Media

Juana Rodriguez has worked in 44 countries in development assistance and microfinance since 1986. She started at Bread for the World, a grassroots hunger lobby while doing her Masters in International Development at American University School of International Services. She has worked in NGO’s, PVO’s, the Inter-American Foundation, USAID contracts, United Nations ILO and the International Committee for the Red Cross. Inspired by the Zapp’s trip and the work she is currently translating for Jordi Raich, “Smoke and Mirrors of Humanitarian Work” from Spanish to English, she seeks to enhance the commercial linkages to development which ensure services are provided long term. She is passionate about sustainable credit and savings services to marginalized entrepreneurs. Her most recent sidestep into humanitarian relief in Occupied Territories, led her to meet Jordi Raich who happened to express in his writing many of the development quandaries she had been struggling with. Not satisfied to accept its truths, she challenges herself and students of any age in school and studying business, development, the environment or peace to join her to…
Change it Right

PHOTOS

Al Acqsa Mosque

One last Chess game in
Virginia

Beth at Penn’s Store Kentucky. Read her New Book out in August 2007,
“Yes, I Am Catholic”

http://www.amazon.com/Yes-Am-Catholic-Faith-Plays/dp/0884899640

Swimming graduates Tres Reyes

Microfinance Loan Officers Ramallah

West Bank Barrier Ramallah near Qalandya Terminal.

The Activity and its Roots
With twenty one years of poverty alleviation and microfinance experience, I have decided to travel from Virginia to Argentina by bus volunteering my technical services to local institutions along the way in exchange for room and board and the next ticket south. This initiative is born of five ideals:

1. That treks in the direction of Tierra del Fuego Argentina and the Solar Ice Cap can raise awareness on the environment.
2. That the humanitarian and development industry needs a new face.
3. That development and humanitarian work has to have business principles in order to make the work viable past grant funding periods. More importantly it has to be grounded on environmentally sensitive principles, in order to not hurt the environment physically or spiritually.
4. Education and information to children and youth to build their awareness is crucial in order to connect them to their outside world and build leaders.
5. Trade not Aid

With these in mind, although the activity is for my own benefit, to work directly with communities to Change Things Right, I also want to be a catalyst for new minds. To enlighten them through seeing me daily in the web page “dreamtrapper.com” and to learn about others and volunteer near their home.

The ways you can be involved are:

1. Transmit the travel as it educates youth
2. Promote youth involvement in volunteerism and environmentally sound activities.
3. Promote the Read a Thon for students to read for every kilometer of a portion of the trip traveled.
4. Link to “dreamtrapper.com”

Communicate with me at all times at dreamtrapper123@yahoo.fr

This trek is completely self financed. Until she can continue South, dreamtrapper will have to work in the Middle East. Keep reading the issues and learning about children in that part of the World.
Support

CHANGE IT RIGHT

DEVELOPMENT WORKER TO TREK
FROM VIRGINIA TO ARGENTINA BY BUS TO
CHANGE THINGS RIGHT

Washington, DC. With twenty one years of international development and microfinance experience, Juana Rodriguez travels by bus from Virginia to Argentina offering volunteer services to communities and local institutions in exchange for room and board and the next bus ticket south. Her trek began in April 2007 and took her slowly west to Kentucky and then south to the Riviera Maya in Mexico.

The first “gig” volunteering has been in Tres Reyes, Quintana Roo Mexico where she taught English and swimming to the village children for five weeks. (See blog and music videos).

Five months into the trek due south, she had to work in the Middle East for microfinance and then continued the volunteering in Colombia for World Vision Colombia’s microfinance institution, PRODUCIR.

Next stop Middle East microfinance work.

After that, she will return to Tres Reyes and keep going south by land as had been the original goal.

The actions can be as simple as reading about the issues found in the trek, like Maya civilization, Palestinian devastation, or Colombian nature. Or it can be part of a Read A Thon reading a chapter or a page for a kilometer for a part of the trek. Raising not funds, but awareness about the world around them and promoting reading.

In a time of children consumed by gameboys, obsessed by x-boxes, listening to news items that are anti Muslim, anti Arab, anti South of the Border, “dreamtrapper” will promote reading and understanding of other cultures.

States Marjorie L. Myers, Principal of Key Immersion School Arlington Virginia, “The students and staff of Key School are eager to follow Tia Juana on her adventure to Argentina. We will read to support her endeavors with the people and villages throughout Central and South America. This trip will bring the Hispanic world and language to life for the children studying Spanish at Key Immersion School.”

“Dreamtrapper.com”

1.Youth section “where in the world is Tia Juana Today?
Video, photo and articles on geography, culture, social
studies, information for teachers to use in their curricula.
Read A Thon tools.
2.University section on the actions to take, internships, volunteering.
3.Fair Trade resources and links to sellers and buyers.
Promoting communities and cooperatives.
4.Dreamtrapper encouragement to get people to” trap their dream” as they see me implement mine. To “Trap Dreams” by helping others.
5. Media section with Press Release and updated news events.
6. Resources Section for research in any poverty alleviation field.

Dreamtrapper.com will have links to universities, schools, media, environmental groups, businesses in progressive development activities and others with a goal to “Change Things Right.”

Press Release
EFE Spanish Media

Reportage de Antonio Martin Guirado

REPORTAGE EFE.doc