Members of the Global Philanthropists Circle (GPC) arrived in Oaxaca, Mexico on the afternoon of Tuesday, November 27. Synergos staff and a committee of Mexican associates who were an integral part of the organization and implementation of the trip received the group. Vivian Blair, an independent consultant and Mexican national who serves as a senior advisor to much of Synergos' work in Mexico, Adriana Cortés, Executive Director of the Bajio Community Foundation and Javier Vargas, President of the Vamos Foundation, welcomed the group to Mexico with a presentation of the intellectual and conceptual framework for the trip.

Staff of CENTEOTL describing the organization's work and impact.

After an overview presentation of the trip activities and reflections from Jaime Bolaños, Executive Director of the Oaxaca Community Foundation (OCF), Rodolfo and Norma Ogarrio, both OCF board members, hosted us for dinner at their exquisite home. We enjoyed an informal opportunity for the members of the group to become acquainted with each other and meet several members of the Oaxacan community, including Paco Chapela and Yolanda Lara who manage a nonprofit organization, called Estudios Rurales y Asesoria, that assists indigenous forest communities to develop sustainable forestry plans and market certified timber and other forest products.

 
© 2002 The Synergos Institute