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 The group of mostly women entrepreneurs, Sulá Batsú Cooperative won the National Prize for Culture in the category of Management and Promotion of Culture. - Sulá Batsú photo -  |
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Published
Friday, May 28, 2021
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff The group of mostly women entrepreneurs, Sulá Batsú Cooperative won the National Prize for Culture in the category of Management and Promotion of Culture, awarded by the Ministry of Culture. In 2005, Sulá Batsú launched to encourage the development of communities. Their name comes from the indigenous dialect Bribri, meaning "creative spirit." "The cooperative was born as a project that allows us to work on what we are, as artists and professionals in different areas, from what we like and the objectives we wanted to achieve as a team," Natalia Vargas, president of Sulá Batsú said. "It is an initiative created with the philosophy that work is not a burden, but rather a passion." The cooperative is made up of professionals such as reporters, psychologists, anthropologists, managers, musicians, photographers, among others. Currently, the organization has 18 members who, due to the self-managed cooperative model, are owners of the company. “We are a non-profit organization, we are not interested in accumulating capital, but we do care that all the people who are part of the organization can have a dignified life,” Vargas said. Sulá Batsú has implemented a cultural center in Barrio Escalante where people are helped to carry out research, cultural activities and workshops. Among the organization's projects is the so-called Okamasüei, which has been developing for approximately two years, in the indigenous territory of Alto Pacuare, in Cartago Province. The project consists of an educational process and an approach with indigenous leaders of the community to provide internet service to the territory with the support of the Electricity Institute.  The goal of the project is to teach the women of the community to use the internet, from a respectful approach to their beliefs and providing them with tools to understand the technological process, without forgetting the value of their traditions, customs and respect for their culture. As part of the project, a directory of indigenous knowledge is developed in which the older members of the territory share their experiences with the younger generations. The organization even created a documentary titled: Okamasuei: Ancestral Knowledge of Indigenous Women and Digital Technologies. Another of the organization's projects is "La Voz de Las Chicas en Centro América" (which means the voice of Central American girls in English). This has been an ongoing project for three years, which focuses on the education of young women. It was awarded by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO. The organization works with young women, between the ages of 13 and 17, and encourages them to express themselves through music, photography and podcasts. It was as a result of the impact generated by the Sulá Batsú projects, that they became the winners of the 2020 National Culture Prize award. "After 16 years of work, this recognition also means a lot because it reflects the capacity that we have developed to continue adapting over time," Vargas said. The Sulá Batsú team also helps and advises people who wish to develop a cultural cooperative organization in their communities. People interested can find more information on the Sulá Batsú website. -------------------------- How could this type of cultural organization be developed in other communities? We would like to know your thoughts on this story. Send your comments to news@amcostarica.com            
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