Testimony: Pre-professional anthropology stay at AMBIO.
As a student of social anthropology, I have always been very interested in environmental issues and forest protection, as both climate change and the fight against it are an immediate social issue.
In my studies, I want to see how people particularly affected by climate change cooperate in protecting the environment and how the cooperation in restoration and reforestation works in Mexican ejidos.
Thanks to the AMBIO cooperative, I had the opportunity to have a very special vision of this field and, after receiving a positive response to my application, I travelled to San Cristobal, Chiapas, to work with AMBIO for four weeks. I got the chance go twice with the field team to Ejido Nuevo Vicente Guerrero, municipality of Villa Corzo. I saw the technical processes of restoration and reforestation and was able to conduct a survey with the members of the ejido. I talked a lot with many people and learned their opinions, stories, concerns and, above all, how they perceive the collaboration with AMBIO in their ejido and their hopes and desires.
Although my internship was short-lived, in these four weeks I have learned a lot from AMBIO and have also gathered valuable material for my bachelor's thesis. I realized the decisive role that AMBIO plays for the people of Ejido Nuevo Vicente Guerrero and I admire the work that they do with their inhabitants. It has been a great pleasure for me to be part of this commitment for the forests of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas for a short period of time.
Thank you so much for this unique opportunity!
Charlotta Leiter
University of Munich, Germany
