By 23, Diego Rafael Osorto had expected to be “en el Norte” – in the North, like the hundreds of other Hondurans who start their trek towards the Texas border every morning. Instead, his clean, even brush strokes spread layers of paint across a wood sculpture, helping transform his passion for art into a socially responsible business. On the surface, his decision to stay in one of the Western Hemisphere’s poorest countries may fly in the face of logic. Unemployment is high, corruption is endemic, and there is plenty of violence, especially gang violence punctuated by extorsion and murder. Adding to the country’s misery was the Covid-19 pandemic and two devastating hurricanes in 2020. The inability of the state to provide its people with a decent living prompted them to elect a more socially responsible government in 2021. Diego, too, had thought of leaving. His father emigrated when Diego was born, and Diego grew up starry-eyed, with dreams of the North dangling like glittering promises of success and riches. The lack of work and opportunities and the high suicide rate among young people fueled his yearning to leave. “It scared me as a young person, I felt hopeless.” He had little to look forward to in Honduras, having grown up in poverty and without a support network. “As a child, my mother was very ill, and I was often moved from one home to another while she was in treatment. This marked me for life. Often, I didn’t even know where my mother was.” His mind may have wandered northwards, but reality would abruptly pull him back whenever he thought of the women in his life. “The women – my mother, my grandmother, all of them – taught us the value of life, and they were my inspiration. They fought so hard to survive. How could I leave them behind?” The imperative of income To stay in Honduras, Diego needed a way to survive. He quit school and started working two jobs back-to-back, one of them in a café. It seemed innocuous at the time, but it transformed his life. As he observed how the café was run, he began thinking of starting his own business. He won a scholarship for a business development training course, and learned the basics of entrepreneurship, like marketing and how to develop a business plan. Soon, he would discover a new passion. “I saw a piece of wood and I felt it needed something on it, so I painted it. Then I discovered a new technique of painting from my brother, who works with mosaics. And then one day someone offered to buy my art and I discovered that you could earn an income from it.” Growing up, his grandmother had cooked and sold her food to help feed their family. “Some days we had no food and not enough money to buy it. So my grandmother cooked what she could and now, at 70, she still makes the best food. If tourists had a chance to try it, they would love it!” Business, art, gastronomy: could this ambitious vision materialize? An idea is born It was a time of renewal in Honduras – a woman had been elected president for the first time, a ray of hope for the country’s many underrepresented groups. So when Diego joined a workshop by ParticiPaz, a joint project by UN Human Rights and the UN Development Program, a new world opened for him. “I heard about human rights for the first time,” he said. “The theme was discrimination, which is very strong here, against indigenous people but also against women. I learned how I as an artist can advocate in my community for the protection of human rights defenders, and even become a human rights defender myself.” The project, financed by the UN Peacebuilding Fund, helps reduce conflict by encouraging communities who often lack representation to take part in governance decisions. And it gave Diego an idea. He approached UN Human Rights in Honduras and suggested creating a space for community workshops: the UN could use his space, and so could the community. Together, they would work to fight discrimination against indigenous people, defend their land against encroachment by big business, and fight the delinquency that was slowly poisoning his country’s youth – all the while encouraging young indigenous people to stay in the country. A cultural revival Diego vit à La Esperanza, une capitale d’État animée du sud-ouest du Honduras, réputée pour son climat froid, le plus froid du pays. Au matin, un brouillard blanc se lève sur les plateaux montagneux de la province d’Intibucá, où les membres de la communauté lenca vivent depuis 1500 ans. Le manteau neigeux recouvre les lacs et les arbres d’un doux nuage blanc jusqu’à ce que le soleil le transperce et le fasse disparaître. La Esperanza, qui signifie « l’espoir » en espagnol, est une petite ville où les Lencas des zones rurales se rendent pour vendre leurs produits. Elle est également connue comme le lieu de naissance de Berta Cáceres, la militante écologiste primée qui a été assassinée à son domicile en 2016 après avoir lutté avec succès pour empêcher la construction d’un barrage. La Esperanza se trouve sur la « Ruta Lenca » (route des Lencas), un itinéraire touristique qui serpente à travers les terres des communautés lencas et encourage les visiteurs à découvrir leur culture, notamment leur mode de vie, leurs textiles audacieux tissés à la main et leurs délicates poteries peintes en noir et blanc. Jusqu’à récemment, la culture lenca était en recul, sa langue presque éteinte, ses jeunes cherchant à gagner leur vie ailleurs. Toutefois, un nouveau mouvement prend forme au Honduras, cherchant à revitaliser les cultures autochtones. La Ruta Lenca fait partie de ce renouveau. « Le sentiment de fierté est plus fort maintenant, les gens sont plus sensibles à ces questions, notamment grâce aux médias sociaux », a déclaré Diego. « Selon moi, il faut que nous soyons orgullosos de notre culture lenca, que nous en soyons fiers. Soutenons-nous à l’échelle locale et partageons notre nourriture et notre savoir-faire. » Diego veut faire partie de ce renouveau. Un couloir culturel Armé de sa passion et de ses nouvelles connaissances en marketing, il décida de transformer le jardin de sa mère en café, d’y exposer les œuvres d’autres artistes et d’y servir à manger. Il décida d’appeler ce café Liquidambar, en référence à l’arbre répandu au Honduras et qui se trouve être l’une des principales exportations du pays. « Mon projet servira de plaidoyer pour toutes et tous, pour toutes les races, pour tous les genres, c’est quelque chose que j’ai appris grâce à l’atelier ParticiPaz. » Le HCDH voit en Diego un jeune leader prometteur. « Il fait preuve d’un esprit d’initiative véritablement positif », a déclaré Eloy Enrique Bravo, spécialiste des droits de l’homme adjoint. « C’est aussi un défenseur de l’environnement et un défenseur de la culture ancestrale ; il n’est pas courant de voir des jeunes aussi motivés et il mérite notre reconnaissance. » Diego cherche désormais un soutien financier auprès de banques locales pour faire avancer son projet et reçoit l’aide de sa communauté. Il a construit un réseau d’alliés, allant d’amis d’enfance à d’anciens professeurs en passant par des artistes locaux, formant tous ensemble un réseau informel lenca pour aider à faire vivre la culture de la communauté. “ This isn’t about individual growth, it is about growing together with his community. “ ELOY ENRIQUE BRAVO, ASSOCIATE HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICER WITH UN HUMAN RIGHTS HONDURAS “He doesn’t want to save the Lenca culture by himself – he wants everyone to join him in doing it. Diego has a broad vision that entails supporting others so that change happens for everyone, with everyone’s voice being heard, not just his,” said Eloy Bravo. Diego hopes to someday turn his mother’s street into a cultural corridor, filled with cafés, art galleries and shops, a true Lenca showcase for the world. Fighting for the future While he works to build his vision, Diego earns a living teaching art and inspiring his students. “I want to motivate young people, help them use art for good rather than turn to crime or emigrate. Perhaps it can give them a reason to stay, and a way out of violence.” “With my art and social messaging, I can help transform a street plagued by vandalism and crime into a safer space, turn something negative into positive.” Showcasing Lenca art would also gradually help bring in tourists. But Diego continues to be exposed to danger: some 70% of attacks against human rights defenders are against those working to protect the environment. Being an environmental activist or a human rights defender in Honduras comes with high risks – and Diego is both. Once in a while, Diego still hears the call of the North, especially when he faces hurdles to get what he wants. But he quickly silences it. “I’m happy I decided to stay, serving my community. I feel I can inspire others. I see the situation of other young people and I know I am not unique.” Note: UN Human Rights hopes to build on this experience and empower young leaders across the country. A new project supported by the UN Peacebuilding Fund, Tierra Joven, aims to promote the meaningful participation of young women and men in decisions that affect their rights and access to land and territories.