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Our members: Association for the Fight Against Multiple Sclerosis (ALCEM)

ALCEM is a non-profit organization that defends the rights of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Argentina. MS is a neurological, autoimmune, chronic and degenerative disease that usually occurs between 20 and 40 years of age, is prevalent in women and, in many cases, coincides with a stage of professional, occupational and family development.

MS presents itself in different ways, with varying degrees of impact on patients’ health. Although symptoms vary in each case, some of them may involve feelings of fatigue, vision problems, numbness or tingling in the extremities, motor and coordination difficulties, muscle pain, sensitivity, among others. However, each patient goes through the disease in a particular way and each case is unique, with greater or lesser difficulties in daily life.

In our country, it is estimated that MS affects approximately 17 thousand people, so it is considered a rare disease, although, year after year, the number of diagnosed patients increases in different parts of our region.

From our association, we take care of accompanying the person with MS and his/her family during the diagnosis process in coordination with our Medical Advisory Body and with the Reference Centers of the country. We advise and assist in issues such as access to health, labor, social and family situations and we promote principles such as empathy, social inclusion, healthy habits and quality of life.

In addition to accompanying patients through the diagnosis, we consider it of vital importance to inform and raise awareness of this disease in society. We believe that knowledge about MS can collaborate in making favorable decisions for health and, in turn, in breaking cultural barriers and preconceptions towards people with this type of chronic and disabling pathologies.

With this purpose, every year we launch a campaign on the occasion of World Multiple Sclerosis Day, which is our most popular action, taking place every May 30 and throughout that month. Through various events and campaigns we seek to raise awareness, share stories together with the entire global MS community and also have an impact on health policies through links with authorities and health institutions.

Among our actions, we highlight the initiative called Iluminemos Latinoamérica (Let’s light up Latin America) that we carried out during the last years and that allowed us to illuminate in orange -color that characterizes this pathology- several historical monuments of our country as a strategy to make visible and make known this neurological disease.

This year, we celebrate 25 years of operation as an association, which invites and motivates us to redouble our actions to expand the knowledge of MS, through various strategies that involve society in general by means of talks, cultural activities and promotion and dissemination actions. 

In addition, as members of the Argentine Federation of Rare Diseases, we support the World EPOF Day campaign, which seeks to unite the whole community in the same cause to say that in Argentina there are 3.5 million people living with rare diseases. We also belong to the LATEM Multiple Sclerosis Network in Latin America and to the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation worldwide, with whom we share actions in the same cause.  Recently, we joined RACI with the purpose of adding new links that contribute to achieve our goals and expand our knowledge.

On the other hand, we promote training and continuing education through informative talks with experts in order to broaden the arc of visibility of the disease. Within this framework, during 2021, strategic institutional alliances were carried out to extend the scope of MS topics.

We also contributed to the promotion of research by medical professionals, as we believe that the training of specialists benefits patients and improves their quality of life. That is why, since 2014, we awarded the “ALCEM – Miguel Pablo Gallardo” prize at the Argentine Congress of Neurology, which consists in the delivery of economic subsidies to continue promoting and supporting research topics in MS.

Within the activities for patients, we offer seminars and workshops. Seminars are informative spaces that offer a learning process on a particular topic, which provides important knowledge and favors the exploration of new challenges for the participants. On the other hand, the workshops are instances of encounter between people with MS, whose objective is to share personal experiences, which we consider fundamental to reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety, reduce cognitive deterioration and improve well-being. Within these activities, we have Emotional Support, Cognitive Stimulation and Physical Well-being workshops.

All our actions are disseminated through our communication channels, among which are the Participar Magazine, which is published quarterly in digital format, where scientific information and the most outstanding activities of the association are provided. In addition, since 2018, El Juego No Termina has been aired, a radio program hosted by people with MS in which they give an account of the barriers they face on a daily basis, share information on health issues, testimonies, news and weave networks in the community articulating with other organizations or people who present similar situations.

The life experience of Miguel Pablo Gallardo, who lived this disease in his own flesh, gave birth to our association in 1998 with the aim of helping and accompanying other people with the same pathology. Currently, Susana Giachello, who presides the association, is in charge of leading our actions and continuing with Miguel’s legacy, keeping the initial spirit that translates into warmth, commitment and humane treatment. 

You can contact us and learn about the work we do on our website or our social networks on Instagram, Facebook and on our YouTube channel.

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Coworking: a collaborative workspace for social organizations

Traducción de Stefania Lapolla Cantoni

In the last few years, with the emergence of new paradigms related to work, shared workspaces, called coworkings, have become relevant. This new growing trend allows different organizations or individuals to develop their work activities in offices or individual workstations that can be hired for a determined period of time and based on their needs, although the main benefit of these places is the possibility of networking with other organizations.

A coworking space is a great alternative for those who want to meet with their work team and do not have a physical place. They are designed to promote collaborative work and exchange among those who use it. Given the post-pandemic context, they are even complemented by the hybrid modality of remote and in-office work.

Traditionally, we locate in these settings companies, SMEs or professionals that carry out different types of activities related to business. What if we added organizations with social purposes to them?

The so-called social coworking spaces are designed for civil society organizations (CSOs) so that they can share a place to work individually or jointly on their causes and to meet other organizations that can complement their missions. This initiative strengthens the capacities of each organization, broadens the collective development of projects and enables contact with other actors working for social transformation.

Many organizations find it difficult to raise funds and must allocate part of these funds to the maintenance of their own space. Social coworking emerges as an economic alternative, even more, when the increase in teleworking frees spaces that keep their maintenance cost and could be used in social causes or projects. A coworking space thus becomes a service designed for organizations in the third sector, which know what their organizational demands and their economic reality are. 

In the Almagro neighborhood (CABA, Argentina) the Navarro Viola Foundation created a social coworking place that is sustained by sharing the costs from the infrastructure and services among all those who use it. Compared to other coworking spaces, its rental price is lower because it does not have a commercial purpose. This is the added and differential value that attracts CSOs, a smaller investment to use a management space.

In addition, it has the participation of RACI Argentina as coordinator of the space. This possibility of bringing together diverse organizations in the same space promotes the exchange of capacities.

This setting is very useful for CSOs because by sharing space, opportunities arise to enrich themselves from the exchange of ideas between organizations, resulting in articulations of their causes, themes or technical capacities. This generates a feedback mechanism from networking, which strengthens civil society.

In the case of the Navarro Viola Foundation social coworking, a further advantage is that monthly activities are carried out that reinforce training and knowledge of other social realities. Through these activities, causes and projects can be disseminated, once again contributing to fostering collaboration. The meetings are convened on social networks and are a great opportunity to establish links and alliances of great value for organizations.

Retrieved from: Camila Diaz Gaggero. (2022). Coworking: un espacio de trabajo compartido para organizaciones sociales. Idealist. https://www.idealist.org/es/accion/coworking-espacio-trabajo-compartido-organizaciones-sociales

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ODA reached highest levels in nearly 40 years

In 2021, Official Development Assistance increased 8.5% in real terms.

Carolina testoni

The challenges left by COVID-19 in the world are already known and, in most cases, are still a reality. The challenges of 2021 were varied and contingent on the contexts of each country. While in developed countries the populations rejected vaccines, in developing countries there was a lack of funds to meet the demands placed on their health systems. This is particularly the case in developing countries such as Argentina.

The COVID-19 has reconfigured the work, the health system, the services and the economy. For this reason, in countries where infrastructures and institutions were less resilient, the dangers were multiplied. The allocation of funds and budgets, initially limited, became even more complex as priorities shifted. While the COVID pandemic put the world in check, in response, collective solutions were put in value.

In 2021, the second consecutive year of the pandemic’s back-and-forth, Official Development Assistance (ODA) reached an all-time high. According to official data, ODA contributions were 185.9 billion for the year; this represents an increase in real terms of 8.5% of the funds earmarked to help developing countries. This increase was mainly due to the COVID-19 initiatives, which were mostly vaccine donations. However, beyond pandemic-related donations, an increase in real terms of 4.8% was also seen compared to 2020.

This increase in ODA meant a relief for health systems that could not afford the extraordinary demands of the pandemic because they did not have sufficient capacity. Thanks to vaccine donations, it was possible to care for vulnerable populations and save lives that would otherwise remain at risk. In this way, it is important to note that the donations also included projects to reactivate the economy and jobs.

The Development Assistance Committee (DAC) countries donated a total of US$21.9 billion in COVID-19 activities involved in COVID-19 alone, representing 12% of all total assistance. Even so, of the donor countries, only five met the UN target of 0.7% of their GDP: Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, Germany and Denmark. On the other hand, the largest donors were the United States, with US$77.8 billion, Germany, with US$33.27 billion, and the European Union institutions with US$19.05 billion.

The trend of ODA in recent decades has been ambivalent, but mainly downward, if one considers the percentage of their GDP that developed countries devote to these initiatives. In 2021, ODA reached an all-time high – the most generous since 1984 – and this is because the assistance provided to combat the pandemic was an extra on top of the pre-existing ODA, not a replacement or redirection of already crazy funds. Of the historical record of funds allocated, 6.95% was directed to Latin America and the Caribbean.

The effects of the turbulent international context impact most acutely on developing countries. As the planet leaves the pandemic behind, or rather, learns to live and function with COVID-19, perhaps collective initiatives will be sustained and developing countries will be able to count on the support of large economies to face the challenges of the future.

Retrieved from: OECD. (2021). Official development assistance (ODA). https://www.oecd.org/dac/financing-sustainable-development/development-finance-standards/official-development-assistance.htm

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Discover the winners of our funds!

In case you missed our previous articles, here is a resume of the winners of the different funds.

In 2022, RACI once again collaborated with the co-management of the New Zealand Embassy Fund in Argentina.  Once the second round of evaluation was completed, the organizations selected by the New Zealand Embassy were:

  • Fundación León (Argentina): project “Water education for the sustainable local development of the Bajo Valle Calchaquí”, with the objective of strengthening water security and youth participation for the sustainable local development of the Quilmes indigenous community.
  • Fundación Patagonia Natural (Argentina): “Renewable energies in school villages in the Patagonian steppe of Argentina” project, which seeks to sustainably improve the quality of life in steppe school villages in Patagonia through the use of renewable energies (solar thermal).
  • Moisés Bertoni Foundation (Paraguay): project “Food Security under sustainable and resilient food systems in the Mby’a indigenous community in Tacuaro, Paraguay”, which seeks to increase access to food and nutritional security for the Mby’a indigenous community in Tacuaro.
  • Environmental Leaders Forum (Argentina): project “Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency as resilience mechanisms to reduce the environmental impact of the use of fossil fuels for air conditioning and food processing in the “Cantera 25″ neighborhood of Concepción del Uruguay, Province of Entre Ríos” with the aim of reducing the use of wood and coal fuels until they are replaced by renewable sources and educating on the efficient and rational use of energy.

In addition, in 2022, RACI collaborated again in the co-management of the New Zealand Embassy Fund in Mexico. After an evaluation by the RACI team, 73 organizations were pre-selected and were required to complete the extended application form. Once the second round of project evaluations were completed, the organizations selected by the New Zealand Embassy were:

  • Nenemi Paxia (México): Project – “Aprendo en mi lengua. Strengthening of the educational systems that serve indigenous children in Chiapas”. Objective – Improve the education of indigenous children in Chiapas from a linguistic and cultural relevance approach.
  • Asociación Red de jóvenes 2j14 (Dominican Republic): Project – “State, violence and society LGBTIQ+ version”. Objective – To train young people from the LGBTIQ+ community on the role of the State, so that they can defend their human rights.
  • Asociación Para el Desarrollo Integral de Tejutepeque (El Salvador): Project – “Rural families build fair, resilient and sustainable food systems in the municipality of Tejutepeque, El Salvador”. Objective – Contribute to the sustainable rural and productive development of rural families in the municipality of Tejutepeque, El Salvador.
  • Adeco, Acciones para el Desarrollo Comunitario A.C. (Mexico): Project – “Huertos vivos, hogares sanos. Strengthening food sovereignty of families in the Nahua community of Chachahuantla through the construction and implementation of backyard gardens, training in agroecology and the rescue of community food practices”. Objective – That families in the community of Chachahuantla produce food free of agro-industrial inputs for self-consumption.
  • Fundación Salvador del Mundo (El Salvador): Project – “STEAM Girls”. Objective – To include and strengthen girls and young women in learning and competencies in the area of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM).
  • Construyendo Esperanzas A. C. (Mexico): Project – “Capturing water and rebuilding the hope of the families of La Rabia, municipality of Mineral de Reforma, Hidalgo MX”. Objective – Increase access and availability of water to 200 thousand liters per year for 50 people in a situation of vulnerability and marginalization of La Rabia.
  • Sexual Diversity Organization Amigos Siempre Amigos (Guatemala): Project – “Audiovisual production for people with visual and hearing disabilities”. Objective – To ensure that visually and hearing impaired people have access to audiovisual productions without the need for an interpreter and know their rights.
  • Fundación Bioma (Mexico): Project – “Biocultural Rescue of Melipona bees in highly biodiverse coffee plantations in the Northeastern Sierra of the State of Puebla”. Objective – Improve the quality of life of indigenous Nahuatl families in the Sierra Norte de Puebla by rescuing the production of melipona bees.

Finally, we introduce you to the winners of the Innovation Fund 2022:

  • CIPROS (Dominican Republic): Project – “Promoting and strengthening participation in communities: a means to improve quality of life and reduce inequalities.” An initiative that seeks to strengthen the capacities of community organizations and integrate young people and women into spaces for advocacy and citizen participation.
  • Ipandetec (Panama): Project – “Plataforma Segur@s en línea: hackeando la violencia digital” (Safe online platform: hacking digital violence). Project that aims to contribute to the visibility of the phenomenon of online gender violence in Central America and the Dominican Republic through open data and resources for education and prevention on a web platform.
  • Aprendamos Perú/Semilla Intercultural: Project – “KALLPANCHAY: Youth Empowerment Laboratory of Junín”. The project aims to promote the social, economic and political empowerment of the diversity of young people in the Junín region (Peru) through the strengthening of skills, the opportunity for organization, involvement in decision-making spaces and citizen protagonism in the territory of Junín.

We hope the winning organizations will be successful in the implementation of their projects and thank all of them for showing interest in the call for proposals and submitting innovative proposals!

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Regional Dialogues Cycle 2023

Perspectives and narratives: the challenges of Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean

This month we start a new cycle of multi-stakeholder dialogues, with the objective of generating a space for dialogue between relevant actors, to reflect on the concepts of innovation, social impact and collaboration, in order to share good practices from different sectors, to generate synergies and strengthen the work of organizations.

The purpose of the dialogues is to encourage genuine and open communication on issues relevant to the strengthening of democracies in the region and the articulations between key actors and members of the network.

Within the context of the project, it is proposed to work in different spaces for dialogue that will be developed in a spiral manner, with the successive integration of the different actors to broader instances of conversation according to the moments of the process for the design of the Multi-stakeholder Workshop.

The series will consist of four dialogues to be held between February 2023 and April 2024:

  • Democracies in Latin America and the Caribbean Today. Structures. Division of powers, government and state, public policies. The common good “Who builds it?” February 28, 2023. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (GMT -3).
  • Democracies in Latin America and the Caribbean today. Representativeness. Social participation. Freedoms. Political parties. Roles. June 2023.
  • Democracy and Rights. Human Rights. Environmental Rights. November 2023.
  • Democracy and Civil Society Networking. Roles. Visibility. April 2024.

The dialogues will be held virtually through Zoom and will be in Spanish. You can register through the following form.

Watch out for updates!

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Canada Fund for Local Initiatives Call for Proposals Is Now Open

The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) 2023-24 is currently open! It will remain open for project submissions from civil society organizations in Argentina and Paraguay until February 12, 2023. RACI is coordinating the program in Argentina.

On Tuesday, January 17 at 15:00 we will organize a webinar to present the terms and conditions of the call, answer doubts and queries. Those interested in participating in the virtual informative session should register through the following form.

FCIL’s Purpose

The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) program is designed to support small-scale, high-impact projects in developing countries that are aligned with Global Affairs Canada’s thematic priorities. The program is aimed at projects conceived and designed primarily by local partners. Projects are selected and approved by the relevant Canadian Embassy. The FCIL also supports bilateral relations between Canada and recipient countries and their civil societies by building and strengthening contacts and supporting local efforts.

Thematic Priorities

All projects must be aligned with one of the following FCIL thematic priorities:

Empowerment of women and girls and the promotion of gender equity.
Inclusive governance, including diversity, democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. Environment and climate change action, with emphasis on adaptation, mitigation, and water management.

Eligible Applicants

 

Local non-governmental, community-based and non-profit organizations; Academic institutions working on local projects; International, intergovernmental, multilateral and regional institutions, organizations and agencies working on local development activities; Municipal, regional or national governmental institutions or agencies of the recipient country working on local projects.

 

Characteristics of the call for applications

 

The deadline for applications is February 12, 2023 at 23:59 (local time).

Project activities may begin on June 1, 2023, and end before February 28, 2024.

The average contribution amount for each project is CAD 30,000.

More information on the call for proposals is available in English on the Government of Canada’s official website. A summary of the program with frequently asked questions is also available here.

To apply, interested parties should send an email requesting the application form to BAIRS.CFLI-FCIL@international.gc.ca indicating in the subject line: “CFLI 2023-24 Application Form Request – Argentina”.For inquiries, please write to fondocanadienseargentina@gmail.com

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We introduce you to the winners of the Innovation Fund 2022!

We received a total of 229 proposals from 17 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. From RACI, we are very pleased as this number implies a great interest from the organizations to find innovative and creative solutions, by implementing projects within the following categories: Enabling Space Promotion, Democracy and Citizen Participation, Diversity and Inclusion, and Transparency and Accountability.

The projects were evaluated using the same rating system, analyzing the following categories: organization profile, project feasibility, thoroughness, impact and budget analysis.

Once the project evaluations were completed, the 3 organizations selected to receive USD 10,000 each were:

  • CIPROS (Dominican Republic): Project – “Promoting and strengthening participation in communities: a means to improve quality of life and reduce inequalities.” An initiative that seeks to strengthen the capacities of community organizations and integrate young people and women into spaces for advocacy and citizen participation.
  • Ipandetec (Panama): Project – “Plataforma Segur@s en línea: hackeando la violencia digital” (Safe online platform: hacking digital violence). Project that aims to contribute to the visibility of the phenomenon of online gender violence in Central America and the Dominican Republic through open data and resources for education and prevention on a web platform.
  • Aprendamos Perú/Semilla Intercultural: Project – “KALLPANCHAY: Youth Empowerment Laboratory of Junín”. The project aims to promote the social, economic and political empowerment of the diversity of young people in the Junín region (Peru) through the strengthening of skills, the opportunity for organization, involvement in decision-making spaces and citizen protagonism in the territory of Junín.

We would like to wish the winning organizations every success in the implementation of their projects and thank all the organizations that showed interest in the call for proposals and submitted proposals in this new edition of the fund!

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Discover the winners of the New Zealand Embassy Fund in Argentina 2022-2023!

In 2022, RACI once again collaborated with the co-management of the New Zealand Embassy Fund in Argentina.

This time, the application was divided into two parts. During the first phase, RACI received a total of 322 applications from Argentina (286) and Paraguay (36).

The proposals were evaluated under an evaluation system with the following categories: organization profile, project feasibility, project characteristics, project innovation and sustainability, and impact and budget analysis.

The proposals received focused on “Economic and Social Inclusion”, “LGTBIQ+ Community Rights”, “Community Development” and “Climate Change and Resilience”.

After an evaluation by our team, 67 organizations were shortlisted and had to complete the extended application form.

Once the second round of evaluation was completed, the organizations selected by the Embassy of New Zealand were:

  • Fundación León (Argentina): project “Water education for the sustainable local development of the Bajo Valle Calchaquí”, with the objective of strengthening water security and youth participation for the sustainable local development of the Quilmes indigenous community.
  • Fundación Patagonia Natural (Argentina): “Renewable energies in school villages in the Patagonian steppe of Argentina” project, which seeks to sustainably improve the quality of life in steppe school villages in Patagonia through the use of renewable energies (solar thermal).
  • Moisés Bertoni Foundation (Paraguay): project “Food Security under sustainable and resilient food systems in the Mby’a indigenous community in Tacuaro, Paraguay”, which seeks to increase access to food and nutritional security for the Mby’a indigenous community in Tacuaro.
  • Environmental Leaders Forum (Argentina): project “Renewable Energies and Energy Efficiency as resilience mechanisms to reduce the environmental impact of the use of fossil fuels for air conditioning and food processing in the “Cantera 25″ neighborhood of Concepción del Uruguay, Province of Entre Ríos” with the aim of reducing the use of wood and coal fuels until they are replaced by renewable sources and educating on the efficient and rational use of energy.

We congratulate the winning organizations of this edition and wish them much success in the implementation of their projects!

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Discover the winners of the New Zealand Embassy Fund in Mexico 2022-2023!

In 2022, RACI once again collaborated in the co-management of the New Zealand Embassy Fund in Mexico. In this edition, the process was divided into two parts; in the first phase, 427 applications were received from: Mexico (380), Guatemala (13), El Salvador (11), Nicaragua (9), Costa Rica (1), Panama (2), Dominican Republic (9), and Cuba (2).

Proposals were evaluated using a scoring system, analyzing the following categories: organizational profile, project feasibility, thoroughness, impact and budget analysis.

Of the project proposals received, the largest number of applications corresponded to “Community Development (particularly indigenous and rural)” followed by “Education” and “Sustainable and Agricultural Development”.

After an evaluation by the RACI team, 73 organizations were pre-selected and were required to complete the extended application form. Once the second round of project evaluations was completed, the organizations selected by the New Zealand Embassy were:

  • Nenemi Paxia (Mexico): Project – “Aprendo en mi lengua. Strengthening of the educational systems that serve indigenous children in Chiapas”. Objective – Improve the education of indigenous children in Chiapas from a linguistic and cultural relevance approach.
  • Asociación Red de jóvenes 2j14 (Dominican Republic): Project – “State, violence and society LGBTIQ+ version”. Objective – To train young people from the LGBTIQ+ community on the role of the State, so that they can defend their human rights.
  • Asociación Para el Desarrollo Integral de Tejutepeque (El Salvador): Project – “Rural families build fair, resilient and sustainable food systems in the municipality of Tejutepeque, El Salvador”. Objective – Contribute to the sustainable rural and productive development of rural families in the municipality of Tejutepeque, El Salvador.
  • Adeco, Acciones para el Desarrollo Comunitario A.C. (Mexico): Project – “Huertos vivos, hogares sanos. Strengthening food sovereignty of families in the Nahua community of Chachahuantla through the construction and implementation of backyard gardens, training in agroecology and the rescue of community food practices”. Objective – That families in the community of Chachahuantla produce food free of agro-industrial inputs for self-consumption.
  • Fundación Salvador del Mundo (El Salvador): Project – “STEAM Girls”. Objective – To include and strengthen girls and young women in learning and competencies in the area of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM).
  • Construyendo Esperanzas A. C. (Mexico): Project – “Capturing water and rebuilding the hope of the families of La Rabia, municipality of Mineral de Reforma, Hidalgo MX”. Objective – Increase access and availability of water to 200 thousand liters per year for 50 people in a situation of vulnerability and marginalization of La Rabia.
  • Sexual Diversity Organization Amigos Siempre Amigos (Guatemala): Project – “Audiovisual production for people with visual and hearing disabilities”. Objective – To ensure that visually and hearing impaired people have access to audiovisual productions without the need for an interpreter and know their rights.
  • Fundación Bioma (Mexico): Project – “Biocultural Rescue of Melipona bees in highly biodiverse coffee plantations in the Northeastern Sierra of the State of Puebla”. Objective – Improve the quality of life of indigenous Nahuatl families in the Sierra Norte de Puebla by rescuing the production of melipona bees.

We would like to congratulate the winning organizations of this edition and hope that they will be successful in implementing their projects and achieving their objectives!