Dear Friends of Tlamacazapa and Atzin,
Known as “Día de los Reyes” (Day of the Kings), January the 6th is a special occasion in Mexico. It commemorates the three wise men who followed the Star of Bethlehem and brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for the baby Jesus. As the Epiphany of the twelve days of Christmas, this festival dates back to the fourth century.
Children throughout Mexico receive gifts on this day after enjoying hot chocolate and a piece of rosca. A rosca is a crown-shaped sweet bread covered in dried fruit that has small doll figures (muñecos) hidden inside it, representing the Christ child. Anyone with a doll in their piece of rosca will provide tamales (steamed corn cakes wrapped in cornhusks) for Candlemas Day on February 2nd.
In Tlamacazapa, the custom of sharing roscas only started about thirty years ago, starting first in the church and primary school, and then spreading to people’s homes. Ana, a young Atzin team member, explained, “People cut the rosca and drink hot chocolate in their homes, but few children receive gifts. When I was a child, the Day of the Kings was a time to drink chocolate, be with my family, and especially, the excitement of finding a doll inside the rosca!”
For families in Tlamacazapa, the Day of the Kings is about togetherness and belonging. Today, the day is also celebrated with a mass, a procession in the streets, and on arrival back at the church, church stewards distribute rosca while children break piñatas filled with candy, oranges and jicamas, and unshelled peanuts.
Learning about the celebratory traditions of different peoples is such a glorious way to enlarge our worlds, and in the process, we become bigger people: more understanding and inclusive and so, stronger in spirit.
In grateful appreciation of your spirited gifts during 2019, and with warmest wishes for 2020,
Susan
Links:
Dear Friends of Tlamacazapa and Atzin,
Posadas are an important Christmas tradition in Tlamacazapa. Having originated in Spain, a posada, meaning "accommodation" in Spanish, takes place each night from December 16 to 24th, re-enacting Mary and Joseph's difficult journey to Bethlehem and their search for shelter.
In Tlamacazapa, Mary and Joseph, often played by a young girl and boy, brave the cold and lead a procession at dusk through the streets to the church, with participants holding lighted candles and singing carols. Arriving at the church, they sing outside asking for shelter. Those inside sing in response, saying that there is no room at the inn. The song switches back and forth until finally, the “innkeepers” agree to open the church door. People stream inside and gather around the Nativity manger to pray. The hosts distribute food, often tamales and hot drinks like ponche or atole, and the children eagerly break star-shaped piñatas, letting loose an avalanche of candy, peanuts and mandarins.
The posadas are about a pilgrimage in motion, song, food and prayer – an annual tradition that deepens faith and builds community ties. We at Atzin are also in motion, working to alleviate acute poverty and to create a better quality of life. Your donation during this festive season helps us to do this – a sheltering posada of a different sort.
Giving Tuesday on December 3rd is DONATION DAY! The Giving Tuesday Campaign at Global Giving, our crowdfunding partner, means proportional distribution of US$500,000 among participating NGOs. Again, be prepared on Tuesday, December 3rd. Your donation will be boosted – support that is also in motion!
Gratefully as always, Susan
Links:
November 1st, 2019
Dear Friends of Atzin and Tlamacazapa,
Today is the Day of the Dead here in Mexico when departed loved ones are remembered with ofrendas, special alters that are set up in homes to celebrate their lives and acknowledge their passing from this world. The ofrenda is adorned with candles, photos, cempasúchil (tall marigolds), flor de terciopelo (velvet flower), fruit, favourite foods, and delicious pan de muerto (bread of the dead). People await the spirits of their loved ones who will gently visit during the night. Today and tomorrow, families form a steady stream into the cemeteries, cleaning the grave sites, and placing incense and flowers. Many will share a meal while others play guitars and offer songs to their departed. The smoke and smell of copal hovers like a light fog over everyone present.
Among the Atzin staff and families in Tlamacazapa, we have lost many this past year, and while this loss has taken its toll on everyone, now is a time to remember them. In Mexico and across the Americas, people are again engaged in fierce struggles against inequality, racism and ecological degradation, with the deaths of students, environmental activists, immigrant children escaping violence and acute poverty, and those protesting unfair prices and privatization. The celebration of the Day of the Dead is an act that honours death, life and resistance. Especially today, sorrow about loss is held simultaneously with a determination to hold on tight to a spirited dream of a bountiful future for the living. Your support helps us to hold on tight.
Abrazos fuertes to everyone.
Gratefully as always,
Susan
Links:
Dear Friends of Atzin and Tlamacazapa,
Those readers keen on health and wellbeing may also be interested in education and our recent report on Atzin scholarships awarded from 2001-2018.
THE NUMBERS. A total of 80 individuals from Tlamacazapa received funding for their studies during those years. 65 young people received partial scholarships as cash each month; 15 individuals had full scholarships (with all fees, books and materials, transport and in most cases, room and board). Counting by year, Atzin managed a total of 209 scholarships as many recipients received multi-year awards.
It is an impressive number, especially since each recipient did community service (usually four+ hours per week) – a way of “paying it forward” – which also had to be organized and supervised by Atzin staff.
THE GOOD NEWS. In August 2019, Atzin won grant funding for our education program from the PSM Foundation based in Mexico City. Along with continued donations from loyal supporters, this grant means that this year eight young women in Tlamacazapa now have partial scholarships (7 in junior high; 1 in high school) while four more from Tlamacazapa have partial (2) or full support (2) while studying in Cuernavaca, Morelos.
HELP TO KEEP THIS GOING. Education is vitally important, particularly for those trapped in poverty. Education increases people’s opportunities in life, and as studies have shown, the education of women is correlated with better child nutrition and fewer deaths of children in future. Atzin aims to build up the scholarship awards, contributing to the development of careers of all types.
With sincere thanks as always,
Susan
Links:
Dear Friends of Tlamacazapa and Atzin,
The sheer amount of firewood carried out of the forest each week came as a surprise. We already knew that gathering firewood for cooking was heavy, constant work, carried out by both men and women, but when we dug deeper into cooking and fuel consumption, our findings were staggering.
In 2017-19 with financing from Rotary Club Lethbridge (Alberta, Canada), Atzin distributed ecological rocket stoves to 300 families trapped in acute poverty and cooking over an open, three-rock fire.Ecological rocket stoves use up to 60% less fuel and emit up to 70% less smoke when compared to cooking over an open fire, thereby reducing consumption of natural resources and toxic smoke inhalation as well as allowing faster cooking time and using just small sticks for fuel. The proper use of a rocket stove frees up considerable time for family members, especially for women cooks - time that can then be spent on other activities and with their children.
To better understand the adoption of the stoves, two young village women interviewed each female household head twice (pre- and post-stove) about family size, cooking practices, and time and quantity of firewood required. This information was then organized into tables and analyzed.
Findings. Of the 300 households (HH) on the pre-stove interview,
Older youth or men typically carried a load of firewood that weighed between 36 to 41 kg. A total number of 694 trips per week were reported by those families that gathered firewood. Each trip represented one heavy work day of 4-5 hours per person, with each family having a designated people who did this work, either by individually (always men) or in small groups of 2-3 people.
The 694 trips per week roughly represent 20,820 kilograms being extracted from the forest each week by the 263 HHs, using a conservative weight of 30 kg/load.
You might want to read that again – 694 trips extracting roughly 20,820 kilograms of firewood each week by only 263 families - just imagine the time and effort involved.
As an affordable and efficient technology, an ecological stove can certainly make a difference, and contribute to the wellbeing of families.
With your support, we can continue to lighten the load for those living in poverty in Tlamacazapa.
Sincerely, Susan
Links:
Project Reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you will get an e-mail when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports via e-mail without donating.
We'll only email you new reports and updates about this project.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
