Teaching children in Chiapas how to grow forests

I am convinced that the best way to make a change and get the projects to continue is to involve kids and teens. The target of our Teaching children in Chiapas project is exactly that, nevertheless it is not enough. For us it is also very important to involve people from the communities to be part of the project as trainers. 

Let me tell you Marco’s story. He is originary from a community named Benemerito de las Américas in the Lacandon rainforest.

Marco arrived in Na Bolom to do his social service as part of his college credits. When we started the nurseries project in the rainforest, he asked us to let him go with us as a volunteer. Thanks to the donations we have been receiving and the interest of the schools to open more nurseries we hired him. He has been great as he is from the area and knows the roads. He has been doing the follow up and trainings in the 5 nurseries we opened this year at the Lacandon rainforest area. He even took care of the plants during the summer while the schools were closed and got the students and parents come help him. Marco loves the project. He says he really enjoys being part of something that can make a change.

Other things we do

One of our projects in Na Bolom is a medical Fund through which we help lacandon people with medicines and doctors’ appointments. Juan is from Metzabok. He has a problem in his nervous system and cannot walk. He spent a month in San Cristobal during the spring to see doctors and get a treatment. As part of the activities with the help of an organization called independent movement, Juan learnt how to use a wheelchair so that he can have certain movement and doesn't depend entirely on his family. Na Bolom got the wheelchair and took it to his home. Every time we need to visit the communities’ part of our climate change team travels to recognize other possibilities, recover seeds or do a diagnose of the area. In this case Victor oversaw the visit and took medicines to Juan's wife, Patricia so that he can continue with his treatment, as part of the trip he was able to recognize another area where to collect seeds and work with the lacandons.

Thanks to your help we can continue working. Please consider becoming a monthly donor.