The Epifita (orchids that grow on trees) garden will continue with the previous volunteer work in the botanical garden situated at the San Cristobal hill. This project aims to create a shelter for regional flora and fauna in the hill (which is inside the city) where inhabitants from the city can learn the importance of forest conservation, garbage separation and recycling, etc. It is also considering the creation of an area for epifitas reproduction such as orchid and bromelia. The idea is to have a prosperous place wherecitizens can enjoy and get involved so they can enrich their knowledge in this botanical garden.
Work:
Volunteering work will consist in the renovation of a “living fence” (built up with regional trees), building a tank for rainwater harvesting, a greenhouse to produce plants, construct a viewpoint, and selecting garbage. During the camping volunteers could organize workshops and activities to raise awareness among the local people about how to take care of the upcoming botanical garden. Other activities will be renovating the access stairs and other facilities, as well as making adobe bricks using soil from the hill
Habitat for Humanity Mexico is a civil society organization that develops projects aimed at solving the housing problem, particularly for low-income families. Housing construction is carried out in several indigenous rural communities located in the border area and in the region of the highlands in the state of Chiapas. Nowadays, Habitat has a presence in over 100 countries, and in Mexico it has about 20 programs in different states allover the country.
Work:
Volunteers will build and improve houses in the communities called “La Trinitaria” and “La Esperanza”, located in the state’s border with Guatemala. Activities include: detailed finishes, plastering, blacksmithing installation, concrete mixing and pouring, and secondary building jobs. Volunteers will organize activities with local youth to discover the lifestyle of this community. Depending on the conditions of these communities, there is the possibility of joining local families in their daily activities regarding handmade food production. If weather and other conditions allow it, we could also visit the archaeological site of Chinkultic and the lakes of Montebello.
Accommodation:
In the communities.
Location:
Municipal head town of La Trinitaria and the community La Esperanza located in the Chiapas border with Guatemala.
Nearest station:
Comitán, one hour away from San Cristobal de las Casas
Participation fee:
2700 mexican pesos.
NOTE:
Visits to the touristic sites are optional and not necessarily included in the camp program and budget.
Nataté and Kinoki Independent Cultural Forum, organized the camp, which is called CINE CON SENTIDO (MOVIES WITH MEANING), which will focus on films and/or documentaries and workshops in different venues, with the aim of exchanging experiences through leisure activities and recreation as recycling workshops, drama, painting of murals, etc.., which will be aimed at different groups of the population with the thematic of the protection of the environment. The projection sites will be done in 3 municipalities in Chiapas: San Cristobal de las Casas, the Center's Albarrada, in a nearby neighborhood and in the Ha O Mek Ka center, situated in the municipality to Tzajalá, near the city of Ocosingo and in the municipality of Copainalá.
WORK:
During the first week, volunteers will participate in the preparation of recreation and leisure activities to be held in each site, volunteers are expected to attend screenings during the two weeks which will be held in two nearby communities, in order to have a reference to discuss and reflect on the theme of the projections, the care of the technical equipment, etc. .. The proposal is to carry out recycling activities, prepare a performance play, have a brainstorm for a mural which will be made and all these activities will be carried out with different sectors of the population (children, youth and/or adults). Volunteers will be involved from the preparation of the workshops to the implementation of the presentations, so volunteers are expected to have interest and motivation. By the nature of the event, volunteers will prepare the space for the projections and will be responsible for cleaning up the sites. The work will be hard during the two weeks of camp but it will be a very enriching. Volunteers should bring proposals for activities to do around the theme of the camp which is the protection of the environment.
ACCOMMODATION:
In the La Albarrad community center situaded in San Cristóbal de las Casas; Ocosingo in the center Ha O Me ka situated in the municipality of Tzajala and in the village of Copainalá.
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