independent skies magazine 11th issue

eleventh issue

| 2 | Independent Skies Magazine | Issue 11 Mar 2013

4. What coMeS after deportatIon?

John BengtSon, JavIer MonterroSo Montenegro, JoSeph Long, SaM chaSe.

12. ScuoLa popoLare

Lorenzo BIanchInI

8. reaLISIng the poWer of converSatIon

erneSt MackIna

16. not everyonee

aLex nyaSha duBe


What comes after

deportationJohn Bengtson,Javier Monterroso Montenegro,Joseph Long,saM Chase

The Migrant Peacebuilding and Reconciliation Project

What coMeS after deportatIon? | John BengtSon, JavIer MonterroSo Montenegro, JoSeph Long, SaM chaSe.

nection he had to the shop owner, the man would likely be unemployed. Like many deported migrant workers, he faced legal issues and so-cial scorn that compounded the conditions that drove him to leave in the first place.

What happens after a mi-grant worker is deported?When the topic of undoc-umented immigration is brought up in political dis-cussions within the United States, much of the dis-course is rooted in national self-interest, focused on concerns such as “securing the borders”, or “ensuring a path to citizenship”. Empha-sis is placed on what to do with migrant workers who cross the border rather than why they are there in the first place. It is even rarer--even among circles within the United States who in-vestigate the issue of un-documented immigration-

--that consideration is given to the prospects of those are deported when they ar-rive back in their country of origin. It is an issue that has been largely ignored at the cost of the livelihood of thousands of deported mi-grants every year; the cir-cumstances awaiting de-ported workers perpetuate the very processes of pover-ty, inequality and unemploy-ment they sought to escape.

The process of immigration between the United States and Guatemala is a vicious cycle. To begin, Guatemala is one of the world’s most unequal nations: 11th from the bottom in Gini index. Roughly half of its people live under the poverty line, and underemployment is a constant issue. On the oth-er hand, immigration to the United States presents sup-posed prospects of relative-ly high-paying, low-skill jobs

Last December, two friends, one from Guatema-la and one from the United States, were chatting in a café in Guatemala City when a security guard overheard them speaking in English and struck up a conversa-tion. He told the story of how he had migrated with-out documentation to Chi-cago from his native Guate-mala. He was able to secure a job working as a cook, and earned enough to support his family back home. How-ever, after years of building a life in the United States, the man was deported back to Guatemala. Unable to prove his work experience and stigmatized for his sta-tus as a deportado, the man had difficulty finding work until he contacted a friend of his who owned a store and gave him the job he has to-day. Were it not for the con-


and opportunities for ad-vancement. The result of the socio-economic push and pull between the two coun-tries is quite obvious; one in ten Guatemalan nationals live outside of their country, the overwhelming majority in the United States. Addi-tionally, remittances back to Guatemala account for 10% of its GDP. However, it is estimated that half of these migrants are undocu-mented. As a result, about 35,000 Guatemalan nation-als are deported from the United States every year.

When they arrive back in Guatemala City, the pros-pects for re-integration are bleak. Not only do the un-derlying issues of inequality and underemployment still persist, but deported mi-grant workers now face stig-matization because of their status as a deportado, mak-ing it difficult to sift back into society. They are seen as an outsider: a foreigner in his own country. So poor are the prospects of rein-tegration that 43% of de-ported workers interviewed upon arrival report that they plan to return to the Unit-ed States within one year.

So what can be done to break the cycle? The prob-lems impeding reintegra-tion are two-fold: social stigmatization and lack of resources. Accordingly, any solution that attempts to aid reintegration must address both issues. First, education and awareness of the issue to with the end of alleviating the social stigma must be primary goals. This can be achieved, in part, through academic research and ad-vocacy outreach both in Guatemala and the United States. Second, efforts must be made to support reinte-gration into the workforce.

What coMeS after deportatIon? | John BengtSon, JavIer MonterroSo Montenegro, JoSeph Long, SaM chaSe.

This means not only working with local private sector em-ployers, but also job retrain-ing and interview assistance. Connections should be made not only with potential em-ployers, but also with legal advocates in order to sup-port documentation efforts.

The social stigmas and eco-nomic hardships faced by deported migrant work-ers are often ignored, yet deeply entrenched ele-ments of Guatemalan soci-ety. Progress towards suc-cessful reintegration will not

be made easily, but simple steps can be made in or-der to address the more basic issues that plague many deported migrants. To learn more about this is-sue and what is being done, please contact The Migrant Peacebuilding and Recon-ciliation Project through

migrantpeacebui lding.webs.com.


In this contemporary and dynamic global village, interper-sonal communication is a vital tool for survival for every citizen and is crucial in the business world as it creates the platform for the exchange of innovations and transaction of goods and services.

Information Communication Technologies such as mobile phones and the Internet have played a fundamental role in the transformation of communica-tion and socialization to an era where geographical boundaries offer zero limits and no longer inhibit contact with loved ones.

The adoption of Internet tech-nologies and applications of social media has, in the writer’s opinion, led to the dwindling of face to face conversations. As such, it can be declared that the growing generation has since lost touch with the skills in suc-cessfully carrying out meaning-ful conversations.

What is a conversation? Conversations are an essen-tial tool in personifying mental debates and tend to be a source of inspiration, paradigm shift and mentorship. Realising the potential in clever conversations leads to one tapping a mine of primary, secondary and tertiary forms of data, knowledge and wisdom. The Oxford University Press Concise Dictionary of 2012 defines a conversation as the fol-lowing:

Conversation: an informal spoken exchange of news and ideas between two or

more people.

What do conversations do? Conversations have an inher-ent ability to give insight, life changing paradigm shifts and provoke thought and debate. Engaging in witty dialogue can alter a mindset, emancipate an individual, eradicate misconcep-tions and myths, stereotypes and stigmatization as it sets the record straight and gets facts es-tablished when the right partici-pants are involved.

When can a conversation he held?Anywhere and everywhere!!!

Why hold a conversation?Conversations are a facet of communication and are cru-cial to mans’ survival in every interaction and transaction of ideas and views. Discussions offer the prospect of expanding one’s mind and thinking abilities as well as the discovery of new dimensions of reality.

how do you conduct a con-versation? Greet an individual, with fur-ther care than just ‘Hello’, listen attentively and be empathetic. Question were you do not under-stand and also contribute and interject were relevant. Repeti-tion aids immensely in getting a message clear and enhances understanding. By repeating, rephrasing and summarising a particular point, a participant in a conversation can gain their own understanding of the con-cept under scrutiny.

reaLISIng the poWer of converSatIon | erneSt MackIna

Realising the

Power of C o n v e r s a t i o n

Who to conduct conversa-tions with?

Face up to your siblings on cur-rent affairs; quiz your parents on contemporary issues; chew a bone with relatives on mind bog-gling phenomena; intellectually interrogate teachers on concepts in and outside the classroom. Be trendy and reach out to friends on social networks through debate, empower colleagues with perspective and rediscover yourself through mental conver-sations with yourself.

Taking a moment of your time from the hustle and bustle of life’s daily routines to strike a tête-à-tête could have an as-tounding effect on the rest of your day. Greet a person with the extra care further than just ‘Hello’, to ‘how have you been’. Strike a clever conversation with them and pick their mind. There is so much wisdom you can harvest from them and, you as an individual will be prompted to think on your feet to add on to the subject matter.

Go beyond the ‘hud” and ‘hie’ to converse on newsworthy is-

sues that affect daily life, be it on Facebook chat, instant messag-ing on Whatsapp, tweets, discus-sion fora on LinkedIn, Gtalking, Skyping and face to face.

So don’t be a social recluse: In Southern Africa we say ‘Umuntu ngumuntu ng-

abantu’, meaning ‘i aM, BeCause We are’

Go out there and converse. Challenge your peers and those gurus and experts in fields of knowledge. School goes beyond the class-room, it is imprinted in your mind, engineered by your thoughts and powered by your speech. The process of knowledge just started as I held a clever conversation with your mind as you read this article.

ernest Mackina is a Zimbabwean blog-ger, poet and writer. For more of his articles log his blog untitled Chronicles (www.macki-naernest54.blogspot.com) and get to read more of his “handwritten thoughts...”

reaLISIng the poWer of converSatIon | erneSt MackIna

| 12 | Independent Skies Magazine | Issue 11 Mar 2013| 12 | Independent Skies Magazine | Issue 11 Mar 2013

Living in times of crisis is not something easy. Along with the struggle to get to the end of the month, we see another kind of crisis, which is a reflection of the economic one. We are indeed facing a greater social crisis, affecting our values and thus giv-ing us the obligation to seek new ways of life, and other kinds of approach to our social and politi-cal sphere.

Living in times of crisis is not something easy. Especially if you live in a stand-alone suburb that counts more than 300.000 people, one of the highest rate of non voting citizens and a rich, yet under developed and ostra-cized, ethnic diversity.What I am talking about here is my hometown, Ostia, the sea-side suburb of Rome, and the precarious situation we are living here.

The representative politic organs have left holes in the budget, causing cuts in investments towards sociality and the closure of the few infrastructures pres-ent in the territory that used to fundamentally sustain it.

In this scenario of lack of con-crete respect of basic social rights, such as the poor condition of school buildings and the ab-sence of the basic materials and tools to actually keep them work-ing, leading to schools demand-ing their students to pay additive taxes, a group of young people have decided to take a move.

Gandhi once said “to be the change one wants to see in the world”, and that’s exactly what we’ve been doing in the last months, working on the project of a Social public School, built from the bottom, by the people.The goal was not really to actu-ally compensate what the local government is not doing, rather to put in action a concrete de-nounce to it and to create a network outside the political and institutional sphere, thus making of it a collective action of the in-dividuals affected by the overall context.

The next step was starting a reg-ular commitment in meeting on a regular basis to give some sort of shape in our own organiza-tion, deciding everything through discussion and sharing ideas,

sCuoLa popoLare

participating each one of us de-pending on our competences. This intervention takes place along two different fronts: on one side we have formed an afterschool for kids from 6 to 14 years old, based in an area very much affected by unemployment and its related conditions; on the other, the multicultural and immi-grated community of this suburb gave us a great area to work on, which has been translated into a school of Italian for migrants. This second project is based in a block that has seen for the past 25 years a squat occupation by individuals and families from an outstanding number of nation-alities, fighting for the right to a house, and is now a great com-munity integrated with the rest of the sociality.

With an immigrated population counting around 8.2% of the total population, not even taking into consideration the 700 to 800 thousands of illegal immigrants inside the borders, the Italian leg-islation results strict and it does not allow individuals to complete the steps to eventually get the papers. According to the law, in fact, a certification of Italian proficiency is needed, which can-

sCuoLa popoLareLorenzo Bianchini

ScuoLa popoLare | Lorenzo BIanchInI


not be achieved through public appropriate institutions, as the state does not provide any.

In this chaotic situation, our goal in the field was to create a concrete alternative for mi-grants to take the step to learn the language, regardless of the, in some cases, complete lack of knowledge of it. Especially in this action, we can see how a great form of integra-tion and understanding comes from interacting on the same level, as we do not offer fron-tal grammar classes, but try to develop our own way of getting educated together through con-versations and pragmatic dia-logues and exercises. This way new connections inside the different communities are created, and it’s not that hard to see a Pakistani talking with a Bangladeshi about the situation in south East Asia, or an Egyp-tian explaining to a Romanian and a Peruvian how the Arab spring has affected his life and the lives of his family.

In the future, hopefully near, the aim is to realize a multi-focused organism that will be able to provide legal services, to give


protection, and also to provide general services like a psycho-logical center and maternity/nursery program as well.

This experience is not only mak-ing a change outside us in the environment we live in, but also, making a change in the way we perceive change on a micro level.After almost two months of activity, it’s already becoming a key center on the sociality of the territory of Ostia, generating social consciousness, active de-nounce and aggregation, where the state has failed with its policies, most often decided by people far away from the reality of the streets, and colluded with lobbies and economic interests in planning the city and its society.

Far, but not least, this whole project is dedicated to Handala, the Palestinian cartoon kid drawn by Naji Salim al-Ali, as it both represents the suffering of the kids that cannot have a normal life and see their rights respect-ed, and because of the war he is a foreigner on his own ground.

Handala, just like many other thousands children, immigrants

and those who, rather due to the incompetence of institutions, or to the indifference of citizens, take place in what we may call a disadvantaged class, only needs one opportunity to raise up and take an active part in such a depressed society.

Don’t stand and look. Be the change you want to see around you.

Lorenzo Bianchini

ScuoLa popoLare | Lorenzo BIanchInI

| 16 | Independent Skies Magazine | Issue 11 Mar 2013| 16 | Independent Skies Magazine | Issue 11 Mar 2013

The piece explores the issue of gratitude, We are reminded that whilst we are busy mourning about who we are and what we have ,some people are in situations worse of than ours

Not everyone, is as fortunate as yourself,

graced the power of opportunity to skim through this,

blesses thus this chance not miss.

Tell me that old tiny tale,

throw caution to the wind,

for all our capacities of comprehension can fathom,

they could be a feast for the termites below,

or seeking the light at the end of an unknown tunnel in the next world,

for all we know,

this,is the seed for ages in our mind we sow...Not everyone,is like you,

comfortable in the softness of your comfort,

secure in the walls that secure your safety,

for all we can attempt to contemplate,

they could be subjects to the sinister volatile world,

vulnerable to nights’ evil therapy,

while the wind that so loudly howls,their body heat prowls,

bites their toes,hinders the delight of evening’s rest,

that’s how good it gets at its’ best...

not everyone........

Alex Nyasha Dube

Alex Nyasha Dube is a Zimbabwean born poet who grew up without his father. In 1999 he moved to South Africa for 3 years and later back to Zimbabwe. He went to Cyrene High School , where he was nurtured by a teacher , Mrs S. Nkomo, who had noticed his early talent for literature.He has continued to write poetry since high school and his works have been featured on various blogs of note “Scribbled poetry” a blog that promotes African poet-ry, his works have also been featured in a e-anthology compilation of African po-etry called “Via Grapevine Volume 1” featuring the best of young poets drawn from across the continent of Africa . Currently he is living with his mother in England.

Scribbled Poetry Sectionhttps://www.facebook.com/ScribbledPoetry

throw caution to the wind,

for all our capacities of comprehension can fathom,

they could be a feast for the termites below,

or seeking the light at the end of an unknown tunnel in the next world,

for all we know,

this,is the seed for ages in our mind we sow...Not everyone,is like you,

comfortable in the softness of your comfort,

secure in the walls that secure your safety,

for all we can attempt to contemplate,

they could be subjects to the sinister volatile world,

vulnerable to nights’ evil therapy,

while the wind that so loudly howls,their body heat prowls,

bites their toes,hinders the delight of evening’s rest,

that’s how good it gets at its’ best...

Not everyone,is able to be in your kitchen,

aromatic,savoury here,

succulent,delectable,sweet there.

Your reserves brimming to the rim,

cappucino filled with whipped cream,

a joy for your digestive system.

For all we care,

they could be devouring the menial remnants of your burnt pasta,

or fighting over what remains off a stew gone wrong,

when,why,for how long?

Not everyone,can wear the clothes you parade.

Cheap like salt or expensive like a weave that looks real,

who cares,what matters is,you have them,can’t you feel.

For all we take no time to notice,

they could be wearing the rag on Christmas from your mum your aunt refused,

or joined ancient parchments,the church

mice are bemused.

Clothing filled with spots and gaps,almost if not camouflage,

hiding away the flesh from perverts and paedophiles...

Not everyone,has a smile on their face like you,

or love abundant as the air we inhale,well within their reach,

for all we ignore and live on,

they could be delving in the playground of death,

somewhere in the Middle East,

where whose woes nobody could care the least.

Or succumbing to calamity inflicted by nature’s anger,

or grieving a loved one long lost,

or enduring an ordeal too unbearable,

a pain whose extremes are incredible...

For all we even dare to care,

we are statues,we glare and stand to stare...


As the night dies away, as the sun embraces the world in a warm hug a new day has come. Grey hearts rise, the world is full of anxiety. The world has already been barricaded by hate, we need that which can make us feel a part of a world that has done more bad than good to hu-manity. Young people across the world cry out to be heard. Life is a beautiful tragedy, however the future of tomorrow utters in de-spair, their cries go unheard, the leaders of today have failed and it is up to the young people to make a better tomorrow. As the thought crosses every individu-al’s mind, hope is reborn when

screaming cries of freedom, liberty are heard. The world is anxious for social justice, a free society.. anxious for change and social responsibility. However, in order for all this to occur, world leaders need to include youths in the decision making process.It is significant to note policies and programs designed after consultation with users are more likely to be effective , as a result one is bound to conclude using youth participation you are more likely to get it right the first time and avoid wasting time and money on services young people don’t want to use. Giving young

people a place in decision-making builds a broader base of citizen involvement and creates stronger and more inclusive communities. Youth participa-tion is necessary in the develop-ment of active citizenship be-cause it balances young people’s social rights with their responsi-bilities. This is to a larger extent the most effective way to make the youths more active because the more we feel accepted and understood by society , it cre-ates an element that binds the society together. One of the most extraordinary things in this world is being a young leader but it is what you do with the

| 18 | Independent Skies Magazine | Issue 10 feb 2013

isM photography CoMpetitionINTRODuCTION OF OuR PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION JuDGES

opportunity that makes a differ-ence. Youths in decision making process contributes to positive youth development and we have challenges like violence, drug addiction , lack of social respon-sibility and the primary cause being the youth. In reference to my previous statement its signif-icant to note youth participation and being included in decision making process challenges nega-tive stereotypes of young people and help break down barri-ers between adults and young people. Involving young people in decision-making can improve attitudes towards understanding about young people and create

a greater awareness of youth is-sues in an organization.“No one is born a good citizen; no nation is born a democracy. Rather, both are processes that continue to evolve over a life-time. Young people must be in-cluded from birth. A society that cuts itself off from its youth sev-ers its lifeline; it is condemned to bleed to death.” —Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nation. Words from a great man reports from United Nations state that youths in decision making implies a radical change in youth-adult relationships in all spheres of life including the family, schools, local communi-

ties, programs, social services, and local, regional and national government. A commitment to respecting the participa-tory rights of young people is incompatible with the age-old propensity. It is vital to note giving youth the power in deci-sion making does not necessarily mean we are divorcing power from the adults, including the youth is a sign of social develop-ment that can lead and grow to many things such as better deci-sions and outcomes.

Dean Bhekumuzi Bhebhe

ISM photography coMpetItIon

Vincent Wong

I’m Vincent Wong, a participant in the United World College movement and current student of Social Work. Besides these identities, I am also a son, a brother, a theologian, a fencer (sabre), a friend, a poet and of course, a pho-tographer. Oh and I’ve been living in Hong Kong for the vast majority of my life.The point of that long list is that I view reality as objective, but multi-faceted and multi-lay-ered: none of those identities conflict, though one or the other is more evident at a point in time. In my photography, I try to capture the essence and the idea that I impute upon real-ity or how that momentary experience affects me. By doing so, what I capture is at once objective and subjective experience.This helps me articulate my experienced reality and my concepts. Because my photos are at times idealized conceptions, this has the effect of making them seem somewhat removed from reality. As for subject matter, I gravitate towards street photography because of the complex relations at play. On the street, one is at once a stranger, an acquaintance and a friend; and at the same time, one is relating to the envi-ronment, the place and all the related events in its history that served to make that place just so. From a technical perspective, con-trasting elements intrigue me – both visual and thematic contrasts.In all, my photos each try to tell a story of a place, and collectively, tell my story: how I lived and how I think. http://vinceat852.deviantart.com/

Imsouchivy Suos

I am originally from Phnom Penh, Cambo-dia and recently I’m living and studying in Malta, the heart of the Mediterranean. I’ve never really chosen photography but I think it chose me. For the past 4 years, I’ve been doing many forms of photography include landscape, portraiture, event, wedding and studio works but street photography is the one that appeals to me the most. I’ve been living, studying and traveling a lot since I was 16 years old and until now, I’ve been to over 20 countries for educational and volunteering purposes. Photography started as a way to record/log my journey around the world but the joy of looking through the viewfinder and interaction with my subjects, make it grows as a passion. As a self-taught photographer, I’ve been learning on this subject quicker than I thought from photography books, exhi-bitions, online forums and the most important of all “PRACTICE”. To me, photography is not just a form of art but it is a way to see the world in a different perspective. I believe that I can express myself more through photog-raphy and I hope that one day my works will change the world through my vision.

website: www.gvphotog.com

isM photography CoMpetitionINTRODuCTION OF OuR PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION JuDGES


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independent skies magazine 11th issue

Documents

united states

constant issue

deported migrant workers

javier monterroso montenegro

process of immigration

guatemala city

deportationjohn bengtson

deported workers