Regenerate the social & natural fabric in Oaxaca

I recently met don Pedro, our community partner of the Permaculture Demonstration Center at San Andrés Huayapam. He was heading home after the milpa harvest

 –Has been a good year, like the old times–– he told me. He should know, has worked his land most of his long life. He recently celebrated his 84^th birthday with his huge family, a kind of highly respected  godfather in his community.

As part of our project, don Pedro is nowadays one of the biggest organic tomato producers in the central Valleys of Oaxaca. He once told me that he became organic many years ago, because they were so poor that they could not afford synthetic fertilizers.

–I also noticed that plants became lazy with chemicals– he explains. Don Pedro hardly finished elementary school, but has filled every important position in his town, including Major (Presidente Municipal), and I have always considered him my teacher in agriculture and ecology.

We often discuss climate change issues, and he is always eager lo learn. I wanted him to know about the good news: Our project had been selected for the 2021-22 cohort in the GG´ Climate Action Fund. As an old zapotec indian, don Pedro is not very expressive, but I could tell from the spark in his eyes that the news excited him.  Eager to know more, he listened very attentively that there is a group of five initiatives that include coral reef protection in Malaysia, community partnerships in central America´s tropical forests, creating forests for food in Kenya, and protecting indigenous knowledge in Peru.

While talking to don Pedro, I became aware of something I expressed later in one of our cohort meetings: I do not know what I like the most about this climate action group: what we have in common or what makes us different. I also came out with a phrase I would love to share with you and the rest of our planet:

In face of global warming

Future will be green and spiritual,

founded on the underdogs and the native peoples,

guided by women.

Or it will not be

And of course, I would like to thank you all for being part of this effort!

Links:

• search for INSOs instagram site
• recent news on GlobalGiving Climate Action Fund

Today, July 22th, is the Earth Day all around the planet. We celebrated it with an early morning reforestation at El Crestón ecological park, nearby Oaxaca city. It was the first public action since the pandemic´s confinement.

This is also a good day to announce great news: First, we have reached our project´s original funding goal, set almost two years ago. We would like to thank all of our donors and supporters for being part of this initiative. It has been an honor to be partners in this.

We have thoroughly reviewed the project, raised our goals and adjusted strategies, and thus found reasonable to double our original funding goal. Particularly, we have put even more stress in Climate Action. We are confident that friends and supporters will continue to go along with us in this exciting new phase!

Second announcement is that we are soon reopening El Pedregal Demonstration Center to all public activities, including the children´s program, guided tours, workshops and other training activities. It has been hard work, but with the help of friends, volunteers and rain (finally, thank gods) we are about to be ready. Together with this, the mettings of the Oaxacan Water Forum will also start soon.

And summer is the season for plowing and sowing as well as reforesting. We are working in an almost day-to-day basis, slowly retaking many of our activities and plans affected by the pandemic. As you can see, we have learned to be flexible. Not a bad outcome from the crisis!

Links:

• INSOs fb page