Highland Journal.

Highland Journal is an independent editorial platform where we’ll publish existing, commissioned, and independent research, essays, interviews, and other creative and/or critical content that continues to shift the narrative and explore the intersections of climate, culture, indigeneity, and service.

Ligia Gómez Ligia Gómez

Progress and Hope in Pasacuach

The community of Pasacuach has made significant progress toward building a modern drainage system to improve health and dignity, driven by their resilience and the leadership of the COCODE. Key achievements include refining technical plans, advancing project approvals with FODES, and fostering community ownership through transparent governance and resource pooling. While challenges such as updating blueprints and coordinating a potable water project remain, the determination of Pasacuach’s leaders and partners highlights their unwavering commitment to progress. Continued support is vital to completing this project, which promises transformative benefits for the health and well-being of the entire community.

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Ligia Gómez Ligia Gómez

COCODES: Weaving Development from Community Organization

Local leaders, empowered and motivated, are rallying to tackle two life-changing projects: paving a vital road connecting the school and Community Center and ensuring clean drinking water for all households through a dedicated well. These initiatives promise to strengthen connections and boost the quality of life for the entire community.

Curious about how community-driven development is shaping brighter futures? Discover how Chuicutama, with the guidance of HSP and AMA, is creating sustainable solutions and inspiring change.

Continue reading to explore their remarkable progress and discover how you can be part of their next chapter.

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Ligia Gómez Ligia Gómez

Progress and Community Commitment: Drainage, Water, and Sanitation Project in Sololá

We're making great progress on the drainage, water, and sanitation project in the communities of Tzanjuyub and Pasacuach, Sololá. After months of hard work, the Pasacuach project is being prioritized, with budgets quantified and key permits secured.

In collaboration with the Altiplano Women's Association (AMA) and local councils, we're coordinating with government bodies to finalize approvals. This collective effort is bringing us closer to providing essential services and improving the quality of life for these communities.

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Ligia Gómez Ligia Gómez

Midwives: Bearers of Healing, Wisdom, and Life

Midwives embody the sacred connection between life, healing, and community. Guided by ancestral wisdom, they honor the balance of body, spirit, and nature through practices that nurture both the physical and the soul. Despite challenges from modern healthcare systems, midwives blend tradition with innovation, creating spaces where both worlds thrive. Discover how their work preserves the sacredness of birth and the harmony of holistic care.

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Ben Blevins Ben Blevins

Reviving Health and Entrepreneurship through Ancestral Knowledge

Empowering Rural Communities with Sustainable Solutions and Shared Purpose

Our recent initiatives underscore the power of ancestral knowledge interwoven with modern innovation to foster resilient, self-sufficient communities. By bridging holistic health practices with sustainable economic pathways, we’re addressing immediate challenges, revitalizing cultural heritage, and empowering a new generation of entrepreneurs. Programs like Amademas exemplify this vision, offering more than just a market model—they cultivate relationships, solidarity, and a thriving communal spirit. Together, we can expand these efforts and champion a movement that honors tradition while constructing a future of equity, opportunity and shared prosperity.

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Ben Blevins Ben Blevins

Pollinators for Change: Harnessing Cooperative Power and Interconnected Ontologies for Sustainable Transformation

Adopting the right frameworks is essential when confronting our time's intricate social, economic, and environmental challenges. This article explores two contrasting ontologies—interconnected and hierarchical—and their profound impact on change-making strategies. Examining the roles of organizers, activists, cooperatives, and entrepreneurs highlights how these perspectives shape approaches to leadership, empowerment, and long-term sustainability. Through real-world examples and actionable insights, this piece underscores the transformative potential of cooperative strategies in building equitable, resilient systems rooted in shared agency and mutual support.

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