Stay Connected

Mexico

Antonio, Mexico: “I am inspired. I am a leader in my family and community."

Can environmental restoration bring together a disjointed community? For Antonio and his neighbors in Mixteca Alta, Mexico, the answer is a solid yes. When the environment suffers, the whole community struggles. This is intensified by the fact that everybody relies upon agriculture for their survival. Many community members face the same challenges with drought and […]
Read More

Shining a Light of Opportunity: The Indigenous Women’s Struggle for Education in Rural Mexico

In Southern Mexico, rural Indigenous women remain at the bottom of the educational ladder. While progress has been made in recent years with education in rural Mexico, a gap persists, casting long shadows over their lives and perpetuating a cycle of poverty that ripples through generations. The roots of this educational disparity run deep, intertwined […]
Read More
, , , ,

Ethiopia to Carlsbad: A round-the-globe look at Plant With Purpose

Over the course of the past few months, much of our Plant With Purpose team has been around the globe to connect with our international programs, our supporters, and each other. As we transition into fall, we look back at a few late summer highlights from the Plant With Purpose global community with appreciation and […]
Read More
, ,

Checking in with the women of Plant With Purpose Mexico

"My way of thinking has changed a bit," begins Maricela Luisa, a Purpose Group member in Mexico. In our programs around Oaxaca, Puebla, and Chiapas, the work is as much about identity and purpose as it is about planting trees. For women in Mexico who have faced marginalization and poverty, this approach leads to some transformative […]
Read More
, , ,

Unpacking the Top Causes of Global Poverty

Poverty is a global problem that affects billions of people. The ways that different organizations, countries, and institutions define poverty may vary, but in 2023, an estimated 689 million people live on less than $1.90 per day. Most people have some basic consciousness around the challenges of poverty, even though public perception is often tainted […]
Read More
, , , , ,

Bainet to Burundi: A round-the-globe look at Plant With Purpose

With summer in full swing, members of the Plant With Purpose projects team are off on a variety of travels, many of which are to our partners and programs around the world. At the same time, our local leaders continue to advance restoration projects in ecosystems all around rural landscapes. Here is a highlight reel […]
Read More
,

Concepción: "Our faith unites us as a community."

Concepcion is a participant in our program and is gaining faith and sustainability in Mexico! Hear from her here in her own words: "Nobody saved before. If suddenly we had a little bit of money, we spent it right away. Now we save our money, and we are all a little more careful in managing […]
Read More

A field trip to Chiapas

Recently, several of our team members had the opportunity to visit our partners in Chiapas, Mexico. It was a powerful opportunity to connect with our local team and to learn from their experiences and expertise. Here are the collective reflections of the team behind the visit: We have the incredible opportunity to lead our first […]
Read More
,

Candida: "The pine needles benefit us artisans, and we can collect them without harm."

Before Plant With Purpose, I used to make tortillas kneeling down; which made my knees hurt. For water we used to go with the donkey to bring it out of a hole. My situation was difficult before I found Plant With Purpose. Once, I had a problem in my hand, one finger felt bad, I […]
Read More
,

A Forest Grows...

Because of the limitations posed by the pandemic and my focus on our work elsewhere, it has been five years since I have visited Mexico, which made my recent trip very emotional, and life-giving.  In 1994, accompanied by our Dominican director, Eldon Garcia, as well as our most influential donors and board members, Don and […]
Read More

Juana: "We plant so that the field does not lose its life."

Juana is a single mother of three children living in a rural community in Oaxaca. She is a member of a Purpose Group that works to improve the lives of rural communities through sustainable development projects. The Mexican farmer has been working with Plant With Purpose on several projects, including the poultry module, fruit orchard, […]
Read More
, , , , , , , , , ,

In the voices of our partners

One of the more complex nuances of working across different countries and cultures is storytelling and communication. When done poorly, organizations run several risks: from dehumanizing the people they seek to help to diminishing the role local actors play in advancing progress. In this post, CEO Scott Sabin shares how to allow our partners to […]
Read More
, , , , , , , , ,

LET THE LOCALS LEAD

While having country-based leadership in all of our programs is important, we take it a step further and the advantage of local leadership is undeniable.  The importance of having local ownership over our mission and program activities has been emphasized at Plant With Purpose from the very beginning. Back in 1984, Plant With Purpose was […]
Read More
,

The Preteen President

Empowerment groups help both people and the planet Wherever Plant With Purpose works, participants join empowerment groups. These groups support environmental restoration efforts with economic development through loans and savings. As community members save their extra income in shares and lend money to each other to generate further income, poverty declines. From the group president, […]
Read More
, ,

We Have Never Felt Stronger

There are times when it’s hard to feel strong. Think of a time in your life when it seems like one challenge after another kept rising up, and it started to take an emotional toll. Sometimes, it’s not just a calamity that can leave you discouraged, but a constant stream of challenges and bad news. […]
Read More

Inspiring Stories.
Actionable insights.

Sustainable living tips, and ways you can make a difference

Name(Required)
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
magnifiercrosscross-circle