GGGI Small Grant (2023) - Hagamos Más (Mexico)
Project Summary
Fundación Hagamos Más por Santa Rosalía (Hagamos Más) is a community service non-profit in Baja California Mexico that works with fishing communities to promote community participation and women’s empowerment on a variety of issues. Through the GGGI Small Grants Program, Hagamos Más has been implementing a “weigh and pay” program for the recovery of ALDFG and other plastic marine debris from Mexico’s westcentral Gulf of California coast, along with a variety of outreach activities with fishing communities in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Women from fishing communities have been trained and paid to be communicators for the program, an approach that has reached nearly 840 people in four priority communities so far. These women are dedicated and effective, and they have become community leaders in the effort to mitigate ALDFG in their local environment.
The Hagamos Mas “weigh and pay” program began after educational seminars were completed in the communities, and the collection of ALDFG has totalled more than 8.6 metric tons of monofilament and silk mesh nets. Entire families have been involved in searching for ALDFG and have completed successful communitywide removals. The successful education and training of women, families and communities is resulting in a healthier environment for people and in economic benefits for local fishers. The successful training and fishing gear removals have inspired communities to continue efforts to mitigate the deadly impact of ALDFG. These efforts also have created alliances with public and private institutions in the region, including with fishers and with the four priority communities that rely on fishing activities to survive. Hagamos Mas hopes to both continue and expand this successful and innovative program.
