When we speak about those living in poverty or in less developed areas, I think it is easy to fall into this idea that those living in poverty need charity or “saving.” Charity and donations do have a time and place, but they’re not the only answers and often, not the best answers. Rarely do we think about the poor as being able to participate as consumers in the market. Views range from “the poor need to work harder” to “the poor need charity.” Rarely do we think about the role that some businesses have in marginalizing communities and the responsibility and ability that all businesses have to empower consumers. In working with Sistema Biobolsa, I came to realize that they took this responsibility seriously and fully utilized resources to try to reach more customers that could benefit from their biodigesters.
One of the ways that Sistema Biobolsa recognizes their customers as being able to speak and act for themselves is through valuing their ingenuity. One of the questions in a monitoring visit survey asks about possible improvements they might have made to their systems. This question recognizes that the customers might have made improvements that no one else has thought of, improvements that could help Sistema Biobolsa serve other customers better. I observed this firsthand at the farm of a customer in Tlaxcala. Most customers use flexible plastic tubs provided by Sistema Biobolsa for a manure feeding area into the biodigester and another for collecting the fertilizer that the biodigester produces. This man instead build cement basins and added an electric mixer at the manure feeding side to better mix the manure and water before it was fed into the biodigester. He commented that this allowed the system to work more efficiently and produce more biogas.
This kind of improvement to the system can be costly and some customers might not be able to afford it, but what we learned is that he was able to receive a grant from a third-party to make these improvements. Usually, farmers are limited to one grant per farm, but when grantees saw that he also put as much of his own resources into his projects as he could, they were impressed by the improvements he was able to make. Since then, he had received funding for various other projects.
As I interacted with customers in the field, I tried to engage in a way that was appropriate and sensitive. It was hard to know exactly how I should act, but I focused on being a good listener. I took everything that they were willing to share with me and valued the time they gave me. I was honest about the goals of our interviews and how information would be used and was sure to show my appreciation for their time.
As I engaged with customers, I tried to be aware of my privileges. I had privileges simply because of where I was from. As students from the U.S., people listened to Katie and me. They were interested in what we were doing and what we had to say. I also had privilege because of my relative wealth. Some things that I own or want or view as “necessities” were unattainable to some of the customers who we spoke to. I learned that my privileges made me very self-conscious. One way that I try to reconcile with my privileges is to recognize them and use them to help others. Still, that isn’t a clear-cut solution. I still feel uncomfortable with my privileges, but maybe that is the point. One privilege that I was grateful for and actually made me feel more comfortable was my bilingualism. Because I spoke Spanish, I was able to communicate more fully with the customers we met and understand their stories.
My experience with Sistema Biobolsa taught me about one effective way to engage the marginalized in order to give them more agency in different aspects of their life. The customers utilize the resources that they get from the biodigester to improve their farm, quality of their crops, and quality of life. They make economic and other sacrifices to be able to obtain this product because they know it is an investment. Additionally, Sistema Biobolsa shows that they value their customers by providing a quality biodigester and a thorough system of monitoring and servicing.
To me, this experience really resonated with what I view my vocation as being. Since I was very young, I saw myself being involved in education. I loved school, I had an amazing educational experience, but I was aware that others did not have the same experience. There are kids who go to school hungry, who are bullied, stuck in overcrowded classrooms with outdated equipment and not enough educators. I view education as an investment, just like the biodigester is for these small- and medium-scale farmers. A quality and well-rounded education is a resource that will help youth unlock their potential and gain confidence. I emphasize quality, because under law, all students are entitled to a free public education, but what often lacks is the quality. All students should be valued and viewed worthy of a quality education, regardless of their background, socioeconomic status, intellect, culture, and talents. When students see that they are valued and cared for, they will also put in the work.
When I first embarked on this fellowship, I expected to receive an experience that would contrast with my career goals. I thought it was important to try something new, something that could possibly change my mind. What I found instead was that, although the activities were different, the goal and strategy for helping others was similar. Rather than adjust my perceptions about my vocation, this experienced affirmed for me what I am supposed to do.