Elena Mendez Pérez is an inspiring woman of San Miguel. As member of the community Loan Committee, Elena understands the benefits of microcredit for the sustainability and growth of her community. Through enterprise loans, she and her husband Agustín have been able to work embroidering belts and bracelets and cultivate fruits and vegetables for sale, respectively. Of the training offered by Agros staff, Elena shares that at first she was skeptical. However, upon learning techniques that improved the quality of her work, Elena says she “has been motivated and wants to continue to move forward.” Elena has now in turn motivated her peers to learn more about their trade.

Community Organization
The President of the Agros Mexico Board of Directors, Eduardo Rodríguez Mendoza, is giving two training workshops in San Miguel—one for the community leaders and one on conflict transformation.

Housing and Infrastructure
The efficient cook stove project continues forward as the eight families participating in the past three months have completed their stoves. These efficient cook stoves use less firewood, funnel smoke out of the house to prevent respiratory problems and cook food faster. There are now a total of seventeen stoves built of the thirty scheduled for the community