private business’ in the community. There is a small community of foreigners who live higher on the mountain. Locals of the community often beg from them which creates a separation from the foreign population. Of the 24% that had a member of their family working, 4 of the individuals worked 45 - 92 hours a week. Only 4 people work in the Hacienda de la labor community.
There are male youth unable to attend middle school due to their lack of comprehensive skills at the elementary level. Those youth not attending middle school are creating problems on the streets of Hacienda de la labor; tormenting animals and younger children, not contributing to the community, developing disrespect for mothers and other females of the community due to abusive, neglectful male role models. Currently, the intergenerational cycle of poverty needs intervention.
A growing number of English speaking foreigners are building homes on the hillside of this community. While they are considered part of the community they were not interviewed for the survey. Chapala is 4 kilometers from this village. The last census of the city of Chapala population, in 2005, was 43, 345 and should be considered as a plausible opportunity for work.
Transportation: Most people of the community do not have vehicles and very few bicycles have been seen. The 7 people who provide service part-time or full-time outside the community walk to another town for work.
General Comments: When asked at what age children should participate in the community dispensary program, providing adult type responsibilities and the same incentive as adults, the council decided age 8 would be appropriate. Because most of the adults in the community needed to financially assist their families they may be unaware of the childhoods they lost. Adults who are asked to provide for their families at a young age and were not protected from physical and sexual abuse and who have been isolated from other communities may not understand the need for children to play, not worry about money, clothes, medical needs, education, safety, etc. Perhaps, they do not understand the primary job of the adult is to protect and care for their children. There are older adults who conflict with the younger adults concerning how to discipline children. The low number of adults to care for a high number of children should be noted. There is a high percentage of young single mothers in the community who reside with their family of origin. Combining all the issues that are expressed above, it is our experience that those who have low income, low education and low self-esteem are more prone of passing these traits and lack of enthusiasm for a better life to the next generation, unless, there is outside intervention. Assisting “youth making healthy life changes” will “take a village” and the skills and compassion and empathy that BeM can provide. Education, psychological support and conflict resolution is needed to assist in better communication in the community. Specific is the abuse of animals. Research shows that children who abuse animals are more likely to abuse children.
The community suffers from a reference to the “upper and lower” village separation. It appears this separation has occurred over at least one or two generations of families who believe themselves to be different than others of the community. Some of the village experience loneliness as they believe they are not a part of the community. While this may be something that might be more commonly accepted in larger communities in a village as small as Hacienda de la labor it has created tensions in relationships. A seventy-five-year Harvard Study revealed the secret to a happy life is quality of relationships. In the instance of this community how they communicate with each other will be paramount in how the village is able to be more inclusive so they can make changes for their children and their children’s children.
Although the community is 4 kilometers from two different larger villages (one large, one small), there is an isolation aspect for this community. Few leave the community during the year because of funds for travel and the lack of child care. This creates a “cocoon affect” for those living in the community. The isolation of not knowing what is occurring in nearby communities, let alone the rest of the world, is a part of the youth not experiencing other opportunities for a different life. Additionally, it is uncommon, culturally for adults to allow their children, under the age of 18, to travel without an adult family member escort outside the community.