Elias lives in Peñoles, Mexico with his wife and one daughter. He has been a member of a Purpose Group for over five years.
“There was a time when the work in my farm was slow and the processes to earn income took a long time,” he recalls. It made him feel discouraged and stuck. “I have learned to make better and more strategic use of my natural resources without exploiting them.”
Before joining Plant With Purpose, Elias had an idea to build a holistic agricultural ranch. “This would integrate land, water, and animals, in order to be self-sufficient,” explains Elias. “I would learn by doing.”
Elias gained these new skills through his participation in Plant With Purpose.
Elias has used his Purpose Group to access loans to meet basic needs and to pay for health concerns. He has also participated in many training activities. “I have learned reforestation, soil conservation, and environmental stewardship activities. We learned to make use of stored rainwater. The workshops they have shared with us have helped us refine and practice our values.”
Plant With Purpose's approach of investing in people's knowledge, rather than solely focusing on behavioral changes, is a strategic move that yields long-lasting and sustainable impact. By imparting knowledge and skills, Plant With Purpose empowers individuals to make informed decisions and take control of their lives.
“I have planted fruit trees,” explains Elias, standing over his stonefruit orchard. “In the case of the peach tree, this has generated additional income for us,” he notes. “The shade of the trees has been used in times of drought to protect the animals from the sun.
“The soil conservation activities we have carried out with anti-erosion walls and living barriers will help to restore the eroded soils, to prevent their loss. We are now working on the production of forest plants.”
These plans are still a work in progress, but Elias is determined to continue.
“We are still in the process and although it is slow, the goal is to continue working so that our environment is getting better and better,” he says. “We want to transform our way of thinking, change our philosophy. We want to contribute toward the balance of our ecosystem. We want to take care of the environment and live better.”
When people understand the "why" behind a behavior, they are more likely to adopt and sustain it. Knowledge fosters intrinsic motivation, making behavioral changes more enduring. Elias is a great example of how this empowers people to adapt to changing circumstances, solve problems independently, and find innovative solutions when we change our philosophy.
“My favorite thing about Plant With Purpose is that it promotes both human development and care for the environment. I like all the projects; if there is a way to combine them, that is what we are looking for to practice them and obtain results as we change our philosophy.”
Investing in knowledge strengthens communities by building their capacity to respond to challenges and opportunities.
“In unity and agreement the people have worked in the plots with the planting of corn, beans, fruit trees, where the whole community has participated,” Elias observes. This spirit of collaboration has extended to community activities like garbage collection and street cleaning.
“I am in the process of learning and achieving a main goal to fulfill my dreams, but a future goal could be to have the peace of mind to produce what is necessary for my family's self-support. I try to do everything by example and hope that people will want to work with me with encouragement and confidence.”
I have become more conscious of my gratitude to God and to people,” he concludes.
