Seeds for Puerto Rico 2018 (Post María hurricane)
Mujer Montuna and Mama Aicha we are collecting items and money for Puerto Rico after Hurricane María, specially for the community of Lorenzo del Valle in San Lorenzo were we have been based for a whole life. This beautiful community in the mountains was highly impacted by the center of the Hurricane and has been completely disconnected still on day 1o. This is also a highly dependent agricultural community that lost most their crops and not because it is home <3 , but this community is also a very well organized and well known for the community engagement with projects like recycling, nature preservation, theater cultural activities, community meals, self sustained agricultural markets, women’s health workshops and care of the elders not only in their “barrio” but the adjacent ones as well. We feel there is so much love to give them back from all the love and compassion they have been giving other people trough the years. PR rural communities like this one, as well as many others around the island, are always the last ones to receive help mostly because of the disconnection of roads. So we want to work on this gap because nobody else is collecting for them, not because we believe they deserve it better than others. PR entirely needs us right now! This place is HOME, so we ask you to support us!As donations and money come in, we will also be sending donations to other grassroots organizations in Puerto Rico like Taller Salud in Loíza and Agriculture brigades that are already happening around the island. We will also be updating/reporting back in our page. List of needs we have been told by community members:
No GMO vegetable, fruits and flowers (for bees) zone 8,9 and 10 (tropical) seeds
Water filters (not for sink water but for water that is collected) and water quality testers. As well as water purification tablets. Example of water tablets: http://www.aquatabs.com/home/meta-menu/contact/
Solar power operated chargers or lights
Solar or manual energy operated radios and/or flashlights
We will be updating this list continuously as we keep conversations with our community and will create a spreadsheet with all the donors’ information in order to report back about supplies and when did it reach the communities. All supplies will be send to community organizers that will bring donations as always to the main Community Center. You can also contribute with money to PayPal or Venmo to help send these by plane with some volunteers as well as by mail. We will be posting reports screenshots in our PR album. In Chicago we will be collecting in different areas, so contact us to coordinate. Don’t hesitate to ask us more questions, call or write us at the information provided at both our pages. We appreciate you so much!<3 from Mama Aicha/ Mujer Montuna
