By Alejandra Aguilar Palencia and Juan Carlos Jiménez
November 2025 – May 2026
After several months of learning, reflection, and collective work, the Mindful Social Innovation (MSI) Lab program concludes its formative learning process in Arcatao, Chalatenango, El Salvador. Developed as part of the Project Surviving Memory in Postwar El Salvador in collaboration with Global MINDS Collective, the organization responsible for the program, and Medios de Vida Sostenibles para la Juventud [Sustainable Livelihoods for Youth] , a community organization that collaborated in cofacilitating and participating in the program, the lab brought together young people and community leaders interested in promoting individual and collective well-being. The sessions were facilitated by Alejandra Aguilar Palencia and Juan Carlos Jiménez. Throughout the program, participants explored mindfulness practices, self-care, empathy, and leadership while developing social innovation tools to address needs identified within their communities. The program concludes with a special gathering that provided an opportunity to recognize shared learning experiences, by presenting the community initiative and celebrate the work accomplished.
As the sessions progressed, reflection and mindfulness activities were interwoven with conversations about emotions, interpersonal relationships, and the challenges faced by communities. Through exercises focused on self-care, active listening, gratitude, and empathy, participants had the opportunity to reflect on their own experiences and recognize the importance of making time for their well-being. At the same time, the sessions addressed topics such as leadership, power dynamics, and community collaboration, encouraging participants to reflect on how individual learning experiences can contribute to the development of collective initiatives aimed at promoting well-being in their communities.
Photo 1: Participants in the Mindful Social Innovation (MSI) Lab Program during one of the learning and collective reflection sessions in Arcatao, Chalatenango. [Photo taken by Bladimir Orellana]
At the end of the program, participants shared their experiences and reflected on the lessons they considered most meaningful. During this conversation, they highlighted the importance of recognizing their own emotions, making time for self-care, and learning to set personal boundaries. They also valued the opportunity to share experiences in an environment of trust where they could listen to one another and feel supported. These reflections showed that, beyond the tools acquired during the sessions, the program provided several participants with a space to pause, reflect on themselves, and strengthen their relationships with others.
“I have learned to say ‘no’ without feeling guilty.”
— Vilma Serrano, MSI Lab Program participant
The experiences shared throughout the program also strengthened participants’ interest in working together to promote well-being in their communities. Along this journey, reflections on self-care, empathy, and interpersonal relationships became connected to identifying community needs and exploring possible collective responses. This exchange of experiences and ideas allowed the group to move forward with the design of Equilibrio: Espacio Comunitario de Bienestar Integral, a social innovation initiative aimed at promoting physical, emotional, and community well-being. In this way, the program created a space to explore how the tools and knowledge gained could extend beyond the sessions and develop into an initiative built by the communities themselves.
The completion of the Mindful Social Innovation (MSI) Lab Program was celebrated with a special gathering at a recreational center in Los Ranchos, Chalatenango. The event took place outdoors, reflecting the interest several participants had expressed in having opportunities for recreation and connection with nature. At the gathering, the group presented Equilibrio, the social innovation initiative they had collectively developed during the program. The celebration also included a certificate ceremony recognizing participants' involvement and commitment, a shared lunch, and opportunities for socializing and recreation. Participants' children were also invited, allowing families to be part of this experience. In this way, the closing event was more than a formal ceremony; it was an opportunity to recognize the journey they had shared and put into practice the importance of self-care, connection, and collective well-being.
Photo 2: Closing celebration of the Mindful Social Innovation (MSI) Lab Program in Los Ranchos, Chalatenango, El Salvador. [Photo taken by Francisco Mejía]
Although the closing celebration marked the end of the MSI Lab sessions, it also represented the beginning of a new chapter for participants. The creation of Equilibrio reflected their interest in taking what they had learned beyond the lab sessions and transforming it into a community initiative. What began as a space to reflect on personal and collective well-being evolved into an initiative that participants themselves decided to pursue and later successfully put into action through organization and collaborative efforts.
The experience of the Mindful Social Innovation (MSI) Lab Program reminds us that community well-being is built not only through knowledge and tools, but also through relationships of trust, listening, and shared commitment.This process highlighted the importance of creating spaces where people can share their experiences, recognize their needs, and actively participate in finding solutions for their communities. Beyond the outcomes of the program, the relationships built and the possibilities that emerge when people come together to learn, reflect, and work toward common goals remain valuable. The launch of Equilibrio represents a new chapter in this experience, where shared learning is beginning to take shape through concrete actions that support community well-being.
Photo 3: Participants in the Mindful Social Innovation (MSI) Lab Program during the certificate ceremony in Los Ranchos, Chalatenango, El Salvador. [Photo taken by Francisco Mejía]
The Surviving Memory in Postwar El Salvador research initiative is supported in part by funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Western University, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, and the Ontario Research Fund.