Zapotec Post-Earthquake Reconstruction | Oaxaca MX

I can’t believe 2019 ending, I am already missing this year. My name is Ale Rosado,  in the picture I am the one with the headband, left corner. This portrait was taken in Santa María Guienagati, a community that is part of our region, but 2 hours north. Do you remember “The Rivers Song” music festival in a previous project report? (August 22)  Well, one of the bands that played was from Guienagati. We were so happy to meet them and they made such a great presentation at the festival.

After that, they invited us to a tequio (mutual support activities) for planting trees in their village. Of course we went.  Oh my god! when we arrived there, people were so organized as a community that I totally fell in love with the village. That day we worked with the “Women in Resistance for the Defense of Río GuiguBicu”. We visited their properties, many of them have enormous lands, not to produce but to plant trees and take care of the woods. They had so many fruit trees in their land: guava, mango, chicozapote, mandarin, avocado, banana…most of the fruit  rotten so it was wasted. That same day we agreed to deliver a workshop for fruits and vegetables preservation. 

Perseida, Aida and I returned to Guienagati last November, it was amazing! The workshop was announced in the communitary megaphone, some minutes later there were 13 women and 2 man in the communitary kitchen. I was so happy those days, people took care of us a lot. During the classes everybody brought fruit from their homes, we prepared papaya jam, orange jam, nopal pickles, we talk about the importance of temperature, packaging, sterilization…

Guienagati is between the mountains, there is not phone signal neither internet. I have given food production classes to many people and I can tell you that I had never felt that knowledge was so apprehended like how I witnessed there. The level of commitment of all remind me why I took this teaching path.  Ana, one of the youngest women (blue t-shirt) said “I am very glad you came, nobody ever comes to teach us this kind of topics. I have to tell you I wasn’t part of the women resistance but now I am”

Today is an important day for us because is our first year end campaign with GlobalGiving. We are so happy to see all the achievements of this year that we couldn’t forget to thank you for all your inspiring support. This is the last report of the year but you will hear from us very soon. 

Happy new year!