“Distance learning is difficult amid the COVID pandemic, with the impoverished south lacking access to internet or TV.”
– Al Jazeera (2020)
Equitable Origin and the Consejo Regional Indígena y Popular de Xpujil (CRIPX) have been working on activities to strengthen Indigenous rights as part of the Resource Hub to Strengthen Indigenous Rights (CEFO). Throughout 2021, both organizations have been implementing an internet connectivity project in the tropical community of La Mancolona, located in the State of Campeche within the Calakmul biosphere reserve.
The Project goes beyond connecting the community to the internet. This initiative aims to help Indigenous ‘comunicadores’ assert their rights through e-learning, interactive digital activities, and a series of workshops. The pandemic has further highlighted the huge digital divide that exists and the urgent need to help support Indigenous Peoples on Digital Literacy.
“The outbreak’s impact on Indigenous children’s access to education is just the latest chapter in a long history of marginalization of the Indigenous communities of Mexico.» As Jaime Arriaga, a teacher in Mexico mentions: «There are no computers, there’s no internet, there’s no television signal and the electricity goes out when it rains.” (Al Jazeera, 2020).
As a result, on May 22nd and 23rd, CRIPX and Equitable Origin held the Digital Literacy Workshop led by Indigenous digital experts. The objective was to help Indigenous Peoples strengthen their technological knowledge and skills.
The workshop was divided into two parts. A theoretical lesson focused on teaching the basic elements of computing and tools such as Microsoft Tools. The second part was focused on the practical skills. Indigenous participant had the opportunity to use the computer and learn how it works, as well as to make use of Microsoft Tools such as Word, PowerPoint and Excel as well as learned how to create PDFs.
As part of the seminar, participants formed small groups to prepare a report on a Word document using the skills they had learned. On the final day of the workshop, they presented the report and were coached by their tutors on how to improve it.
Overall, 31 participants from 6 nearby communities participated in the event. The average age was 17; however, the workshop was open to all who wanted to gain soft skills in computing. The seminar drew a diverse age group, with participants ranging from 12 – 30 years old as well as a few senior citizens.
Meals were provided during the event which allowed for participants to personally engage with the facilitators and other participants to discuss the lessons they learned. As a precaution to COVID-19, all participants stood 2 meters apart from one another and were provided with antibacterial gel and protective facemasks.
The results of the workshop were positive. Participants felt that the event helped them get a better understanding to computing, the use of internet and available tools.
most participants had never received a workshop focused on computing or have never used a computer.
All participants expressed the need and desire to have similar workshops focusing on specific themes such as fixing computers, typing lessons, Excel, social media, PowerPoint and surfing the web, among other topics. Both organizations will continue to cooperate to provide knowledge and digital tools to Indigenous Peoples so that they can assert their rights.
Photos of the Digital Workshop
The participants had the opportunity to interact with the computer equipment and put into practice what they had learned during the Workshop. Several group activities were carried out. Each group had to present to the rest of the participants a product that they were able to generate using Microsoft Tools.
Group Exercise. 
Exploring the internet. 
Participants interacting with computer. 
Putting into practice what has been learned. 
Participant learning how to prepare a Word document. 
Exploring Microsoft Tools 
Digital Literacy Workshop participants.