Hello Everyone! I hope that you are doing well. Today I am elated to share with you this wonderfully insightful interview from Ylaska Tejeda, the Global Brigades Honduran Program Coordinator. I am so blessed to have gotten this inspiring interview from a woman so dedicated and determined to positively impact the communities in Honduras. Please Without further ado, here is the interview!
- Could you give us a brief introduction of yourself?
My name is Ylaska Tejeda and I recently completed my bachelor’s degree in international relations at Universidad Católica de Honduras. I began volunteer work at age fifteen where I served rural communities, then worked for a Baptist Organization handling the same duties. In May 2015 I began working for Global Brigades as a translator and coordinator, while also attending classes full time. During the pandemic, I completed an internship at the National Department of Consular and Migratory Affairs which was quite an enriching experience.
2. How do you help the communities in Honduras?
All my jobs and volunteer work have revolved around serving rural communities. My job with Global Brigades has allowed me to join volunteers from different countries with a wide variety of assistance programs such as Water, Engineering, Public Health, Legal Empowerment, Dental, and Medical. I have been able to help with translation between Spanish and English speakers, to coordinate logistics resources (such as staff, schedules, transportation), support other staff members to perform baseline data surveys, participate in Women’s Empowerment and Community Health Workers Conferences. In my personal life, I have tried my best to raise awareness regarding information on the reality of rural communities and resources to help. I am currently facilitating Medical Tele brigades where I have the opportunity to share information with volunteers about the healthcare system of Honduras.
3. What inspired you to help Honduran communities?
I grew up in the capital of Honduras, Tegucigalpa, where my family went through the common economic hardships as those around me. In Honduras, there is no solid concept of “middle class” so hardship is a common occurrence among typical households. The first time I was able to volunteer was through a friend who invited me to join her and the experience was eye-opening. People in the rural areas lacked a lot of resources but they were still resilient and welcoming with warmth and love. While I did not feel luckier than those around me, I did feel blessed to have the opportunity to be part of something way bigger than me. Since the moment of my first community, I knew my heart belonged to the people I was helping and I did not want to approach the volunteer work in the wrong way. I wanted to learn more about the proper ways to help and if it was possible, to even make a career of it! I decided to study international relations to learn more about international cooperation projects so I could have a professional approach in volunteer work. Since I first started, I have not stopped learning new things from people in the communities and it is my honor to say that I work for them. It has shaped my entire personality and strengthened my character.
4. What do you think are the most common obstacles for teen girls striving for education in Honduras?
I think life for teen girls in underdeveloped countries comes with a lot of obstacles. In the context of Honduras, there are social patterns that need to stop such as the male domineering behavior known as “machismo”, which results in many negative outcomes. Teen girls are either expected to stay at home from an early age or need to find jobs and quit school to support their families. cleaning homes or babysitting for others is the most common job for these women. Lots of teens have to move to the city to seek jobs where they are not guaranteed legal protection, consistent pay, or benefits. Another problem is the high rate of teen pregnancy due to the lack of education regarding basic women’s health and birth control methods, resulting in school desertion. Honduras is hard for everyone, not just girls, to further education, having been made only worse by the pandemic. The public education system has slowed since the pandemic began in early 2020 due to most kids/teens not having easy access to internet services where they would otherwise be able to take online classes.
5. What can other countries and individuals do to help girls in Honduras succeed and overcome these obstacles?
I think the best way is to get engaged in aid projects that focus on that specifically. Nowadays, you can find all kinds of resources on the internet. There are all types of organizations and projects but not enough people are interested. The essential thing to keep in mind is to make sure any resource we find is transparent and professional about their methods with staff that clearly outline their objectives and impact.
6. How fulfilling is community service for you as a career?
It is very fulfilling and it is what drives my professional life. I personally would love to work for the International Committee of the Red Cross and for that, I have a long road to travel. There are a lot of misconceptions about volunteering, international aide, humanitarian relief and what it all involves. This field requires people to be academically prepared to properly manage projects and direct others regarding respect for other cultures and their beliefs. I want to be able to serve others professionally and I am grateful for the opportunities that I have had so far!
7. What is your advice for young women striving to positively impact their communities but aren’t sure how to begin?
To continue doing as much as you can and do not stop just because you can’t see results right away. Effort and determination take people to places they never imagined. Sometimes, in order to help others, you have to focus on working as much as you can on yourself while always keeping your head in the game, knowing where you want to get will eventually pay off. Always keep a good heart! I personally believe in God, so trusting Him in every step I take has helped me to positively impact the people around me!
8. What is your advice for overcoming self-doubts in your life and journey to achieving your goals and dreams?
This question is really deep! I have gone through a lot of difficult situations in my life and it is normal to experience fear, pain, sadness, etc. One thing I have never allowed is to let things affect my capacity to continue growing. I have strong confidence in who I am and the things I can achieve. I sometimes do not know how I will achieve them, but I know I will and I will do it along with the values I was taught by my family. There are a lot of things we can not control but we can control how much we are willing to fight for what we want. God has a purpose for everyone and I won’t let self-doubt keep me from fulfilling it. Everyone needs to find something to keep them steady and going even when things get too hard.
I hope that you really enjoyed that interview and found it as inspiring as I did. Remember that you have the power to positively impact your community and the world as well. Share this interview with others to share the motivation and inspiration! As always…
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