Mexico
Puerto Morelos
Puerto Morelos is a small fishing town 20
miles south of Cancun. It is largely dependent on the mega-tourism that
has developed in the area. There has been an explosion of Mayan farmers immigrating
to this region in search of better paying jobs with the tourism industry,
creating a huge population growth in the midst of 5 fragile ecosystems
in need of protection. Lu´um
K´aa Nab A.C. is dedicated to addressing the major challenges addressing
the Puerto Morelos Region. Major polluters include large developers
destroying the ecosystem and controlling the money through all-inclusive
resorts, preventing the benefits of tourism to aid the surrounding
community.
Therefore, in an effort to reduce and reverse the effects of growing environmental pollution, the destruction of fragile ecosystems, and the deterioration of the Mayan culture and a sustainable way of living, Lu´um K´aa Nab has invested in many ecological projects including the Marine Turtle Project, which Amizade and our volunteers work with.
SERVICE – Lu´um K´aa Nab A.C.
Amizade is currently working on two projects in Puerto Morelos. We are learning about and working with the turtles in the area in an effort to improve the environment that they live in. All of the work with the turtles is done during the night. Our other project is tutoring English as a second language classes at the Cultural Center. Volunteers can choose to do either or both of these projects.
Lu´um K´aa Nab A.C. was created to protect the natural resources and the culture of the region of Puerto Morelos. Past achievements of the Lu´um K´aa Nab A.C. include the following:
- Initiated the process for creating a National Marine Park for the reef and now is a protected area
- Legally pressured the Mega developers to respect existing federal laws to protect the town’s mangroves
- Instrumental in helping Mayan women create small cottage industries
- Participated in Environmental projects for local schools
- Hosted “International School Peace Gardens” and facilitated the creation of Peace Gardens in local schools. This project resulted in the children winning first place for best Global Peace song
- Community Project for Peace and Education
The home of Lu´um K´aa
Nab A.C. rests on a 2 ½ acre plot
of land within the rich ecosystem of the Yucatan jungle. The
land was purchased in 1997 through donations, providing a space for the
organization’s
various social and environmental efforts.
Environmental Conservation
The care of this land is one important step in protecting the
jungle from the destructive threat of large development, 
including
the construction of residential areas for hotel workers.
International Peace Sanctuary
Presently, this land has already become established as a peace sanctuary.
Candle light peace ceremonies are held every Sunday evening to pray, sing,
discuss, dance, and meditate for peace. The peace sanctuary consists of
a meditation labyrinth and prayer lodge. Many people who visit feel the
powerful nature energy surrounding the area, which is said to exist on
powerful grid lines.
Skills Development
This land will provide a space for educating the local people of Puerto
Morelos to become more self-sustainable by participating in the growing
tourism spreading from Playa del Carmen and Cancun into Puerto Morelos.
Free classes will offer the skills necessary to benefit from opportunities
of tourism, which include learning English and how to create crafts using
the natural resources of the area.
Scholarship and Educational Opportunities
Providing educational opportunities and partnering with local educational
programs for the children of Puerto Morelos are main priorities for Lu´um
K´aa Nab. Until recently, a principle problem in this area was that
the local children did not have an opportunity to advance in education
past 6th grade because there were no nearby high schools for them to attend.
Recent donations have helped to create a Mayan high school. Still, the
cost of books and of having their children not working is too high for
many families.
In response, Lu´um K´aa Nab would like to create a scholarship for children that have an aptitude and willingness to further their education. Another goal is to partner with the Mayan high school with various projects conducted on the Lu´um K´aa Nab land.
Classes would be taught by skilled volunteers, such as University Students and socially oriented professionals in exchange for free room, partial board, and available college credit. Classes will include:
- English lessons
- Peace education
- Leadership building
- Environmental awareness
Educational programs may grow to include the participation of international students sharing in the learning experience as well.
Mexico Program References
Saira Doja - sairadoja@gmail.com
Emmett Rafferty - izgubnik@yahoo.com or etrg@pitt.edu
Shannon Miller - slm39@pitt.edu
Luke Anderson - lwa1@pitt.edu
Eric
Verprauskus - ericverprauskus@yahoo.com
Brittany
Martin - brit200313@yahoo.com
Stefanie
Odett - seo14@pitt.edu
