Zapotec Post-Earthquake Reconstruction | Oaxaca MX

You and we, understand that impacting the link between  youth and their territory is a priority for the world. The livelihoods of the territory where we live are under constant threat by the megaprojects that are driven through the interoceanic corridor, in addition to all the natural and social events that have emerged since the earthquake of 2017 and that increased with the health emergency by COVID-19. We have realized that crises and emergencies have consequently increased the violence and neglect to which children are exposed, weakening the ties they have for their community and territory, their sense of belonging and therefore their mental health and well-being. 

We want to tell you that this month we began participatory diagnostics with children and adolescents in the community of Chihuitán, a community in the Istmo region, very close to where we live. In this community we will implement the project "Strengthening the Zapotec Identity" coordinated by our colleague Sara who shared with us what inspires her to be part of this social cause: 

Working with children and adolescents is impacted by our own experiences as Zapotec girls and now as adults. Which has allowed us to observe and identify shortcomings and first hand needs during our childhoods, as well as threats to our ways of life and therefore to the possibility, for the new generations, to enjoy a dignified and respectful life towards our [their] identity.

Although our childhoods were not perfect, they were developed in daily spaces where community ties were strengthened and values that strengthen cultural roots and love for our territory were learned. We learned from the community the forms of organization, values, but also how to live in harmony in the space we inhabit, we learned by seeing, listening, living in it, where we come from. Each member of the community was an open book that protects the knowledge that builds our collective cultural identity.

In this context, I think it is a priority to strengthen the identity of the children of our communities, giving them back their daily community spaces and the possibility of developing healthily in them, revaluing the local knowledge that forms our identity to sow other possibilities for their future and sow the seed of cooperation and not competition; strengthen their self-esteem in safe spaces where they can discover and develop their skills through the resignification of traditional trades and above all feel listened to. All this is what we do with the accompaniment of our educational program".

Thanks to Sara and thanks to you who read us and accompany us to promote this project, soon we will have more news of what happened in Chihuitán and how we can share more safe spaces. 

Best regards, 

Alejandra Rosado

As we have told you before, the heart of UMPO is the children, we never tire of saying it: improving the world depends on taking care of the roots, caring for them, and teaching them how beautiful the world is. When this project was born we gave it a lot of strength from the accompaniment of women and their enterprises, but we always wanted to include all the seeds, families, children and youth.

Today we are very happy to share with you that after two years of not being able to start activities for children, due to the pandemic, this year we are restarting a cycle fully dedicated to them.

In our journey, we realized that the way we create a real love for the territory we inhabit depends on how young we get involved with it. Knowing the traditional crafts and our customs in a harmonious way from an early age is the best way to encourage respect and love, to create strong communities and safe learning spaces. Violence in our region towards children has increased by 300% since last year, they are living in hostile spaces, that's why in UMPO we started the cycles of crafts and arts workshops.

So far more than 40 indigenous and migrant children and adolescents have been able to access them. We have had courses in agroecology, weaving, photography in the territory, singing in Zapotec and reading circles. The groups have been beautiful, the community support as well, so we are starting a new cycle where we want to include projects, programs and organizations that are doing something to change the situation in which children live.

We want to talk, we want to build and we know that this will be achieved little by little with the support of all of you, who have been with us since the beginning of this dream.