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This program also intends to strengthen the rural women so that she has the capabilities to strive for her interests, of her children and community, especially since it is frequent for them to be the “head of the family” due to the increasing migration of the male population. Thus, the required tools for them to develop a healthier life for themselves, their families and the environment are provided, and at the same time they are supported in improving their economy and life styles.

Today 40 communities with an average 20 women in each are attended, that is 800 beneficiaries. The majority of them have low scholar levels and a small percentage is non-literate. Their socio-economic level is very low.

The cleansing sub-program, counts with a team of 4 promoters dedicated exclusively to this labour, which consists in the regular visit to communities in order to promote cleansing and recyclable material separation campaigns, carrying awareness reunions and promoting the construction, maintenance and usage of the recycling community centres of which 80 are in operation, distributed in the five municipalities of the Reserve.

Up to date, the cleansing program Works in 120 communities managing the recycling center network for the storage of recyclable materials waiting for the GESG personnel to transport it to the regional recycling centre in Jalpan de Serra, where 250 tonnes of material are redistributed to the recycling plants annually.

The general objectives of the program are:

Organized women with management abilities for economic development:

Community needs that can be self-managed are left pending in many occasions due to the lack of security in women to make the required documents, present them at the appropriate offices and following them up. Promoters support their women groups in this tasks, offering continuous support.

Security and self-esteem:

To develop their security and self-esteem, workshops are offered where these aspects are reinforced. Also, promoters approach gender and equity themes.

The culinary and manual skills of women are taken advantage of in such a way that they are conscious of their ability to elaborate products that have good acceptance in the market and, with the support of the promoters, start their own small productive projects.

Family economy and welfare strengthening:

This activity is promoted through different actions as healthy feeding, herb lore and bakery, where they basically use ingredients existing already in the communities. It also promotes the establishment of organic gardens, orchards and nopal (cactus) plantations. The imparted knowledge can derive in productive activities that greatly help improving family economy. The beneficiaries are offered the seeds for the vegetables gardens, dehydrated soy and integral flour and shampoo base at low costs.

Solar Cooker:

The solar cooker Project has as its main objective to promote environment conservation, health and Mexican families´ economies.
The solar cooker is a great alternative for the wood or gas consuming kitchens, it works as a crock-pot and has a low cost and good quality.
It will also reduce deforestation originated for the firewood felling of trees and the carbon dioxide emissions. Healthwise, it reduces the risk of acquiring respiratory diseases generated by inhaling the toxic smoke of firewood stoves. In the Sierra Gorda we work in 10 communities, showing the benefits for the families, organizing demonstrations of its use and facilitating the acquisition of this ecotechnology.

Environment knowledge:

The beneficiaries lack in general the environmental knowledge regarding the current problems the Reserve, the country and the World FACE. Quarterly, a reunion with an allusive theme is imparted, including activities that complement the acquisition of this knowledge like planting trees, cleansing campaigns and solid waste recycling and the construction of recycling centers.