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Regions
Amextra works in six different marginalized
regions throughout Mexico. In accordance with
our holistic mission we work in both rural
and urban areas. Each region hosts a combination
of programs. Some regions only have two programs,
while others may have four or five. In addition
to the regions listed here, Amextra also has
a central office in the Southern part of Mexico
City and our administrative offices are located
in Puebla.
Rural
Amextra’s rural projects are located in Palenque,
Chiapas and Villa Victoria, Estado de Mexico.
Amextra primarily accompanies farmers and
indigenous groups in areas of extreme marginalization.
We promote agriculture, animal raising, forestry,
health, nutrition, training, savings and loans,
values, gender and emergency programs with
a wide participation of local promoters and
leadership and at least a 60% of participation
from women.
Palenque,
Chiapas
Although Chiapas is one of Mexico's richest
states in natural resources, it also has
the highest poverty rate. Chiapas is Mexico’s
most southern state, the area is rugged
and the farm lands are located on mountain
slopes or the valleys of major rivers. Amextra
works specifically with indigenous Chol
communities located in the rainforest region.
The vast natural resources of the region
have unfortunately suffered considerable
deterioration due to population growth and
excessive production needs. The area suffers
from high indexes of severe malnutrition
and many other diseases because there is
no medical treatment available and very
poor nutrition in general. The situation
of women is a large obstacle considering
many do not speak Spanish, cannot read or
write and have very little decision making
power although they obligated to work extremely
hard in the home. The following programs
are run in this region: Agriculture, Savings
and Loan, Health and Nutrition and Emergency
Relief.
 up
 Testimonies
Urban
In urban areas, Amextra works in El Ajusco
Medio and Valle de Chalco in the metropolitan
area of Mexico City and in Lomas de San Isidro
and Xonacatlán in the Estado de Mexico. We
accompany children, youth and adults in areas
of extreme marginalization through educational,
microfinance, nutrition, health, values, peace
education, gender, human rights and violence
prevention with a wide participation of local
promoters and leadership and at least 60%
of participation from women.
Lomas de San Isidro,
Estado de México
Lomas de San Isidro is considered a ‘lost
city’ or ‘squatter settlement’ due to the
large number of immigrants who move from
rural areas. It was formed over 12 years
ago, yet does not have any kind of basic
urban services such as: purified water,
electricity, sewage or drainage systems,
paved areas or property rights. 75% of the
population is illiterate, which leads to
a lack of employment options for the inhabitants.
Many are obligated to work as low paid iron
workers or house maids for an income of
no more than 200 dollars a month. A major
problem is the lack of drinkable or purified
water. Women are often the main economic
support, having been left as single mothers,
or their husbands are alcoholics, drug addicts
or have fallen ill. These women often suffer
from domestic violence or abuse after leaving
their husband under such circumstances.
The following programs are run in this region:
Education, Savings and Loan, Health and
Nutrition and Peace Education.
up
Testimonies
Valle de Chalco, Estado de México
Chalco is a marginalized community that
is largely made up of people who have migrated
from the countryside. The major problems
that the area has are: family disintegration,
low self-esteem in women and children, alcoholism,
lack of employment opportunities for women,
malnutrition, violence, delinquency, lack
of activities and adequate spaces dedicated
principally to children, youth and the elderly.
Two canals filled with black water, an open-air
trash dump and a large gas plantation surround
the community. The following programs are
run in this region: Education, Savings and
Loan and Health and Nutrition.
up
Testimonies
Xonacatlán,
Estado de México
Xonacatlán is home to the indigenous group,
the Otomies in the Estado de Mexico, the
men work hard in neighboring cities to be
able to feed their families and the women
are left at home to care for and educate
their children. Even though the municipality
has soil suited for agriculture, due to
the demographic growth and the distribution
of land, every day less and less people
are interested or lack the means to participate
in agricultural activities. The majority
of the working population migrates primarily
to Toluca or Mexico City to seek better
jobs. In these cities the majority of the
youth are employed and exploited in non-specialized
manual activities due to lack of experience.
More than half of the population is less
than 20 years old and the school drop out
rate in primary school is 15%, 30% for Jr.
High, 20% for high school and only 1 out
of 100 students’ graduates from college.
Among the primary reasons for school drop
out is the lack of resources, parents’ limited
education, and little motivation in educational
centers. There is an increasing number of
teenage girls who drop out of school to
get married due to pregnancies or lack of
parental support. The following programs
are run in this region: Education and Peace
Education.
up
Testimonies
Others
In the past, Amextra has also worked in other
regions throughout the country. The following
is a brief description of the work that was
done there:
In the North Sierra of Puebla Amextra and
local groups introduced technological initiatives
in order to improve agriculture in the region.
Results were shown in 10 communities. 500
families also benefited from leadership formation,
a micro-regional plan, a pilot fruit plantation,
a fruit nursery, savings and loan groups and
a network of bird production projects directed
by women.
In Oaxaca Amextra introduced
a system for organizing farmers who promote
agricultural production systems using basic
crops, land for grazing, fruits and timber
from the Mixteca region, as well as solar
production, the program was directed by women
and benefited 500 families.
In Cañada Chica Amextra
introduced goats for milk, latrines, veterinary
services, and Chile and tomato production
which benefited 500 families.
In the Valles Centrales
systems for poultry and dairy goat raising,
veterinarians and fruit planting were all
introduced by Amextra.
In the Estado de Mexico
Amextra operated and established an animal
sanitation program which incorporated research
and the prevention and control of sicknesses
which were affecting the principal livestock
of the region. A microfinance program was
set up, community leaders and promoters were
trained and 600 families were benefited.
In Morelos an after school
program for 60 children was created which
is currently being operated by a sister organization
which was formed. In semi-urban communities
local savings were mobilized through a microfinance
program run by women and which has benefited
150 families. Part of the interests from these
loans goes to strengthening the education
and health of their children.
In Guerrero, as a result
of the Hurricane Paulina, Amextra developed
a preventative health, community organization,
and educational training program to help reestablish
sources of employment and small family businesses.
A participatory community program was also
developed for the reconstruction of housing.
This project benefited 400 families and was
left in the hands of a local church.
In Yucatan, Amextra supported
Nutrition and Medical Attention teams, training
promoters who worked to teach their communities
about preventative health measures.
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