A Rich Culture Faces Poverty

The Otomi are an indigenous people in the Central Highlands of Mexico. There are approximately 42,000 Otomi living around the Sierra Madre, most of whom live in the state of Hidalgo, but smaller populations are also spread throughout the southern central and coastal states. The Otomi are among the most underserved indigenous groups in all of Mexico. They have suffered discrimination and marginalization in the areas of health, education, and economic opportunity, which has created cycles of poverty, leading to increasing inequality. Most Otomi communities survive by subsistence farming, a form of farming in which nearly all crops or livestock raised are only enough to support the farmer’s family. This leaves little, if any, surplus for sale or trade. Many farmers’ main crops are corn, beans, and chili peppers. Some grow coffee and sugar cane to sell in markets, while others grow medicinal herbs to sell.

Despite having specialized skills in these areas, job opportunities are scarce, and incomes are decreasing. Coupled with inflation, this requires many Otomi men to travel to cities for part of the year in search of work to support their families, leaving behind communities with women, youth, and children. The Otomi population has suffered significant loss of ancestral knowledge, language, and traditions as they have worked to fit into the mainstream Mexican society that does not accept their cultural identity.

Women Making a Difference

The CHOICE team in Mexico is helping improve the quality of life for Otomi families by creating income-generating opportunities, strengthening the economy of the region, providing educational options, and supporting Otomi culture. To accomplish this, CHOICE Humanitarian implemented a program which focuses on encouraging the members of each Otomi community to actively participate in creating activities, initiatives, and projects designed specifically to serve regional needs.

One such activity is a community loan program. Indigenous women participants save together and borrow from their joint savings for construction projects that improve their quality of life. The women are taught financial responsibility, decision making, and teamwork as they support each other’s household improvement projects. They also receive trainings on how to build, implement, and maintain each project. Together, they have helped each other build greenhouses with aquaponics systems, micro-greenhouses with ecological filters, chicken coops, eco-friendly stoves, ferrocement cisterns, and dry bathrooms. As of 2022, there are a total of 8 community savings groups that have 145 women participants.

Prisciliana and Clara Turn Small Opportunities Into Big Businesses

Prisciliana Martínez from San Martín, a member of the Otomi community, was chosen by her group to have a micro-greenhouse near her home. With it, she grows nutritious food for her own family and has started a small business selling vegetables to her neighbors. Prisciliana told the CHOICE team, “Now I can eat better— [food that is] more varied, flavorful, and healthier—without spending that money. This money I save can now be used for things like my children's school or whatever is needed at home.”

Clara Quintana from San Antonio, another member of the Otomi community, built a chicken coop in her backyard after her group was trained on how to construct and maintain them. The new coop allows her to provide her family with protein-rich meals. She decided to take advantage of this opportunity to also generate an economic income, and she began selling meat and eggs. Production grew so much that Clara built a second chicken coop intended only for sales, and she continues to grow her business. Clara Quintana said, “I learned how to build the chicken coop! I did not know anything about construction. But now I know, and I taught my husband. We asked for support from CHOICE for the materials, and together we built another chicken coop to have more chickens. Now we have a business, and we always have eggs and chickens in the house that allow us to eat healthier.”