Support Families in Mexico to Start Saving

As you already know, Philanthropiece A.C. in México fosters the growth of financial security for individuals and families through our Community Savings Groups and Financial Education programs. However, our work does not end there! Did you know that we are also focused on sustainable economic development?

Philanthropiece A.C. is focused on community-wide resilience. We work with Community Savings Groups members to gain the knowledge and resources necessary to grow and sustain their communities as a whole. Alongside our partner organization, Fondo Acción Solidaria A.C. (“FASOL”), Philanthropiece is supporting over a dozen community-led and operated projects that create economic opportunities for rural and low-income communities and are environmentally sustainable. These projects spring from Community Savings Group members who use their leadership, financial management skills, and collective savings funds to initiate the ideas and spark the work. Through mentorship from Philanthropiece team members, many projects also gain seed funding through FASOL. 

Get to know some of the collective projects that Philanthropiece is supporting!

• In the mountainous ranching community of Saltito de la Garcia, savings group members have banded together to initiate a reforestation project. They have constructed greenhouses that allow them to produce plants native to their region. Alongside the environmental conservation that this offers, it also helps them to sustain their enterprise of making furniture and home goods from dried cardon cactus. Community leader Don Jose shared that this project, along with the Savings Groups’ social fund, has had some of the greatest positive impact that he has seen in his community. 

• Further north in the state of Baja California Sur, members of the Supernova savings group in the Sta. Martha community have initiated an ecotourism project that features rehabilitating the trails leading to the pinturas rupuestres (the cave paintings) that are thousands of years old. One of the community leaders, Omar, shared, “I look at the Community Savings Group as a window for the community…it offers ways to meet, communicate, get organized, and work together.” Members of the group communicate that this project serves to share these wonders with visitors, and that it also preserves their cultural heritage, and cultivates the income necessary to protect the natural resources - and the precious archeological sites - of the land they have lived on for generations.

• The powerful group of Puerto Azul from the community of El Chicharrón initiated an all-women’s oyster cooperative. This aquaculture project requires a high degree of technical expertise and physical strength. The women are proud that their project generates income for their families, applies a high standard of health and sanitation, and features sustainable techniques.

• Another all-women’s group in an agricultural village outside of Ciudad Constitución, B.C.S. is using the local resource of the pitaya to foster entrepreneurship and empowerment. They even named their savings groups after their key ingredient; they are called Las Pitaya Ahorradoras(the “Pitaya Savers”). The women produce and sell products of this cactus fruit including marmalades and salsas. 

On behalf of the full team at Philanthropiece A.C. and the communities we work alongside, we wish to offer a sincere appreciation for all of our incredible GlobalGiving champions!

Links:

• https://www.facebook.com/PhilanthropieceAC/videos/286208437171708
• https://www.elsudcaliforniano.com.mx/circulos/comparten-vivencias-grupos-de-ahorradores-10035336.html?fbclid=IwAR1Dw-adsRODfBHrw
• http://fasol-ac.org/recursos-y-materiales/#informes