PUENTE WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE 30 COMMUNITIES IN VALLES CENTRALES AND LA MIXTECA DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

The impact of COVID-19 on Oaxaca and the government order to shelter in place has required Puente to adapt its work to our changing circumstances. As a community organization, our primary interest is in promoting the health and well-being of our farmers and their communities by supporting agroecological food production and creating jobs and economic opportunities. The need for social distancing has limited the scope of our work and the activities we can carry out, but the crisis has also opened additional opportunities. Puente staff continues to work remotely and – where and when it is safe – in the fields. They are adapting existing programs and developing new initiatives that are consistent with good practices in this challenging time.

However, our financial outlook has changed dramatically and has required structural changes in our organization. We remain committed to the mission and work of Puente in support of rural communities in Oaxaca, and the values on which the organization was founded. After careful evaluation of what is feasible in the future given our new reality, we made the decision to narrow the scope and size of the organization in a way that still serves Puente’s mission and leverages the smaller amount of resources we have moving forward. This means we will eliminate the Healthy Families program and focus resources on our existing Ecoamaranth and
Social Economy programs, both of which will continue to hold health promotion as a central value.

We realize that these cuts will have challenging personal and financial impacts on our staff and their families, particularly at a time of a health and economic crisis. We take these actions reluctantly, but with the understanding that a smaller, more focused team will allow the organization to maintain our commitments to our farmers and communities, survive the current crisis, and rebuild in better times to come.

As a community organization, our primary concern is the health and well-being of our neighbors, partners, and team, and we are announcing the following preventative measures: beginning Wednesday 18 of March, Puente a la Salud Comunitaria will be closing our central office as well as our regional centers in Villa de Etla and Tlaxiaco, Mixteca.

These public spaces will be closed until further notice as we continue to monitor the COVID-19 health crisis. All workshops and gatherings will be rescheduled following the indications from health authorities. ⠀

The COVID-19 pandemic is a crisis that affects everyone. We urge everyone to come together in solidarity by washing their hands frequently and staying apart. We believe it is important to take these actions of solidarity to minimize the risks to everyone. Practicing safe distancing is a way to say “I care about your health and the health of your loved ones.”

Even though our offices and regional sales centers are closed, we are still here and we are still working for food sovereignty and community solidarity. It’s a new world of using technology to connect and finding creative solutions to support our communities. You can follow us on social media to learn about new initiatives we undertake during this crisis. We look forward to connecting with you.

Questions? Feel free to contact us via email at isa@nullpuentemexico.org.