Zapotec Post-Earthquake Reconstruction | Oaxaca MX

Dear community,

During our most recent gathering of women in Ranchu Gubiña (Unión Hidalgo, OaxacA) , a Zapotec community, we created a space of care and safe listening for those going through exhausting and painful situations related to caring for their homes and families. It became a moment to pause, listen to one another, and support each other through our shared experiences, recognizing that the care we offer to others often leaves little space for caring for ourselves.

It became clear that the wisdom of our grandmothers is still alive: their knowledge of medicinal plants has sustained the health of generations of women. This collective memory reminds us that care is also knowledge, knowledge that is passed down, practiced, and protected within community.

These reflections emerged during the Herbal Learning Circle for sexual and reproductive health, led by Dr. Cinthia. Together we spoke about the central role that medicinal plants play in our lives, and about how, even though we recognize the plants from our communities and their healing properties, we are often so disconnected from caring for our own bodies that we forget to nurture them.

Dr. Cinthia guided us through the three pillars of self-care: physical, emotional, and spiritual. Through a body-mapping exercise where we identified the places where we carry constant pain, we reflected on how, for women caregivers, the body often holds many of the burdens we carry in our daily lives.

The gathering revealed a deep need among women for safe spaces where they can speak, listen, and recognize themselves in one another. For many of us, these circles are a reminder that we are not alone in the challenges of care, health, and everyday life. We also reflected on how plants and our responses to their scents and aromas,can help us better understand what our bodies need and reconnect with forms of care that have long been present in our communities.

During the gathering, Dr. Cinthia shared her experience:

“When I began the workshop, I asked the group a question. Many women already knew some plants and remedies. Several were going through menopause and were looking for support during this stage of life. Others mentioned depression and sadness as emotions they wanted to address. When they introduced themselves, I realized there had already been previous work around menopause.They had practices such as looking at themselves in the mirror and affirming that they love themselves. I was glad to see there was already an awareness of self-care and self-love.”

One of the participants shared that at this moment in her life she felt deeply isolated, and that in these gathering spaces she was able to find comfort. This learning circle also allowed us to develop new collective skills to produce our own plant-based medicine, while strengthening the group’s interest in recognizing ourselves as agents of collective self-care.

We are deeply grateful to the GlobalGiving community for continuing to accompany the dreams of the women who live in the Istmo de Tehuantepec Your support makes it possible for these spaces to exist and for the knowledge of our communities to keep flourishing.