Centro Santa Angela’s work to “green” urban neighbourhoods in José Leonardo Ortíz has moved to the neglected and underserved pueblo joven of San Miguel, whose public park had barely a single plant growing in it when the project started last year.
Centro Santa Angela runs programs in the neighbourhood for children, youth and adults, to teach them about the importance of protecting our environment as well as what they can do to help. Participants in these programs develop their own environmental initiatives, such as cleaning garbage from their streets, reducing and recycling, planting trees and community gardens or rescuing parks. They also promote good practices among their peers. Thirty families have organized into 9 block committees dedicated to caring for and improving their immediate environment.
As one participant says, “It’s given us the opportunity to learn, to make the authorities aware of us, to form new friendships, improve our relationships and make our community beautiful with parks and gardens so our families have a healthy environment.”
San Miguel’s sucesses have inspired community members next door in San Beatriz—El Palmo to get involved too. Centro Santa Angela will continue to work in San Miguel throughout 2023.