Our Crowdfunding Groups
PUC Mexico Amigos y Familia:
We wanted to send an update that we will be leaving for Santiago Suchilquitongo, Oaxaca, Mexico in just 1 week!
The generous funds provided for the project have allowed us to design, build, and test 5 solar dryer prototypes over the past few months. Each member of our team earned a machine shop safety certification and will contribute to the construction and testing of 2 different solar dryer designs in country. The remaining funds will be used to build additional dryers or improve mesquite pod storage at the facility. While in Suchil, we will engage with the community through cooking workshops and a resource mapping activity as well as community member interviews that may help us scope out projects for future PUC Mexico teams!
We will be in Mexico from May 21st-June 9th, and will post blog updates every day or as internet availability permits. Each member of the team will write 2 posts during the trip, so you’ll get to hear a little about everyone’s experience! Read our blog posts on our website here.
We also be posting blog updates and photos on our Facebook page here and Instagram account here so follow us to stay updated :)
Muchas Gracias!
Best, Projects with Under-served Communities Mexico Team
PUC Mexico friends and family:
You have helped us raise $15,000 this month! Thanks to your generosity, we are on track to fund 100% of our project! As a team, we thank you for helping us make this project a reality.
In the next few months, we will continue to develop designs for the solar dryer and build prototypes to test our designs. Follow us on Facebook to get updates about our project, or you can email us at PUCMexico2018@gmail.com to start receiving our newsletter! Just send us your First and Last Name, and how you heard about our project and we will add you to our emailing list. If you have not gotten the chance, please check out our website HERE to learn more about the community and the NGO we are working with.
Thank you again for your support!
Warmest Regards,
PUC Mexico 2018
Hello friends of PUC Mexico!
Our fundraising campaign has been in full swing for almost three weeks now and we have received a total of $8,070 from 52 donors! You have been incredibly generous in your giving this month and our team and the Suchilquitongo community want to thank you for your support for our project!
To continue spreading the word, Team Mexico visited Springdale Farms last Saturday and gave out samples of mesquite flour and mesquite flour cookies from the Suchil community to farm-goers. The mesquite the Suchil community uses to produce flour is from local farmers and is rich in fiber and protein. The flour itself has a rich, nutty flavor that goes well in cookies, bread, and other baked goods. PUC Mexico is visiting Green Gate Farms and HOPE Farmer's Market this weekend to continue promoting our project. If you are in the area we invite you to come talk to us in person about the solar oven we are designing and the various people we are working with to make this project a reality!
Thank you again for your support! We will continue to update you on our project throughout the month and when we reach important milestones. Don't forget to share our page with your friends to help us spread the word! Have a great weekend!
-Team Mexico
Hello PUC friends! Team Mexico wants to thank all of you for your incredible generosity. Without it we would not have been able to reach 45% of our goal in the first week of our campaign! Your donations are going directly to funding our implementation of the project next summer in Suchilquitongo. We are so excited to make this vision a reality!
In other news, our team has recently made a big change in the technical approach to our project. We have split our team of eleven into two teams of five and six. Each team is going to work independently to research, design, and prototype a solar oven for the remainder of the semester so that we can focus our efforts on two different approaches simultaneously in order to produce the most efficient drying process for the community members. We will still be checking in with each other and sharing our research, but we intend to produce very different designs so that we can cover all the solution possibilities and share the best with the community members in Oaxaca!
We will continue to update you on our project progress throughout the month. Remember to check out our website and Facebook page to get more information about the team and the community of Santiago Suchilquitongo!
-PUC Mexico 2018
Mesquite is a plant (Prosopis glandulosa) that grows mainly in the United States and Northern Mexico.
The red flour which is used in cooking is obtained by grinding the plant's seeds, contained in a pod similar to that of the peas or carob.
The mesquite tree is one of the most common trees of the southwestern United States and parts of Mexico. It is a member of the legume family of plants which includes peanuts, alfalfa, clover, and beans.
Mesquite flour could contribute to combating food scarcity because of its high nutritional contents which have many deeming it the "Queen of Proteins.”
Mesquite flour is a "complete protein" with eight essential amino acids and consisting of 13 and 17 percent protein.
Mesquite flour is low in carbohydrates and fat yet high in dietary fiber, rich in essential minerals like calcium, potassium, zinc and iron.
Since it has a low glycemic index score, mesquite flour is suitable for diabetics and prediabetics.
The mesquite project is the engine that has started the development of the underserved community of Suchilquitongo. As Master Chef, you are the engine that allows us to implement the drying stations in Suchilquitongo. You provide us with the recipe for success!
