With the support of The Sociobiodiversity Network and of Socio-environmental House Fund, The Mãe Mirra Portal continues to implement integrated actions for holistic education (education of the physical, vital, mental, psychic, and spiritual body) and regeneration, strengthening community ties and agroecological practices in the cocoa-growing territory of southern Bahia.
This month, we decided to share not only the progress achieved, but also the challenges faced in the collective construction of a more just, healthy territory, connected to the cycles of nature. And the importance of perseverance, of following the path we have chosen. Shaping ourselves as beings, aspiring to well-being.
Currently, we are monitoring four families at different stages of the agroecological transition. Among the actions carried out during this period, we highlight:
- The production of the first handmade chocolates by Anelita, the result of training in the processing of regional products;
- The realization of a Agroecological community work day on Dona Raimunda's property., in partnership with Agroecological Collective,
- The realization of Introduction to Agroforestry Systems Workshop, This marked the beginning of Casa de Farinha's activities as a formative and productive space; the first workshop we held was with the support of the Rede Povos da Mata and Hércules Saar, who provided us with two agroecological training sessions.
- The delimitation of two productive areas on Mr. Roque's farm, with 900 m² each, where organic fertilization and planting of service species will be carried out, according to principles of ecological succession and diversity.
As a preparatory step for these interventions, we also carried out... soil analyses which will guide the selection and dosage of organic inputs, ensuring greater efficiency in the regeneration process and care for fertility.
In Domingos Correia Rural School, We continue with the workshops on nutrition and healthy eating, promoting dialogue about food from production to preparation, including its educational, emotional, and cultural dimensions. The planning the school garden It was postponed to the start of the next school year, seeking to broaden the involvement of the school community and allow for a more participatory and careful implementation.
Structural challenges and community engagement
Despite the progress, we continue to face challenges. recurring structural challenges, especially those related to the economic conditions of farming families. A Agroecology is highly valued and sought after. by many people in the countryside, especially women, young people, and small producers. But what is noticeable – and deserves to be acknowledged – is that This passion for agroecology comes from the heart, from a deep feeling of care for the home and the land..
Most of the local population expresses discomfort and sadness in the face of environmental degradation. There is pain in seeing life being lost, the soil impoverished, the rivers sick.. At the same time, there is a genuine pleasure in taking care of the trees, preserving important species of the region, preparing one's own food and to maintain ways of life that integrate nature into daily life. This interest is legitimate and alive.
However, the Socioeconomic inequalities still impose concrete barriers. The adoption of sustainable practices is contingent upon the need to generate immediate income, coupled with a scarcity of consistent public policies supporting the agroecological transition. This limits the time and conditions for the development, planning, and implementation of regenerative systems.
Despite the growing interest in agroecology, Public incentives still prioritize models based on the use of herbicides and pesticides., ...which compromise the health of the territories and their inhabitants. Despite this, we are beginning to see small signs of change, such as the support received by the project through the Casa Socioambiental Fund, financed by resources from Caixa Econômica Federal. This initiative signals a possible institutional opening for... to recognize and support more integrated and sustainable forms of production and care..
With regard to community engagement, The challenges are also constant. Most people need to work continuously to make a living, which reduces their availability to participate in community work projects, workshops, and training. However, we have noticed that... Common spaces such as the flour mill and the school have played a fundamental role. For listening, welcoming, and community mobilization. These are places where experiences meet, stories circulate, and collective actions are strengthened.
Transparency, ties and institutional strengthening
In addition to the technical and economic challenges, we have also faced... sensitive issues in the field of human relations and institutional building. In seeking to consolidate a community association based on transparency and collective commitment, we encounter Legitimate questions about the use of resources and about how the benefits of the project manifest themselves in people's real lives.
Phrases like “I haven't seen any money reach my hands yet, have I?” or “Can I give this money from the project to my mother?”They reveal an understandable sentiment: that, faced with the immediate need for survival, The project needs to result in a direct and quick financial return.. It's not just a matter of doubt or distrust — but a reality in which food, gas, medicine, and transportation are urgently needed and often scarce.
This scenario invites us to reflect on the a mismatch between the timelines of socio-environmental projects and the timelines of families' economic needs.. Many still fail to visualize the application of this resource as a medium- to long-term process, focused on training, structuring sustainable production systems, and building collective autonomy.
And, naturally, amidst these challenges, Interpersonal tensions also arise., ...such as crossed words, misunderstandings, insecurities, and jealousy. These are expressions of the complexity of human relationships, especially when we set out to build something as a group. Therefore, we have come to understand that... Strengthening the institutional structure and our collective principles is just as important as actions on the ground..
Building a vibrant, ethical, and transparent association requires constant listening, spaces for dialogue, careful attention to relationships, and clarity about its purpose. We are committed to this process and, even in the face of difficulties, remain steadfast in our purpose of forging relationships based on trust, solidarity, and the common good.
Truth, trust, and institutional strengthening
In addition to external challenges, we also face internal, human and organizational issues. In attempting to build a transparent and ethical community association, legitimate doubts, mistrust, misunderstandings, and interpersonal tensions arise.
In a scenario marked by deprivation and inequality, it is common for problems to arise. snide remarks, insecurities, jealousy, backbiting. These are expressions of the complexity of human relationships. Often, it is difficult for people to understand that a project like this works with structuring and collective processes, and not with the direct distribution of individual resources.
In light of this, we reaffirm the importance of Strengthen our institutional structure based on clear and lived ethical principles.. We want to create an environment where trust is possible, and for that, it is necessary... To speak the truth, not to take what belongs to others, not to feed gossip, to listen with empathy, and to act with transparency. These are actions that we cultivate internally to stay firm on the path and mature as a group.
Our principles
The Portal Mãe Mirra is a space for gathering, regeneration, and awakening.. We serve as a laboratory for spiritual and material practices in service of the development of consciousness.
Our guiding values are:
- Sincerity / Truth – aligning thought, speech, and action with inner truth
- Equanimity – transcending duality
- Courage and Effort – to act with firmness and presence
- Perseverance and Determination – stay on track
- Loving-kindness – loving presence with all beings
- Compassionate love – to embrace pain with tenderness and wisdom
- Humility / Renunciation – to abandon pride and selfishness
- Patience – respect the pace of each process
- Aspiration and Wisdom
- Receptivity
- Gratitude – to honor everything that sustains us
- Generosity – sharing without expecting anything in return
We believe that it is with these values alive in our relationships that we can overcome the challenges of community organizations., To cultivate trust, strengthen bonds, and sustain a path of care for the earth, bodies, and relationships.
The paths we continue building
We therefore proceed with confidence and attentive listening. Each collective effort, each meeting, and each small daily decision also becomes a an act of resistance and reconstruction of the community fabric. We continue sowing the seeds of autonomy, belonging, and care.
Our work is linked to various partnerships, ...such as the Itacaré Department of Education, the Araçá Community Warehouse, the UESC Observatory, the Agroecological Collective, the Mimos da Mata project, Abuelitas Cacau, as well as educators, farmers and local initiatives that share our commitment to the regeneration of the land, bodies and relationships.
To learn more about the project or to contribute to strengthening the actions of the Mãe Mirra Portal, visit our website and become part of this network of care and transformation.
Mother Mirra Portal
Center for the Development of Human Consciousness
www.portalmaemirra.org
