In the cultural brand team we are battling with the role money has in the community of 20 de Noviembre. The small income gain today is mostly used for transportation and buying materials to produce handcrafts. If an emergency situation occurs and access to healthcare is needed, the lack of money becomes a major problem.
The team could guide the community in business thinking to increase their profits but we also need to understand their relationship to money, their sharing economy and shared community resourses and responsibilities.
As we have understood, they respect the natural resources and enjoy doing the handcrafts which is a great starting point for sustainable production.
Observing from distance it seems that there are two main issues that could be more beneficial to the community. First of all, the selling channels and the logistics concerning the products could be improved. Secondly, the branding and pricing of the products could be developed to gain better profit.
The main question is how to do it so that we do not change their culture towards a direction where money defines and decides what is valuable or reasonable action? Are we missing something? How can we gain equality and access without increasing the value and dependency of money? Is there some other way to achieve a secure, sustainable healthcare?
Theresa Berg & Suvi Kajamaa
Action Lab Mexico 