Seguridad alimentaria y desarrollo artesanal-turistico para la poblaciòn Maya del estado de Campeche
- Financiers: Italian Episcopal Conference, Umbria Region, El Hombre Sobre la Tierra (HST)
- Start year: 2011
- Duration: 4 years (completed in 2015)
- Financing: € 232.490
- People helped: 1.200
Description
The project, implemented by GSI ITALIA in collaboration with the local NGO El Hombre Sobre la Tierra, promotes food safety and craftsmanship/tourism in favour of Maya population residing in the Campeche state (Mexico); the activities are mainly carried out in the town of Calkini and in the nearby villages (the poorest ones) of S. Nicola, Santa Maria, Pucnachen, Tankuché, Chunhuás, Xkakoch, San Antonio Sahcabchén and Tepakán.
The intervention is intended to improve living conditions of about 300 women – and the ones of their respective families – which are exposed to extreme poverty caused by their husbands’ death, mainly due to alcohol abuse, and by the difficulties they encounter in finding a job or starting up a business so that to meet their needs in terms of food, health and education. Through the organization of training course, the programme is able to provide beneficiaries with practical and theoretical tools which may be used to enhance their food safety and generate income though small businesses in the agriculture, craftsmanship and tourism fields; as far as agriculture is concerned, the 300 target women involved learnt sustainable techniques and started up businesses that, through marketing in the Fair trade circuits, guarantee an income increase and a better economic diversification. They are also trained in the fields of savings, formal and informal credit and sale so that to acquire a better understanding of these processes and guarantee a progressive growth of their income.
Achieved results
- strengthening of food safety for 300 women and respective families through specific training and support to agricultural production of biological food;
- an increase in average income as 150 women have be supported in agricultural production, 50 have be trained on services for sustainable tourism and have seen their chances to get a job improved and 100 have made handmade products destined to be sold.