At Bosques Amazónicos (BAM) we include local communities as part of our value proposition to ensure the long-term sustainability of our efforts. In this way, we are able to positively impact the people who live in and from the forests, the environment and biodiversity in Peru.
En este artículo, te contaremos sobre el taller de liderazgo en el que participaron socios de REDD+ Castañeros, uno de nuestros proyectos de conservación en la región de Madre de Dios. Esto, con el fin de fortalecer sus capacidades de liderazgo y habilidades blandas, buscando que los mismos castañeros puedan ser líderes en el desarrollo sostenible de su comunidad mediante un rol activo en la mejora de sus organizaciones.
In this article, we will tell you about the leadership workshop in which members of REDD+ Brazil Nut Concessions (REDD+ BN), one of our conservation projects in the Madre de Dios region, participated. This, in order to strengthen their leadership and soft skills, seeking that the same Brazil nut farmers can be leaders in the sustainable development of their community through an active role in improving their organizations.
The leadership workshop, managed as one of the activities implemented for the benefit of the Brazil nut community, was carried out with the support of Caritas and the Terramaz Project. It was held on Friday, August 18, at the Apaktone Center in the Madre de Dios region. During its development, members of the Board of Directors and the technical team of the Federation of Brazil nut Producers of Madre de Dios (FEPROCAMD) and its president Juan Carlos Grifa had the opportunity to participate.
The workshop trained two groups, one of leaders of the Federation of Brazil nut Producers of Madre de Dios and the other made up of the Brazil nut community, members and non-members of REDD+ BN. In total, more than 25 participants took part in this process, which was very rewarding for the organizers, the Brazil nut community and the project team.
“It is very difficult for me to speak in public, but I have learned many things in this workshop. I am committed to participate more in meetings, in the Brazil nut organization and to share my opinion by playing a more active role,” says Marita Vargas, partner of the REDD+ Brazil Nut Concessions project.
Theme and main objective
The theme of the workshop was the strengthening of leadership and soft skills in Brazil nut organizations and was led by an organizational psychologist, experienced in strengthening organizations, companies and public institutions in various parts of the country.
With their collaboration, a collective objective was set to begin the workshop: to strengthen the soft skills of the Brazil nut organizations, from the leaders to the Brazil nut growers who make up their team and who are an essential part of the social and economic growth of the region. In this sense, all the activities revolved around analyzing the attitudes and team dynamics in the Brazil nut community, and training everyone towards an organization capable of working as a team, communicating effectively and formulating solutions to the possible challenges they face as an organization. This, through games and practical exercises that allow them to positively impact their community.
“Strengthening the soft skills of leadership, communication and teamwork of the FEPROCAMD and the Brazil nut associations is a strategy proposed by the REDD + BN Project to improve the social and economic conditions of Brazil nut growers. These workshops are the first step in a program that aims to train new Brazil nut leaders in solid and efficient organizations,” says Sebastian Llerena, Head of Community Relations at BAM.
Workshop implementation
First group: Brazil nut leaders of FEPROCAMD
For this first group of leaders, self-esteem was taken as a starting point, since many of the problems in organizations are based on the lack of self-esteem, which generates negative and conflictive attitudes. It was then proposed to carry out activities to become aware of their attitudes and to propose possibilities for change through dynamic game exercises for the workshop participants. The importance of leaders identifying the level of self-esteem of the members of their organizations was highlighted, seeking to generate an encouraging and collaborative environment.
In addition, theory lessons were also applied on how a team is formed, the difference between a group and a team, what are the roles within a team, what is needed for a team to function well, and what is the main role of a leader within a consolidated team.
Second group: Brazil nut community
The second group of the workshop was composed of the Brazil nut community, partners and non-partners of the REDD+ BN conservation project; many of them women. Similar to the leaders’ workshop, we focused on strengthening soft skills. Along the same lines, activities, games and theoretical exercises were carried out on emotion management, self-esteem, awareness and identification of behavioral patterns in the workplace. Additionally, participants were encouraged to be proactive in order to raise their voices and take an active position within the organizational scheme. All of the above aspects were implemented with the intention of contributing to the improvement of the Brazil nut community.
Our impact, your contribution
The REDD+ Brazil Nut Concessions conservation project developed by BAM works hand in hand with more than 700 Brazil nut-growing families in Madre de Dios, partners to protect more than 500,000 hectares of forest and its extraordinary biodiversity.
