In the Comunidad Zona Lacandona, it has become critical to develop new strategies to safegaurd public health. The situation has become very precarious owing to the drastic increase in population in the area and the scarcity of services. Communities have become destablized in the process of abandoning indigenous culture for mainstream Mexican culture and replacing traditional sustainable agriculture with mono-culture and cattle ranching. These devastating changes have adversely effected the environment and the health of the people as well. The conditions of life for people living in these communities are charracterized by lack of infrastructure and limited access to education and health care among other basic services. The indigenous communities of eastern lowland Chiapas are among some of the most marginalized in Mexico, if not the world.

Na Bolom has proposed a health and family nutrition project focused principally towards women from the Lacandon Mayan Communities. Through interactive workshops, the project will promote health care (mainly through preventative measures), and the realization of a healthy and hygienic atmosphere within the family. The aim of the project is to help Lacandon women, in their traditional role in the family, devolp effective basic strategies from health care. Thus, this project will integrate traditional knowledge with modern practices so that the Lacandons can improve their level of health, without abandoning their traditional cultural values regarding health care.

The preliminary workshops will analyze the most frequent illnesses and their causes, diet, the use of pesticides, alcoholism and other things. The person hosting the workshops will work together with members of the communities to observe and ask about the treatment of various illnesses; the goal being to integrate traditional and modern knowledge. This person will stay in the communities throughout the project and will keep a records as the workshops advances. The emphasis of the project will be to coordinate the women in the communities to be proficient in the essential tecniques of illness prevention.

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In the spirit of the founders Frans Blom and Gertrude Duby, the Cultural Association Na Bolom promotes the conservancy and development of cultural and environmental values in Chiapas. Our programs depend on the generosity of individual donors. Support for Na Bolom is tax deductible both in Mexico, where donations can be sent directly to Na Bolom, and in the United States, where the Hoffman Foundation receives and forwards contributions. Please make it clear for which program(s) you are sending your donation.

NA BOLOM, A.C. Av. Vicente Guerrero No. 33 San Cristóbal de Las Casas Chiapas, México (967) 81418, Fax (967) 85586 Email

Na Bolom Fund The Richards Hoffman Foundation 105 Anderson St. PO Box 490 Mars Hill, NC 28754 (704) 689-4599, Fax (704) 251-2202

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