Barahona.– In commemoration of the International Day of Afro-descendant Women, the Tertulia Feminista Sur (TFS) officially launched the project “Feminism, Action and Mobilization for an Inclusive Economy” (FAME), an ambitious initiative that seeks to transform the living conditions of more than 1,500 Afro-descendant women and girls in seven communities in the Enriquillo Region.
During an emotional event held this July 25th, TFS, a collective that brings together Afro women from bateyes and rural areas, presented the transformative axes of the FAME project, aimed at strengthening feminist civil society organizations, facilitating their sustainability, access to financing, technical strengthening, and the creation of an international network for exchange and mutual support.
The project will be developed along three main lines:
Community gardens led by women, with a focus on food security.
Technical scholarships in agroecology and technology, aimed at adolescents and young people.
Mentorship network with Afro-Dominican businesswomen, to promote leadership and economic autonomy.
“FAME es una herramienta para cerrar las brechas históricas que han afectado a las mujeres negras, empobrecidas y rurales del sur. Desde la Tertulia Feminista Sur apostamos a construir desde abajo, desde las que resisten, desde las que han sido invisibilizadas”,
expresó Ámbar Ortiz, vocera del colectivo.
The activity was full of symbolism, history, and art. Las Niñas Semilla, from Batey 6, presented the poem “My skin is not poverty,” and the symbolic signing of the FAME pact took place with leaders from the seven beneficiary communities.
Academics from the UASD-Barahona Center also participated, such as Ana Lucía Beltré and Beridania Batista, as well as representatives of local authorities and community organizations.
The 25th of July is an emblematic date for Afro-descendant struggles. It was established in 1992 during the First Meeting of Afro-Latin American and Afro-Caribbean Women held in the Dominican Republic, and pays tribute to historical figures such as Salomé Ureña and the maroon women of the region, who led resistance struggles against slavery.
