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The Sexto Sol Center for Community Action contributes to the elimination of poverty and the restoration of the damaged environment by promoting cooperative enterprise, environmentally sound agriculture, appropriate technology and conservation. We work in the Sierra Madre region of Chiapas, Mexico and with repatriated refugee communities in Guatemala. Through our internship program we train others to do this work elsewhere.

The world is our classroom for practicing compassion. The Sexto Sol Center for Community Action serves impoverished communities in Chiapas and Guatemala where a change of vision and technical assistance can help them create a better life. Since 1997 we have assisted people to: create success with cooperative businesses, grow healthful food, improve neglected schools for their children, regain cultural pride, protect the watershed, create eco-villages and heal from trauma of disaster and war. We lobby internationally for the respect of indigenous human rights and environmental and economic justice. We hope to inspire others to exercise of their own compassion be they our supporters, volunteers or interns. We work in one corner of the world to in a way we hope ripples out beyond.

According to the Mayan calendar, the world is entering the Sixth Sun,
El Sexto Sol, the time of Justice and of the emancipation of indigenous peoples. We promote the ethic of "community action" whereby community members work together to solve common problems and to reach common goals.

On a planet with abundant life, water and resources, poverty should be viewed by everyone as an aberration. But as you well know, human beings have yet to figure out how to live in a way that affords every member of the human family with the necessities for a healthful life. Therefore most people accept the existence of poverty, of the loss of 35,000 children to starvation every day, as "normal."

It is possible to create a sustainable world in which all people live with dignity and enjoy good health in harmony with nature. It starts with imagining a future for our world in which all Earth's creatures live in harmonious relationship. We are the solution. But changing the world is not a spectator sport. We encourage you to find ways to do your part.

Thank you to Shawn Gallaway at www.ichooselove.org for this inspirational message. To view the video, you need adobe flash player, click here.

Improving Education for Indigenous Children A Call for Solidarity: Help us raise 3,000 dollars to repair dilapidated schools. We have received a grant from Water Charity to install a much needed system to eliminate seasonal flooding at a school serving 280 elementary school children. We need 1,500 dollars in matching funds to make this possible in January. We have just received an urgent request to repair a school where freezing wind blows through the floor boards making study a hardship for the 150 children without proper clothing or shoes. Improving Education as a solution to the root causes of economic migration In such an impoverished region as the Sierra Madre, people immigrate in search of work when they feel that there is no other opportunity to keep their families fed, earn money to build a house or start a business. Even though most poor families must rely on the money sent home from the U.S., construction and other jobs normally done by undocumented workers are disappearing due to the recession. Immigrants are returning home to an uncertain future. Since 1997 the Sexto Sol Center has provided people with the tools they need to build a better life at home so that they would not have to immigrate. As a strategy to end the cycle of economic migration, Sexto Sol now works with teachers and parents in poor communities to make important improvements to neglected schools. By improving schools that have languished in disrepair for years, and providing them with books, the children will receive an education that will prepare them to create their own opportunities. click to learn more…

Our work is made possible by the financial support of people like you

We depend on the Sexto Sol Community now more than ever. It can be a lot of fun to do a fundraiser for Sexto Sol. It's as easy as holding a yardsale, throwing a benefit dance party, or wherever your creativity leads. Need ideas? tamara@sextosol.org.

Our thanks to Cheryl Ridsdale-Shimanskey, Alex Breitenberger and for recent fundraisers! Cheryl and friends raise funds recycling trash from our Adopt-a-highway in tribute to actor Edward James Olmos.

The Sexto Sol Center is honored to be featured on the official site of Edward James Olmos, long time friend of the Sexto Sol Center. Our thanks to his fans for your contributions to the work of Sexto Sol.

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