Tamakepalis: Rebuilding their dwellings in Puebla

Even with the operational limitations due to the pandemic, in this period we were able to advance with the reconstruction works in the community of Santiago Mamalhuazuca. 

Without a doubt, the conditions due to the effects of COVID-19 have delayed us, but thanks to the community organization we have continued working, with fewer people and a slower pace, but reaching the proposed goals. 

Within the reconstruction goals, the 12 houses proposed initially to the GlobalGiving community were completed. Now these families can live in their new houses! 

We have also followed the construction work of eco-technologies. 

Two work crews were hired, each made up of three master masons. With this work team we have finished building 12 eco-techniques of the 20 committed; To date, 7 rainwater collectors have been delivered, 3 ferrocement tanks for rainwater storage, a dry toilet and a Lorena stove (made of mud and sand). 

Taking care of each other to continue working, in the following months, we will continue to build life with more eco-technologies for the families of Santiago Mamalhuazuca!

And in Puebla…. With the help of other donors, we have already started the construction of the solidarity market! The local economy of Cuautomatila will soon be strengthened!

In recent months, our lives have been crossed by the health contingency, as COVID-19 led to a pandemic that has spread rapidly to the entire planet, thereby marking the current history of humanity. The affectations have been multiple, affecting in one way or another practically everyone. A first aspect that has changed in our lives is our ability to mobilize and move outside of our place of origin. Another affectation has been in the economic implications of a society that has to stop its activities. And without a doubt, the most complex affections have been faced by those who have had to experience the effects of having become ill with coronavirus.

All these factors have impacted the Tamakepalis Initiative, which has been kept in action, thanks to the determination of the people who are part of it, and which has allowed us to continue with the following actions:

In Santa Cruz Cuautomatitla, although at a slower speed and with many precautions, we continue to work with the reconstruction of 68 houses - in addition to the initial goal of 100 houses repaired due to the effects of the 2017 earthquake. So far, the percentage of progress in repairing these homes is 60%.

It was also possible to start the architectural design of the solidarity market that we hope to start building in the following month.

In Mamalhuazuca, meetings were held with the families participating in the project, with whom it was also decided to continue with the self-production works.

People mentioned "To stay home, we first have to have a house, let's continue rebuilding"

The corresponding precautions were taken; among them, community work had to be canceled, and the methodology and reconstruction plans were modified in order to continue with what each family could advance.

The work was not less for this; distance training was given, slabs were rebuilt, roofs were repaired, walls were re-planted, facilities were prepared for eco-technologies including ferro-cement tanks.

How to rebuild, while a pandemic happens?

It was undoubtedly a question that caused us a lot of concern at first, but we continue to belive that together we can move forward.

"We continue to make him want and when we can, we will invite other families so they can see the work we have done ... for now let's take care of each other

Strengthening our support in rebuilding homes affected by the 2017 earthquake, with a strategic plan for the reconstruction of livelihoods, has been our purpose...

...And apparently we are achieving it!

The successful experience of the reconstruction of 100 houses has facilitated the process to develop - together with the families of the community of Santa Cruz Cuatomatitla and the Autonomous University of Puebla - a strategic plan for promoting local production under the proposed principles of a Social and Solidarity Economy, and with special emphasis on the inclusion of women and youth.

Thus, in this period we were able to move forward with the formulation of the project that we will be implementing starting in April, which includes the following actions:

1. Design and build a community market to boost the local economy.

2. Develop capacities to promote organic agriculture.

3. Design and deliver the Life Plan course to at least 20 young people to promote the development of local entrepreneurship projects.

4. Implement a training program in the community, for reflection and action in gender equality.

From January to date, we concluded the management of the resources required to advance to this next stage in Santa Cruz Cuautomatila.

But we also continue to rebuild houses:

With agreements reached with the federal government to finance the reconstruction of 85 additional houses, the Tosepan team has continued to offer technical assistance to families to achieve this goal soon. We currently have 30% progress in the rebuilding processes of these homes.

The Reconstruction of homes in Santiago Mamalhuazuca:

During this period we had six parties to celebrate the reconstruction of 6 houses that are already being inhabited by their families! And we hope to soon achieve the goal of proposal to GlobalGiving to achieve the total reconstruction of 12 houses in this community.

The elaboration of community tasks to achieve results and strengthen the social fabric among its population has been essential.

Other keys to success in this project have been the advice and support of COPEVI for the recovery of adobe homes and the participation of students from the Technological University of the Chalco Valley (TUVCH)

From the community meetings the people of Mamalhuazuca share with us that: "When the students come, they motivate us to do things well and to take the initiative as a group"
For the students of this region, the experience has also been very important to strengthen their learning process and take root in their sense of solidarity.

"When we come to do community work we learn solidarity, not the fact of helping because this is from top to bottom, we learn that not because we are professionals we are worth more than others, but on the contrary, we serve others ..." (Eréndira, student TUVCH)

We continue to seek more resources for the reconstruction of the other affected houses in Mamalhuazuca, but without this limiting us to continue looking for alternatives to strengthen the sense of cooperation in the community.

And so, together, we keep moving forward.

Thank you so much to the entire GlobalGiving community, for your trust and for all your support!

Strengthening our community and Reproducing Reconstructions

 “In this time we have learned that there are misfortunes that allow us to rebuild and strengthen ourselves as a community and get rid of what divides us”

This is just one of the learnings that the people of Santa Cruz Cuautomatitla shared in a reflection forum in which we participated in the month of October 2019, two years after the September earthquakes occurred.

We have undoubtedly achieved goals that at first would have been unimaginable, we have again confirmed that “ union is strength”, as well as the name of the Cooperative Union of the Northeast Sierra of Puebla to which our Foundation belongs: “Tosepan Titaniske”, that in Nahuatl means “United We Will Win”. 

Reconstructions in Santa Cruz Cuatomatitla (Tochimilco, Puebla):

 During these last months, we carried out the following activities:

 • Through the Tosepantomin Savings and Loan Cooperative, we have already begun a second phase in the reconstruction process to serve 85 families with resources from the National Reconstruction Plan of the current Government of Mexico. In this second stage, architectural projects were developed and approved to support 85 families with resources. We hope that this government resources will be transferred to families in early January 2020 in order to begin this reconstructions.

 • To strengthen community reconstruction processes, in this period, we managed to obtain funds from Fundación Banorte, who have approved a second phase of investment in Santa Cruz Cuautomatitla, to build a market that will boost the solidarity economy in the community, from the exchange and sale of local products and services. Our plan is to accompany this new stage with training processes that improve the productive capacities of the families of Santa Cruz.

 Reproduction of the Reconstruction process in Santiago Mamalhuazuca (Ozumba, State of Mexico):

 Thanks to the resources of Global Giving, the effort of COPEVI and the educational community of the Technological University of Chalco (TUVCH), in this period it was possible to advance the repairs and reconstructions of 8 homes by 50%, as well as to carry out workshops and reflection forums that have strengthened community self-management processes.

 “I have knowledge that I didn't have before, I learned to grab a shovel, to make cement, adobes, to share with new people: architects and students. I have new friends." (Antonia, Santiago Mamalhuazuca).

 Likewise, community tasks have been carried out that allow support the work of home repairs.

 “Previously I never shared anything with my neighbors, now we are united and together" (Bartola, Santiago Mamalhuazuca)

During the month of december, the dynamics of doing community work in the different houses continued during the first two weeks, which resulted in the completion of Gloria Imelda's house, which was partially damaged.

 TUVCH students presented their academic projects carried out: radio capsules that encourage and describe community participation in ravine cleaning and reconstruction process.

 On the other hand, in the meeting of the month of december the people of Mamalhuazuca manifest the following lessons during this year: work as a team, learn to know each other as partners, be tolerant and understanding, live together, learn how to make adobes and earth repels, stirrups and basic masonry.

 The feelings that prevail in Mamalhuazuca at the end of 2019 are joy and gratitude for meeting new friends and sharing experiences.

 "We must continue to support everything to complete the reconstruction of everyone's houses, to build community by supporting each other" (Noemí, Santiago Mamalhuazuca).

Challenges in Mamalhuazuca:

With the resources of Global Giving we are supporting 12 families who lost their homes, however, we continue in the search for more financing to serve more families who also lost their homes and after 2 years, they still do not have support of any kind to be able to rebuild.

Thanks to all the support of the global giving community, institutions, companies and people who have participated in the Tamakepalis reconstruction project, in these two years after the earthquake, we have been able not only to rebuild the initially compromised houses, but also to increase goals and take important steps in the reconstruction of the community livelihoods of Santa Cruz Cuautomatitla.

Thus, on this occasion we want to share with you the actions that we continue to implement and that keep our spirits on to continue this reconstruction project.

In recent months we have achieved the following actions:

- At the end of June we invited public officials who participate in the National Reconstruction Plan of the current Government of Mexico, to share our experience in the reconstruction project of 100 houses that were affected by the earthquake in Santa Cruz Cuautomatitla (Tochimilco, Puebla) .

- Derived from this meeting, through the National Reconstruction Plan, we established agreements that would support more families that were affected by the earthquake in this community. The reconstruction of 85 more homes in Santa Cruz Cuautomatitla is currently underway.

- With these actions, a total of 185 houses affected by the earthquake in Santa Cruz Cuatomatitla would be supported.

And now ... the community livelihoods of Cuautomatitla:

The effects of the earthquake also represented an opportunity to strengthen the social organization of this community and the livelihoods on which they depend to boost their development in conditions of sustainability.

In this sense, through community meetings, we established agreements to promote productive projects, based on community reforestation, with agroforestry systems. In these months we have made progress in lobbying with the Federal Government's Life Sowing program, as well as with other institutions, hoping to achieve these efforts very soon.

Beyond Cuautomatitla:

- With the support of the Global Giving community, and in coordination with COPEVI and the Technological University of Chalco, we managed to gather resources that now allow us to accompany the reconstruction project in Santiago Mamalhuazuca, a community that is also located on the slopes of the Popocateptl volcano , but in the municipality of Ozumba of the State of Mexico.

- On August 10 we made an exchange of experiences, inviting members of the Mamalhuazuca community to Santa Cruz Cuautomatitla to share lessons and start the collaboration plan for the reconstruction of 12 houses in Mamalhuazuca. We will also be implementing actions to get more alliances and financial resources that could allow us to support more families in this town.

And so, this is how we continue in this reconstruction process.

Thank you very much for all your support.