By Francisco Ehrenberg | Innovation and Special Projects Officer
Dear friends,
We are delighted to share with you that our project in the Yucatan Peninsula came to a very successful end last month. All of the project’s activities were carried out on time partly because of the great work of our partner organization, a local cooperative called Túumben K’óoben, and because of your continued support for the Sustainable Rural Life Program.
During these past months we worked with three Mayan communities in the Puuc region of the Yucatan Peninsula, two of them in the state of Campeche (Suc Tuc and Ich Ek) and one in the state of Yucatan (San Agustín). This region is of high conservation priority because it still retains 86% of its original forest cover, serving as a sanctuary for biodiversity and a corridor connecting some of the peninsula’s protected areas. Although the collection of firewood is not the main environmental pressure that these forests face, it contributes to forest degradation as 66% of the families that live there burn this type of fuel in traditional open fires to cook and heat water. More importantly, indoor air pollution resulting from firewood combustion in inefficient stoves is a major threat to the health of the women and children of these communities.
With your help, we were able to deliver more appropriate cooking technologies to 59 Mayan families. In total, we distributed 42 solar pots, built 17 fuel-efficient stoves and carried out a series of workshops in each community, highlighting the proper use and maintenance of the technologies.
Sustainable Rural Life in 2018
We have already begun our efforts to mobilize new resources to support 14 new communities in Mexico, this time in the northern states of Nuevo León and Coahuila. This year’s project is a little more ambitious in its reach, as it includes water and food security components through the creation of small-scale community farms and the construction of rainwater harvesting systems.
More info on this is coming soon!
We will continue to work tirelessly to improve the living conditions of some of the most vulnerable segments of the population in rural Mexico, while at the same time contributing to the conservation of the country’s vast but endangered natural heritage.
We'd love for you to continue with us on this journey by donating, spreading the word, and staying tuned-in for all of our updates.
Thank you!
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