Oaxaca Project Update No.3

It’s hard to believe that the summer is coming to an end so soon! Over the past three weeks since midterm, volunteers have been working hard to complete their community-based initiatives. Often, the most successful way to get the community to participate in project implementation once materials have arrived is to have the town authorities call a tequio or workday. Volunteers throughout the project have been working side by side community members at these workdays to see projects to their fruition. Community projects completed so far include benches in front of the church, a community library, a demonstrative and communal lorena stove at the town’s clinic, trashcans and recycling pickup programs, and a community nursery.

Community Nutrition volunteers have been re-visiting every amaranth garden that they’ve planted in order to monitor the progress of the plants’ growth and check for any problems, such as pests, lack of water, etc. Volunteers in Puente a la Salud Comunitaria communities also conducted an interest survey with local youth to help Puente assess the viability of working more closely with youth.

Digital Culture volunteers focused their classes on local music and dance over the past couple of weeks, and the Guelaguetza provided an excellent opportunity to film local dances in action. Volunteers attended Guelaguetzas in their communities or in their regional hubs with their students and put together short films about the event.

On both projects, classes during the last week touched on the theme of childrens’ rights and activities focused on celebrating the joys of being a child. Volunteers have also planned clausuras, or closing ceremonies, for participating students and their parents this week, where they will exhibit student work, present certificates and recognize everyone involved in the summer’s accomplishments.

Volunteers will travel to Oaxaca City on Sunday for a project-wide clausura. After saying their final goodbyes to community members, volunteers will spend the next two days in Oaxaca, where they’ll have a chance to see sights in and around the city and do some highly anticipated shopping. Supervisors will lead closing activities to reflect on the summer and prepare for the transition back to the U.S.  Volunteers head to Mexico City on Tuesday for their flight Wednesday morning.

This has been a wonderful group to work with and we will be sad to see them go!