Date of Workshop: August 16 - 17, 2017

Workshop Coordinator: Marlene Soriano

A Youth Visioning Workshop hosted in 2017 by workshop coordinator Marlene Soriano took place in San Antonio, the largest community in the Indigenous Territory of Lomerío, located in the Gran Chiquitania region of Bolivia. The area is primarily inhabited by the Indigenous Monkoxi people, with a population of 1,260 in San Antonio and smaller populations in surrounding communities like Fátima and Las Trancas. The local economy relies on small-scale cattle ranching, shifting cultivation, and non-timber forest products (NTFPs).

The Indigenous Territory of Lomerío, known for its historical experience in forest management, has faced challenges with governance and compliance in recent years, resulting in the revocation of logging permits. The territory is currently supported by NGOs to rebuild capacity for forest governance and to advocate for legal reforms that better meet the needs of Indigenous communities. This combination of forest dependency and governance challenges made Lomerío a fitting site for the youth workshop.

Participants addressed the lack of specialized job opportunities and limited educational access, factors driving high out-migration of youth from the community. Many youth spoke about the tension between the appeal of nearby cities for work and study opportunities and the challenges those cities present, including discrimination, crime, and a loss of the collective identity they cherish at home. As one participant noted, “I don’t like the city because one almost never goes out. However, here we have the possibility to go to all places.”

Some participants from the nearby village of Las Trancas, known for its natural beauty, shared their connection to local landmarks like “Las Garzas” Lake, home to herons, and the highest mountain in the Lomerío territory, dotted with Quaternary stones. The workshop also sparked reflections on community leadership and governance, with one youth remarking, “I wish that the same authorities would not spend the village's money, instead they should work for the common good to advance and develop.