As part of our new phase as an organization and thanks to funding from the Alfredo Harp Helú Foundation, we have resumed part of the “Healthy Families” program with more than 50 low-income women who are part of the MARES project in the Casahuates, Manantial, Cuatro Milpas and La Gotera neighborhoods in the eastern zone of Zaachila.

The activities include monthly training to integrate the use of family eco-techniques for the production of vegetables and the cultivation, processing and consumption of amaranth to promote food security and improve the nutrition of women and their families.

Alejandra’s daughter immersed herself in and closely followed the seedling transplant process, even assisting with watering. By the end of the session, she requested a pot for herself.

“This workshop I learned that growing my own vegetables at home will bring me great benefits.”

Testimonial

“I had never worked in this way before, as a team”

Testimonial

The “Healthy Families” activities preceed the savings sessions of the MARES project (Women Saving in Solidarity Networks), a financial autonomy initiative that aims to help women unlocking  their potential, overcoming gender role the limitations and ensurin their economic and social participation within and  beyond their communities.

“In addition to providing some economic certainty to women in the area, these sessions accompany families to improve their nutritional status by cultivating and consuming food produced at their homes”

Testimonial

Up to this point, the sessions have concentrated on topics such as cooking vegetables, making homemade compost, preparing Hot Cakes with amaranth, and growing vegetables in pots.

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.

PUENTE WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE 30 COMMUNITIES IN VALLES CENTRALES AND LA MIXTECA DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

The impact of COVID-19 on Oaxaca and the government order to shelter in place has required Puente to adapt its work to our changing circumstances. As a community organization, our primary interest is in promoting the health and well-being of our farmers and their communities by supporting agroecological food production and creating jobs and economic opportunities. The need for social distancing has limited the scope of our work and the activities we can carry out, but the crisis has also opened additional opportunities. Puente staff continues to work remotely and – where and when it is safe – in the fields. They are adapting existing programs and developing new initiatives that are consistent with good practices in this challenging time.

However, our financial outlook has changed dramatically and has required structural changes in our organization. We remain committed to the mission and work of Puente in support of rural communities in Oaxaca, and the values on which the organization was founded. After careful evaluation of what is feasible in the future given our new reality, we made the decision to narrow the scope and size of the organization in a way that still serves Puente’s mission and leverages the smaller amount of resources we have moving forward. This means we will eliminate the Healthy Families program and focus resources on our existing Ecoamaranth and
Social Economy programs, both of which will continue to hold health promotion as a central value.

We realize that these cuts will have challenging personal and financial impacts on our staff and their families, particularly at a time of a health and economic crisis. We take these actions reluctantly, but with the understanding that a smaller, more focused team will allow the organization to maintain our commitments to our farmers and communities, survive the current crisis, and rebuild in better times to come.

¡Estamos lanzando un boletín semanal!

El acceso a una alimentación adecuada, sana y especialmente compuesta por alimentos locales, garantiza el derecho a la alimentación bajo los principios de la soberanía alimentaria.

Para hablar de una buena nutrición, debemos hacer referencia a la interacción entre los alimentos, el cuerpo y el ambiente; ya que no la prodríamos entender como ajena a los modelos productivos, a los sistemas alimentarios ay a los alimentos mismos.

Con ese fin, Puente está lanzando un boletín semanal con el propósito de compartir información sobre alimentación y salud, dando mayor atención en estos primeros números a la contingencia por la que atravesamos.

Cada edición incluirá información sobre la salud y el medio ambiente, consejos para proteger tu salud mental, información actualizada sobre la pandemia de COVID-19, recetas y actividades para niñxs.

El diseño ilustrado en blanco y negro significa impresión de bajo costo para organizaciones y familias que desean imprimir el boletín. ¡Damos la bienvenida a cualquiera que desee imprimir y compartir esta información! La información objetiva y de apoyo es clave en tiempos de crisis.

También agradecemos comentarios o sugerencias de contenido. Gracias a nuestro equipo de Familias Saludables por sus esfuerzos para organizar y compartir información importante sobre la salud.

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.

4 servings⠀ ⠀ ∙ 30g amaranth seed ⠀ ∙ 1 pc broccoli girl ⠀ ∙ 50g of baked peanut ⠀ ∙ 4 rolls (artisanal amaranth bread is delicious) ⠀ ∙ to accompany (tomato, avocado, chilies (to taste)) ⠀

Cook the amaranth seed: Wash and strain it, as many times as necessary until all the detritus is removed. • Bring the water to a boil, add the seed, boiling for 10 to 15 minutes. • Remove from heat and drain. ⠀ ⠀ Steam the broccoli for 20 minutes. • Drain and allow to cool. • Crush the dry peanut in a blender. • Mix the broccoli, cooked amaranth seed and crushed peanuts. • Start making patties and heat in a flat-bottomed pan with 1 teaspoon of oil. ⠀ ⠀ Serve with your favorite sandwich condiments! ⠀

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.

• 6 servings ⠀
  ⠀
  ∙ 50gr of amaranth seed ⠀
  ∙ 1 cucumber ⠀
  ∙ 2 tomatoes ⠀
  ∙ 1 avocado ⠀
  ∙ 50gr of lentils (boiled in water, seasoned with salt and onion) ⠀
  ∙ 12 amaranth or other locally-purchased tostadas ⠀
  ∙ Cilantro, lemon and salt (to taste) ⠀

Cook the amaranth seed: Wash and strain, as many times as necessary, trying to leave the seeds as clean as possible (without stones or dirt).

Bring the water to a boil, add seed, boiling between 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove from heat. • It is important to drain the seed once it has been removed from the heat.

Once the amaranth seed and lentils are cooked, place both ingredients in a large bowl and mix with diced cucumber, tomato, cilantro, and avocado, season with lemon and salt to taste.

Serve on amaranth tostadas. ⠀

The Harvest

Amaranth is planted in June and harvested in November. You can practically take advantage of all of the plant and its use is diverse, both the seeds and the leaves as well as the popped cereal and the flour.

In the Red Amaranto Mixteca, those involved share their experiences and the machinery. Doña Carmen said that now they have a popper with which they can transform the seed and thus use it as a cereal in desserts, salads, sauces, breads, broths and stews. When the process is manual, it is slower when done on a comal or casserole over low heat.

“In the Mixteca Amaranth Network office we have a popper for all producers; with it we achieve greater amounts. We carry our seed at a cost of 6 pesos per kilo. We are now in the process of buying a mill to make amaranth, wheat and other seed flour.”

The raw seed  is used to make cookies and breads. The popped cereal is for breading, as well as for preparing fresh water and atole.

“I make tortilla chips with the popped cereal, the raw one becomes chewy. As for sales, the processed and ground seed reaches 28 pesos per kilo, the flour, 35 pesos and the popped cereal, 60 pesos ”.

The entire plant is used. With the thresher, they separate the straw and then soak it in water for two hours or until it gets a reddish hue similar to hibiscus flowers. This is added to the tortilla chips, something they want to perfect with the dehydrators they manufacture in Putla.

Amaranth in the kitchen

Doña Carmen told us that the leaf is used in soups, fresh waters, and tortillas. “I put it in the beef or pork broth. My grandchildren eat the leaf in broth, in salad and in tamales, something that fascinates them because when large leaves are given, they wrap the nixtamal with mole and chicken.

They eat it with everything, they are very small (…) Amaranth gives us sustenance. When I was sick, my daughter helped me with the expenses by selling the tototpos. Being younger makes it easier for them to work and sell them. With that they buy me fruit in addition to giving me my pennies,” she said proudly.

Now she, like many other women in her community, plant amaranth in her fields, avoiding the use of chemical fertilizers and taking advantage of her cows’ manure. “It’s beautiful what’s happening. In 100 square meters I was given about 16 kilos of grain for our consumption and for sale,” concluded Señora Abundia.