Quality of life for Mayan locals, Quality of geo-tourism experience
The Hacienda Chichen has provided the basis for the Maya Foundation in Laakeech serving not only as a tourism business but as an educational institute for the Mayan people from local communities.
The Hacienda in conjunction with the Maya Foundation provides numerous opportunities to improve the skills and knowledge of these people with an emphasis on teaching not only work skills in areas of basic employment, but life skills to the family as a whole. This allows the children of upcoming generations to start in the right direction regarding health, education and environmental issues that affect them and their communities directly.
We teach the importance of environmental protection and ...
About You
Contact Information
Title
Mrs
First name
Belisa
Last name
Barbachano
Your job title
Founder/Director
Name of your organization
Maya Foundation in Laakeech A.C
Organization type
Citizen Sector Organisation
Annual budget/currency
100,000/USD
Mailing address
Mailing Address
Telephone number
9999491203
Postal/Zip Code
97100
Country
Mexico
Email address
Alternative email address
Your idea
This will be the address used to plot your entry on the map.
Street Address
Chichen Itza Archaeological Zone
City
Chichen Itza
State/Province
Yucatan
Postal/Zip Code
97752
Country
Mexico
Geotourism Challenge Addressed by Entrant
Quality of tourist experience and educational benefit to tourists , Quality of benefit to residents for the destination , Quality of tourism management by destination leadership , Quality of stewardship of the destination.
Organization size
Small (1 to 100 employees)
Indicate sector in which you principally work
Tourism-related business
Year innovation began
2004
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Indicate sector in which you principally work
Living culture.
Name Your Project
Quality of life for Mayan locals, Quality of geo-tourism experience
Describe Your Idea
The Hacienda Chichen has provided the basis for the Maya Foundation in Laakeech serving not only as a tourism business but as an educational institute for the Mayan people from local communities.
The Hacienda in conjunction with the Maya Foundation provides numerous opportunities to improve the skills and knowledge of these people with an emphasis on teaching not only work skills in areas of basic employment, but life skills to the family as a whole. This allows the children of upcoming generations to start in the right direction regarding health, education and environmental issues that affect them and their communities directly.
We teach the importance of environmental protection and ...
IDB/Fomin
Si perteneces a un pais de Latinoamerica y el Caribe tienes la oportunidad de presentar tu iniciativa para acceder a fondos para innovaciones en turismo sostenible del BID/FOMIN (para mayor informacion leer la seccion sobre la oportunidad BID/FOMIN en la pagina principal del Desafio).
Deseo postularme.
Si perteneces a un pais de Latinoamerica y el Caribe tienes la oportunidad de presentar tu iniciativa para acceder a fondos para innovaciones en turismo sostenible del BID/FOMIN (para mayor informacion leer la seccion sobre la oportunidad BID/FOMIN en la pagina principal del Desafio).
Consumidores (viajeros), Prestatarios de servicios turísticos, Prestatarios de servicios no turísticos (proveedores), Grupos comunitarios autóctonos, Atractivos naturales y culturales.
Indica cuales de estas tematicas cubre tu innovacion (elige todas aquellas opciones que apliquen)
Planificación y Gestión de destinos, Innovación y diversificación en el desarrollo de productos turísticos, Profesionalización, buenas prácticas y certificación de servicios turísticos sostenibles, Estrategias y herramientas innovadoras para la promoción y puesta en mercado de destinos y productos en turismo sostenible y geoturismo..
Innovation
What is the goal of your innovation? Please describe in one sentence the kind of impact, change, or reform your approach is intended to achieve.
To empower the local Mayan communities to become self reliant by assisting with social, health and educational needs as well as encouraging sound ecological practices amongst them.
Please write an overview of your project. Include how your approach supports or embodies geotourism or destination stewardship. This text will appear when people scroll over the icon for your entry on the map located on the competition homepage.
The Hacienda Chichen has provided the basis for the Maya Foundation in Laakeech serving not only as a tourism business but as an educational institute for the Mayan people from local communities.
The Hacienda in conjunction with the Maya Foundation provides numerous opportunities to improve the skills and knowledge of these people with an emphasis on teaching not only work skills in areas of basic employment, but life skills to the family as a whole. This allows the children of upcoming generations to start in the right direction regarding health, education and environmental issues that affect them and their communities directly.
We teach the importance of environmental protection and nature conservation by actively encouraging locals to be involved in regular clean-ups and reforestation activities.
We promote pride in the Mayan culture and showcase its importance to guests so the local people learn a sense of pride in their heritage and continue to actively practice their traditions.
The Hacienda Chichen therefore provides as a model for rural tourism business in Mexico.
Explain in detail why your approach is innovative
At the Hacienda Chichen we take the utmost care to preserve the hacienda's natural environment, its historical legacy and cultural value. We are committed to an eco-vision and follow a program of sustainable tourism by encouraging sound ecological practices. We also provide for the nearby Mayan communities social, health, and education needs.
We are unique destination; a Mayan Holistic Spa Resort that is committed to active green awareness.
We have implemented a waste management program, using a state-of-the-art eco-friendly septic system. This system purifies and recycles used water with the help of bio-digestible tanks and man-made wetlands. For that reason the hotel uses biodegradable amenities, cleaning and laundry products.
We have also installed power-saving light fixtures, individual air-conditioning units and ceiling fans in each room in an effort to conserve electricity.
Aside from environmental practices we are also the first group in this part of Mexico with a different approach in the sense of enriching our staff and teaching them to put human values before financial gain.
In saying this workers are however encouraged to create themselves a second income by offering different activities to enrich the tourists’ cultural experience and awareness. This includes but is not limited to sacred ceremonies, bird watching tours, cultural nature walks and Mayan cooking classes. Tourists are always encouraged to participate in the Maya traditions and ceremonies when they stay with us.
Impact
Describe the degree of success you have had to date. How do you measure, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the impact on sustainability or enhancement of local culture, environment, heritage, or aesthetics? How has it transformed or contributed to the power of place or demonstrated the sustainability of tourism? How does your approach minimize negative impacts?
Our success is measured by the amount of local people we see showing initiative in the areas of personal growth and awareness.
To date we have experienced a positive impact socially, educationally and in aspects of health and environmental sustainability and conservation.
We are seeing the dramatic changes in the communities’ cultural pride and restored importance of heritage. The killing of animals and cutting of trees has decreased immensely in the area and a new enthusiastic approach to conserving these things has taken hold.
We have been successful in teaching the community the importance of giving and have created volunteer programs within the community as well as externally, implementing teaching programs in English and work skills.
In 2007 we built a health and nutrition centre in the neighboring community of Xcalacoop and began a nutrition program to help the hundreds of sick and mal-nutritioned children. To date we have returned over 120 children to health and have continued the daily meals to teach the parents the importance of good nutrition. We have also donated new bathrooms to the primary school in Xcalacoop to execute the importance of good hygiene.
Our program is growing and through our work we sparked the interest of a hospitality school, Getaway, in Europe who has now incorporated the Hacienda into their College curriculum, bringing groups of students to the Hacienda for three day field trips to illustrate a different approach in hotel management and geo-tourism.
In what ways are local residents actively involved in your work, including participation and community input? How has the community responded to or benefited from your approach?
Our workers are 100% Mayan locals and we support them to form secondary businesses within the Foundation to enhance the geo-tourism idea.
We work together with the surrounding communities to improve the quality of life, offering aid and education in schools, health centers, businesses and within cultural aspects. The locals are now actively involved with these programs to continue their success.
When purchasing produce for the Haciendas’ restaurant we buy various foods and some non perishables from small local businesses to promote economic growth within their community.
We also have an onsite organic garden cared for by a retired Mayan employee who grows fresh organic fruits and vegetables to be used in the Kitchen.
Our Toh Boutique gift shop sells a range of artwork, jewelry and ceramics made by local Mayan people to support their work and economic stability.
How does your program promote traveler enthusiasm, satisfaction, and engagement with the locale?
All of the activities offered at the Hacienda endorse cultural awareness and offer guests the opportunity to experience local customs.
The activities offered are angled towards various natures so there is a wide range of choice for tourists yet each choice still represents the importance of Mayan life and heritage as well as protection and love for Mother Nature.
Animal lovers have an opportunity to experience bird watching with a Mayan guide in a jungle sanctuary. People wanting to relax can partake in a Mayan spa ritual and treatment in the spa. Adventurous souls can explore Chichen Itza with a local guide, so all types of tourists are catered for.
Describe how your work helps travelers and local residents better understand the value of the area's cultural and natural heritage, and educates them on local environmental issues.
Prior to booking at the Hacienda, guests are made aware of our work and are encouraged to help in some way during their stay. We advertise the importance of geo tourism and how our hotel practices the idea. Through participating in our activities and programs at the Hacienda, guests receive an in depth look into the Mayan culture and a chance to appreciate it first hand with our staff. We set an example with environmental practices and it is strikingly obvious upon arrival to guests and volunteers alike.
This Entry is about (Issues)
Sustainability
How is your initiative currently financed? If available, provide information on your finances and organization that could help others. Please list: Annual budget, annual revenue generated, size of part-time, full-time and volunteer staff.
Our annual budget is $100,000 and this money goes directly into the community by means of construction, health support, family support, education, donation of equipment to the schools and homes and to staff or community members that show a great willingness to learn and succeed.
We have no permanent staff at the Foundation and rely solely on volunteers and the sponsorship of the Hacienda Chichen, Yaxkin Spa and money raised by the Toh Boutique as well as donations received from guests and supporters. We accept mainly goods and skills as donations.
Is your initiative financially and organizationally sustainable? If not, what is required to make it so? Is there a potential demand for your innovation?
Yes, we have so far been in operation and successful with our mission for six years on a small scale, however increased financial support is necessary to expand our operation and implement our visions for the future.
What are the main barriers you encounter in managing, implementing, or replicating your innovation? What barriers keep your program from having greater impact?
We are a small operation so financial barriers are always present when it comes to moving forward with our ideas and visions for the future. We can’t extend our operation without increased financial aid and we do not beg for help as it would be hypocritical to what we teach the communities.
There is also a large amount of bureaucratic paperwork and legal barriers to overcome as well as a lack of faith in the establishment that holds us back from our full potential.
What is your plan to expand or further develop your approach? Please indicate where/how you would like to grow or enhance your innovation, or have others do so.
We hope that other establishments will be inspired by our innovative approach and will follow our example and begin their own geo-tourism practices.
A few potential ventures we wish to implement;
* Agricultural crops to promote self sufficiency
* Treatment of water facilities to improve water quality
*Construct an educational institute teaching work skills to underprivileged Mayan locals with a certification system.
* Train more Mayan females from the communities the arts of the Mayan spa to give them an opportunity to progress and provide for their children.
*At present we are constructing a cultural centre in Merida and a new health centre in Xcop-te-il.
The Story
Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers' marketing material.
Belisa Barbachano was born in Merida, Mexico and raised abroad. She studied fine arts and sociology in Miami where she met her Husband Bruce Gordon in 1986. Together they formed a family and later returned to Merida after Belisa inherited the Hacienda Chichen from her grandmother in 1993.
This unattractive establishment gave the couple the opportunity of their lives, to combine their passions with their skills and transform the historical landmark into a place a rich beauty and cultural importance.
In 2004, with the assistance of their son Ruben, they formed the Maya Foundation in Laakeech and began their journey to change the lives of the local Mayan communities and reforest the once lush jungle lands around them.
What is the origin of your innovation? Tell the Changemakers and media communities what prompted you to start this initiative.
In 1993 Belisa Barbachano became the next generation to inherit the Hacieda Chichen when her grandmother passed and from that moment, Belisa fell in love with the idea of blending her personal interests to create a beautiful place whilst using that place as a means to helping others.
With the assistance of her husband Bruce Gordon whose mission in life is to protect and conserve the environment, her son Ruben Gutierrez who is the creator of potential ventures and the legal dealings, Beatriz Correa with a desire to help enrich the Mayan elders and females of the local communities and finally Jose Tamay who is the direct link to the Maya communities; the dream that was the Maya Foundation came to life in 2004.
The Maya Foundation provides an opportunity for people to work together to meet challenges and tap into the communities resources to create a people that is empowered and eventually self reliant. The aim became the empowerment of the local Mayan people with the plan to support their rich cultural heritage, their sustainability and the sustainability and protection of the natural environment around them.
Describe some unique tourist experiences that your approach provides. Be specific; give illustrative examples.
The activities we offer all incorporate the importance of cultural and environmental awareness. At the Yaxkin spa, a Mayan Holistic Eco-Spa and one of our main ventures, we are committed to restoring the ancient Mayan traditions in today’s Maya rural society and with all our guests who experience the beauty of a holistic Mayan spa ritual or sacred ceremony.
As part of our environmental protection and animal welfare program we offer guided nature walks with Mayan locals who share the legends of their people and the secrets of their medicines which are still actively used today.
The bird watching tours allow guests to walk through our private Bird Refuge and Maya Jungle Conservation Reserve, home to over 150 known species of birds, with a knowledgeable Mayan guide.
The Hacienda offers tourists a number of Mayan workshops including traditional Mayan cooking classes with the Haciendas Head chef, Jose Cime who will show you the essence of his world through gourmet cuisine.
In the spa, aromatherapy and soap making workshops are run to teach guests how to make their own environmentally friendly soaps which we then use in the Hacienda.
Guests are also encouraged to extend their stay and participate in our volunteer programs teaching English to the local Mayan community of Xcalacoop and to the always learning Hacienda staff.
What types of partnerships or professional development would be most beneficial in spreading your innovation?
We would benefit from a direct partnership with the countries universities so we could fully benefit from the students who are sent to complete their social work in rural communities. This would allow us access to doctors, teachers and skilled individuals who could offer much needed assistance. We would also benefit greatly from more volunteers and by being linked to an organization that seeks out skilled and dedicated volunteers for our program.
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Comments
Thanks for your kind support and words, our work hopes to impact in a positive and productive way, the live of the Maya families within the region we are actively supporting with health, nutrition, education and human values programs that include to honor the Maya cultural traditions and legacy. We encourage pride in Maya cultural heritage to many rural indigenous adults to remind them that their cultural traditions define them in a positive manner and are not the reason behind their poverty. One of the most alarming cultural values that is being lost, is the Maya language! which is no longer encouraged to be spoken to the young generations; parents avoid teaching it to their offspring at a rate that is alarming. We began to notice that such lack of pride in their native language was an attempt to help the new generations blend in socially in urban areas in an attempt to have more opportunities come into their lives; such erroneous idea places little value to the Maya language and causes a great lost to the Maya rural people and the world. Same root has given many rural Maya people little desire to learn about their ancestral Mayan herbal healing traditions and other important cultural values.Our social work encourages Maya rural people to have pride in their language, herbal medicine, rituals, and other cultural traditions by placing great respect and value to the use of such traditions as part of the sustainable tourism practices and experiences offered to visitors and guests at Hacienda Chichen and Yaxkin Spa, both active donors and supporters of our social work and the Maya culture.
Thanks for your comments; indeed our goals are a two way dream! We call it: eco-cultural tourism, but it is nowadays referred as GeoTourism or Sustainable Tourism. No matter how it is label, blending regional indigenous values, rituals, and other cultural traditions with tourist endeavors create great opportunities to explore innovating ideas and activities that enrich both the local people and the people that visit us. We hope to help rural Maya people remember that the Maya cultural values, traditions, and heritage are unique and should be valued as a truly important part of our history and civilization. Rural Maya people need to feel pride and honor their ancestral cultural legacy because it has so much to teach us all, and so much wisdom that can be shared with other cultures of our planet.
Our vision and active commitment in one hand works to help Maya rural people find pride in their cultural traditions and hope for a better future; on the other hand, we wish to help tourists have a meaningful rich cultural experience when visiting our region and the Maya temples at Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico.
We find that our innovating eco-cultural care and experimental Geotourism approach and practices have enriched us all, workers, guests, community, volunteers, our planet and the Hacienda Chichen were we have found the perfect space to blend both: social care and tourist eco-cultural activities that bring travelers the opportunity to intimately explore the Maya world.
Thanks for your words of encouragement to our vision and actions. We have a volunteer Geo-Travel Guide online: Yucatan Adventure www.yucatanadventure.com.mx with plenty of information about our foundation, social work, Maya culture, eco-cultural travel opportunities, and other articles including one about our private Maya Jungle Reserve, flora and fauna, the Hacienda Chichen ecotourism practices and Yaxkin Spa Eco-Wellness Mayan Holistic Center. We suggest all future guests of Hacienda Chichen to check this informative and attractive website in the hopes to help them learn about the Maya culture, Maya people and what to expect when visiting us.
We have found a great joy creating opportunities to promote the Maya cultural traditions to both travelers and rural Maya people who were losing their intimate connection with their own cultural values in the hope to become more equal to the city workers and have opportunities to find a life away from their village poverty. Great results started to manifest as we develop an innovating approach to our tourist ventures, developed an eco-cultural hotel mission for the Hacienda Chichen, that included social volunteer programs dedicated to support rural Maya communities.
We are very pleased with the first results of our GeoTourism actions and will continue contributing to develop relationships across the Maya people and other cultures.
Much needs to be done and we are encouraged by the respond of guests that have stayed at Hacienda Chichen and return to support us with unexpected gifts of their time, care, and vision. Indeed, we want to develop relationships with national and international universities in the near future. Another goal of ours is to establish a Maya Eco-Cultural Reserve, where tourism ventures will inter-relate directly with social care and enrichment to both workers and travelers alike; helping us all to learn from each other’s cultural heritage while enjoying Mother Nature’s amazing flora and fauna, protecting the environment and practicing human values than empower us all.
Our education efforts are yielding amazing results among young Mayan adults who approach our hotel with no formal education or skills in hospitality business or any other related jobs. We have developed a human resource practice that requires new workers to bring an senior worker recommendation (criteria for hiring is not based on professional skills or experience, since such luxury is not available among many Maya rural people until they have spend time working at a hotel in the nearby region. The new worker undergoes a training period of six months with a senior staff reunion to review his or her performance; if the young adult had shown ethic responsible values and cooperating attitudes during such period, the executive staff will give a particular position permission (say laundry assistant) for another six months before the new worker is allowed to request a new training to develop work skills that will bring him to the area of work comforts he envisions to have in the near future. Such practice allows experience to develop and responsible goals can be met successfully. You may learn about our successful workers stories in our online article Maya people successful personal stories at: www.yucatanadventure.com.mx/inlaakeech.htm
Some of our executive staff show abilities and desires to continue their higher education and we support them economically with extensive grants and with flexible job hours. Certifications such as CPA (accounting) are available only at urban universities and we provide such workers the needed support to continue their education, changing job hours to make room for their class schedules, allowing days off during final exams, and other supportive actions until the end of their careers. This practice has proven to be very successful so far.
As for the children education programs, we leave their school curriculum in the hands of public schools. We do support teachers with volunteer ESL teachers, school materials, and remodeling unsatisfactory school facilities such as public bathrooms and installing eco-friendly septic systems.
Thanks for your comments, indeed we wish we could include additional information but text space is limited and we did our best in our application to this wonderful opportunity Ashoka's Changemakers and National Geographic have provided to projects like ours. There is much more to the Maya Foundation In Laakeech vision, mission, and goals that the information given in our entry's main text. We work to preserve the "pride" in indigenous Maya for their rich Maya Cultural heritage including their language, so they continue teaching it to their children and grand-children, at the same time we work with a volunteer program that allows people to share their own skills and professional knowledge to build practical job and work related alternative income opportunities to rural families living near Chichen Itza which is a strong tourist oriented site in Yucatan. It is our hope to build a "Taller de Oficios" or an institute of job related skills that focus in practical job related studies mainly in the hospitality industry where technical certifications could benefit us all. We are hoping to have more volunteers involved in helping build new ways to reach our goals and create new ways to enrich our sustainable tourism, environment protection programs and social work.
We thank all the volunteers that like you have help us help, we can change in a positive way how we act, live, and choose to interact with one another, and when we do so, the fruit of our work is a beautiful gift of joy. Hacienda Chichen and the Maya Foundation In Laakeech are working to create a positive impact in people's lives and we welcome volunteers support and commitment to develop a better world for all of us to share. Yes, it is possible to change and develop actions that ensure our prosperity; personal habits that ensure a moral, respectful, caring, and supportive relationship with each other, our work and actions do not support co-dependency but bring self worth in those we help. Our sustainable social work and volunteer programs are gear to empower people, we do not believe in traditional charity work. The foundation's main team and temporary volunteers are here to help our neighbors to acquire the skills and opportunities needed to better their lives and to help them reach their personal goals, work with a guided plan of action to achive their short-term, mid-term, and long-term goals; our social work teaches those we help that change comes from within, that faith, responsible choices, and commitment are key to manifest our dreams into reality.
It is really exciting to see a business take genuine interest in the local community. The work the Maya Foundation In Laakeech is doing really has immediate and long-term impacts that help various facets of the local indigenous population's lives. I commend the work they are doing by creating and fostering an environment where the indigenous people can feel empowered to see the benefits of caring for their natural resources, particularly the endangered hardwoods of the are such as zapote, through the bird-watching guide program. Keep it up!
This program is both innovative and far reaching. Not only does it empower the Mayan locals by helping them learn and develop methods of sustainable tourism, it also encourages pride in their own cultural heritage by affording them the opportunity to become teachers of their own ancient wisdom.
And beyond helping the Mayans reach financial independence, this program serves another indispensible purpose. Today many tourists are seeking more than mere travel. They are seeking to expand their perspectives beyond their own world. The Mayan people's warmth, generosity, and profound love of nature are contagious. Having an opportunity to engage in authentic Mayan rituals, take a bird walking tour, or learn about the medicinal use of healing plants cannot help but instill in others a greater awareness of the urgent need to protect our planet.
I think this is an ideal sustainable program. It is so great to have a solid foundation and value system. The waste management program, energy efficient lighting fixtures, and environmental preservation will do wonders for the community. It is also so valuable to teach the community about the importance of human values over financial gain. I think anytime you can empower a community with such a rich cultural history it contributes something to the country and to the world. Also, it is more and more important to develop relationships across cultures. I think it is admirable that the visitors are encouraged to take advantage of their time there to learn and experience the local customs. It looks like there are clear goals established as well, for the future of this foundation. I would be curious to learn more about what opportunities are available for the visitors and more detail about what they can expect. How do you see the foundation expanding? How do you plan to develop relationships with the universities?
It sounds like your foundation does great work for the Mayan locals. The work to follow sustainable tourism practices is very impressive, and the reforestation efforts are so important, and also a good way to draw tourists. I also think it’s very good the way you have the locals earn money for themselves by interacting with tourists and offering activities for them. The activities you have there sound very appealing as well. And I think it’s great that you have tourists stay on and teach English to the local community. The results you are seeing are impressive, and it’s also wonderful to have a re-emerging sense of pride in the local heritage. It’s great to make such a difference in children’s lives, and to have your results spread so wide that a European school is using the hacienda as a model of geotourism. One thing I am still curious about is how successful are your education efforts? Since there is no partnership with a university, where does the children’s education cease? And until you are able to create a partnership, can you create something else, like a program at the hacienda to train future employees? Your work sounds great so far, good luck in the future.
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