Como parte de nuestro nuevo ciclo como organización y gracias al financiamiento de la Fundación Alfredo Harp Helú, hemos retomado parte del programa “Familias Saludables” con más de 50 mujeres de escasos recursos que forman parte de las actividades del proyecto MARES en las colonias Casahuates, Manantial, Cuatro Milpas y La Gotera, de la zona oriente de la Villa de Zaachila.

Las actividades incluyen capacitaciones mensuales que integran el uso de ecotecnias familiares para la producción de hortalizas y el cultivo, la transformación y el consumo de amaranto para promover la seguridad alimentaria y mejorar la nutrición de las mujeres y sus familias.

“De este taller aprendí nuevas cosas, el hecho de tener mis propias hortalizas en casa, me traerá grandes beneficios”

Testimonio

“Qué bonito que estamos aprendiendo, yo nunca había trabajado de esta forma, en equipo”

Testimonio

Las actividades de “Familias Saludables” se realizan previo a las sesiones de ahorro del proyecto MARES (Mujeres Ahorrando en Redes Solidarias), proyecto de autonomía financiera que pretende que las mujeres desarrollen su potencial, superen las limitaciones impuestas por los roles de género y garanticen su participación económica y social dentro y fuera de sus comunidades.

“Con estas actividades de acompañamiento se busca además de brindar cierta certeza económica a las mujeres de la zona, acompañar a las familias para que mejoren su estado nutricional con el cultivo y consumo de alimentos que pueden producir en sus hogares”

A la fecha se han realizado talleres de cocina con hortalizas, elaboración de composta casera, preparación de Hot Cakes con amaranto y cultivo de hortalizas en maceta.

50 years ago, concerned citizens came together to mark the first Earth Day. Today, we can’t come together physically but the need for global collaboration to conserve our resources, confront climate change, and protect biodiversity is more pressing than ever. A poster to mark the first Earth Day featured the quote: “We have met the enemy and he is us.” It is already becoming clear how human action contributed to the Covid-19 crisis and it’s clear that we as humans are more vulnerable than we thought. Holistic, integrated, and sustainable solutions will help us survive this pandemic and face the environmental crises that threaten animal species, human lives, and economic stability.

In 2016, Puente collectively embraced agroecology as a path towards sustainability for rural communities. Replenishing the soil, diversifying crops, and growing without harmful chemicals means stronger, drought-resistant plants, heartier seeds, and sustainable income streams.

One of our partner farmers, Don Hilario, shares his path with agroecology:

“With agroecology, we learned to cultivate through organic fertilizers, we learned to control pests through microorganisms, with organic fertilizers we are learning that our crops are improved, that our quality of life is better, and that it is possible to be well. We have our fertilizer biofactory and we have a project for the production of rock flour to give us the opportunity to want to improve our way of cultivating the soil.

“My well-being is a testimony to the importance of agroecology. I was very ill and my doctors gave me so many medications. I was lucky, instead, to meet someone from Puente who told me the importance of removing chemicals from our soil and from our plate. Today, I am strong and can rise up out of bed to work my land every day for my family and for my community. That is why I organize the biofactory so other farmers know its importance and have access.”

Today, on Earth Day, Puente is committed to partnering with smallholder farmers and rural communities for a future that is sustainable, that embraces new innovations while renewing traditional knowledge, and that values health and well-being in every stage of the agricultural cycle.

As a community organization, our primary concern is the health and well-being of our neighbors, partners, and team, and we are announcing the following preventative measures: beginning Wednesday 18 of March, Puente a la Salud Comunitaria will be closing our central office as well as our regional centers in Villa de Etla and Tlaxiaco, Mixteca.

These public spaces will be closed until further notice as we continue to monitor the COVID-19 health crisis. All workshops and gatherings will be rescheduled following the indications from health authorities. ⠀

The COVID-19 pandemic is a crisis that affects everyone. We urge everyone to come together in solidarity by washing their hands frequently and staying apart. We believe it is important to take these actions of solidarity to minimize the risks to everyone. Practicing safe distancing is a way to say “I care about your health and the health of your loved ones.”

Even though our offices and regional sales centers are closed, we are still here and we are still working for food sovereignty and community solidarity. It’s a new world of using technology to connect and finding creative solutions to support our communities. You can follow us on social media to learn about new initiatives we undertake during this crisis. We look forward to connecting with you.

Questions? Feel free to contact us via email at isa@nullpuentemexico.org.

I spent this past summer working with Puente on their Veranos de Nutrición (Summer of Nutrition) program. This amazing opportunity was made possible through the Monica Miller Walsh Grant from the Stanford University Center for Latin America Studies. Currently, I am completing my Master of Science in Epidemiology, and hope to attend medical school in the near future. I have deep roots in Oaxaca; my mother is from a small village in the Mixteca region named San Pedro y San Pablo Tequixtepec. She migrated to the United States before I was born, and labored as a farmworker picking produce across Oregon and Washington.

I first became aware of Puente when I participated in a university trip – “Community Health” – in Oaxaca, with Dr. Gabriel Garcia, and became increasingly interested in how cultural, socioeconomic, and biological environments influence health. As I learned about Puente, I saw that they worked at the intersection of these factors at the community level. Growing up, I heard countless stories of the challenges that my mother faced in her village, which didn’t have electricity or running water, and the nutritional challenges they faced that led to stunting and other health problems. During my time in Oaxaca, I helped implement and evaluate the Veranos de Nutrición camps, assisting with sessions and interviewing youth leaders about their experiences and perceptions of the program.

While travelling with the Puente team I saw the daily challenges that communities face in preparing healthy food for their children. I also learned about the importance of diversifying income streams for families. I met one family that, with the support of Puente, had been able to increase their crop production, better support their children’s education, and establish a sense of self-sufficiency. They spoke of improving their health through knowledge of nutrition. It was beautiful to hear a girl explain their family business and how Puente had empowered her to be more outspoken. I also recall sitting with a young girl named Lupita over lunch and talking about what made up a healthy diet. As she described her meal to me, I thought about the importance of access to health education and the benefit of the nutritious meals that Puente provided her and other kids like her.

This summer was incredibly transformative and reinforced a sense of pride in Oaxaca and the resilience of its people with an unwavering desire to improve conditions for future generations. It was also a time of reflection about my role as a volunteer, a Mixtec woman, and a US citizen. As I pursue my studies in medicine, my dream is to return to Oaxaca as a physician working to reduce health disparities and challenges. Thanks to my experience with Puente I left Oaxaca with a sense of hope for the future.

— Gianna Nino Tapia