Devastó 'Agatha' a ONG de apoyo a personas con discapacidad - La Jornada La Jornada Ciudad de México. Durante casi 40 años, la organización Piña Palmera ha brindado servicios de rehabilitación e inclusión integral para miles de ...

'Agatha' devastated an NGO that supports people with disabilities

2022-07-03 08:28

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The hurricane caused 80 percent damage to the facilities of Piña Palmera, an organization that provides rehabilitation to people with physical and mental disabilities from marginalized communities in Oaxaca. Photo 'The Day'

Mexico City. For almost 40 years, the Piña Palmera organization has provided comprehensive rehabilitation and inclusion services for thousands of people with physical and mental disabilities who live in marginalized communities on the coast and southern highlands of Oaxaca; however, after the passage of Hurricane Agatha , the collective's facilities suffered almost total damage, which has left more than 500 users of the place unattended.

This was warned by Flavia Arnau, general coordinator of the civil association, who asked for help to repair the damage and pointed out that many of the disabilities that occur in the region are caused by the lack of medical care for its inhabitants, but also by the existence of toxic agricultural chemicals.

In a conversation with La Jornada, the activist recalled that Piña Palmera was founded 38 years ago with the aim of serving people with disabilities who live in indigenous and rural areas of this Oaxacan region, as well as in highly marginalized urban areas. , where they have accompanied almost 7 thousand people of all ages and conditions.

“Our strategy is based on the participation of the community in rehabilitation, with issues of health, education, social support and empowerment, and for them we coordinate with the different social actors in the locality”, the users themselves and their families.

The organization –whose headquarters are in the community of Zipolite and works with inhabitants of six neighboring municipalities– has a work team made up of around 30 people, many of whom also live with a disability, and its working method is not focused on only in the physical or mental rehabilitation of the individual.

“We have physical therapists, psychologists, occupational therapists and experts in sign language and braille, as well as a colleague who speaks Zapotec to facilitate communication, but we do not have a medical approach or only rehabilitate people, but to change the conditions of the environment that places them in discrimination”, emphasized Arnau.

The specialist warned that many cases of disability –such as deafness or intellectual impairments– are generated by the “abandonment” in which the inhabitants of this region live and the lack of medical care during pregnancy and childbirth.

In addition, "here many chemicals are used for agriculture, because the support programs for farmers come with many agrochemicals that later reach the rivers" and cause damage to the health of the inhabitants.

Arnau lamented that Hurricane Agatha caused damage to up to 80 percent of the Piña Palmera headquarters, which forced the suspension of care for some 550 people, for which he requested food, water, medicine and construction materials, as well as economic support. which can be deposited in bank accounts 09400502588 (Scotiabank Inverlat, with Clabe 044630094005025888) and 65507213865 (Santander, Clabe 014626655072138657).

More information on the phone 958-584-3147 or email