Description and Impact

Amongst all of the problems that plague many people in the state of Oaxaca, one of the most dangerous and detrimental to the long term success and longevity of the people is result of environmental degradation. As the poor people of Oaxaca fight daily to survive, by planting crops for food and sale in less than ideal soil and allowing their animals to also graze this land, they are only ensuring that the generations of their kin to come will have even harsher conditions to live and try to survive in. Combine the dry, treeless hillsides with the torrential rains that plague the region from May through September/October, and you can imagine the results—massive landslides and impassable roads are very common during the rainy season. With little help from the government, rural Oaxaquenos are left to try and manage the degradation situation on their own. 

What is the overall goal of the project? This organization was formed over a decade ago with the goal of promoting environmental conservation and social well-being. Using a multi-faceted approach including to addressing environmental and societal issues in Oaxaca, the organization is able to greatly improve the lives of many. With your help the organization can continue investigate new theoretical approaches to conservation, conduct research on the relationships between environment and society and take action to recreate and promote alternative technologies and most importantly do all of these things through a combination of traditional systems and modern scientific techniques. By working with communities to install cleaner burning stoves as well as provide education on permaculture and effective planting, this group is truly able to make a long lasting impact. If you are a skeptic of volunteer work and its actual impact, then this project is just for you!

What's Included

• Homestay with a carefully-screened Mexican family
• Daily meals (you will receive three meals a day)
• Project funding and support 
• Spanish language classes
• Onsite transportation, airport pickup and drop off 
• Health and travel insurance
• Cultural and adventure excursions
• 24-hour support from ProWorld Mexcio staff 
• Access to Casa ProWorld Mexico – unlimited filtered water, wireless internet

What's Not Included

• Airfare, Visa and Airport Tax (if applicable)