THE ST. AUGUSTINE - BARACOA
FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION

Irania Martínez García created CEPRU in 2000 and the program has received accolades by the United Nations (UN) for turning a local garbage dump into an organic fertilizer-producing garden and creating a model for other communities to emulate. Irania is a local hero who has helped whole communities learn how to protect and preserve the environment while growing their own food with the use of organic and sustainable materials from the dumps.  

The Friendship Association provides humanitarian support to the province of Guantánamo and has supported Irania and the CEPRU project for several years. The experimental recycling center has turned a toxic dump into a model plant nursery and earthworm farm while creating compost for the numerous community gardens that are being initiated in the area. Currently the group is working on a new project to raise goats to provide goat's milk for babies.

The Friendship Association will continue to help Irania, the volunteer recycling center workers, and to help others replicate this worthwhile project. Much of Cuba's farming and agriculture is by nature organic, partly because they haven't had access to expensive chemical fertilizers.  

Irania's recycling center is a perfect example of a major transformation that has taken place at the grass roots level in Cuba, through the efforts of a few local citizens who lived near the dump and who saw the negative effects on the children of the neighborhood. The local citizens have taken it upon themselves to make the dump into something that worked for them, that gives them a livelihood through creating a plant nursery and selling plants and compost.  City officials come from all over Cuba to study the Center. Plus, Irania has traveled throughout the country giving workshops on how to transform other local dumps into productive, even beautiful sites.  

Through self-help projects like the compost project and accompanying humanitarian aid, people are empowered to develop skills that can help them achieve a level of independence and improve their quality of life.  

Recently, the Friendship Association presented Irania Martí­nez García to CNN for their CNN Heroes program. Irania is one of three honorees in this year's CNN Heroes award of Defending the Planet for her innovative efforts to preserve and protect the environment.  

A program to honor Irania and the other finalists aired on CNN Heroes: An All Star Tribute, Thursday, Dec. 6 at 9 pm.

For more information, visit the CNN websites at http://www.cnn.com/heroes and http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/11/26/heroes.finalists/

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2. The Alejandro de Humboldt National Park

Report submitted by Kate Hennessey,  Environment committee coordinator

Members of the Friendship Association have been working with Alejandro de Humboldt National Park on an educational campaign to encourage Cubans and visitors alike to protect some of the many endangered endemic species in the Baracoa area.  

The species most in danger of being abused at the hands of humans is the polimita picta, the colorful endemic Cuban tree snail.  The polimita picta is collected by the many inhabitants of Baracoa and Maisi­ to be used in crafts such as jewelry, and to be sold to tourists. Vendors of polimita shells are often found along the Farola, and on beaches. Schoolchildren doing their work/study program in the countryside also gather the polimitas for amusement.

At one time the World Wildlife Fund made posters to be displayed in public places in Baracoa, but most of the few remaining original posters are badly faded.  

Concerned members of the Friendship Association commissioned Baracoa artist Antonio Rojas to do a painting featuring the polimita to be used for new posters, and artist Abel to create black and white drawings to be used for children to color.   

The posters were laminated and distributed to public places and schools in Baracoa and MaisĂ­, and the coloring book pages were given to schools along with crayons and art supplies.

On June 5, 2005, United Nations World Environment Day, Alejandro de Humboldt park hosted a day-long workshop for park residents and children’s circulos de interes or interest groups on the importance of protecting the native fauna and flora.  The Friendship Association provided prizes for the participants, including colorful polimita tee-shirts which delegation members also wore.  
 
In 2006 the campaign is being expanded to include the cotorra or Cuban parrot, with another poster and a coloring book on the life of the cotorra.   

 The Friendship Association collaborated with the Baracoa Art Gallery to include an environmental category in the June art competition.  The Friendship Association provided art materials as prizes, and made a new poster of one of the winning art works in the environmental category.
 
These activities have been funded privately and through a grant from a Colorado-based environment organization, Idea Wild.  

• Letter to Lonely Planet
• Poster of Winning Painting made for World Environment Day 2007

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If you are interested in learning more about the work
of the Friendship Association, please
E-mail the Secretary solesole@bellsouth.net (or telephone USA-904-461-3175).