Annual Report 2014

PROMOTION OF PROJECTS IN SMALL COMMUNITIES

and is known as the National Capital of Wood due to the great forestry activity developed in the area. Since 1989, its 1200 inhabitants have celebrated the National Wood Festival every year, which offers musical performances, a craft fair and the original wood competition where local loggers compete by demonstrating their skills in handling an axe and chainsaw. “They met my expectations, it was what I wanted, to achieve something with the community, not each one looking into their own comfort zone but the whole environment”, says Patricia Berocay, Head of the Piedras Coloradas High School. This year the teacher Cecilia Martínez began teaching classes at the Piedras Coloradas School attended by 196 children. She attended the two workshops organized by the UPM Foundation. From a personal viewpoint, the teacher points out that the workshops gave her the chance to integrate more into the local activities in the town. In terms of the area, she states that these instances “are very posi- tive for the rural environment as they open the mind, promote the importance of working as a network and raise awareness of the problems other neighbouring towns are facing”. After the workshops, Martínez took part in drafting one of the three projects that emerged in the area as a result of the workshops: construction of a sports complex. The proposal on which the residents are working consists of roofing, making a side enclosure and building more locker rooms and bathrooms for the municipal court currently in Piedras Coloradas. As well as hosting the popular Wood Festival, the court is also often used by the 500 children who attend the school, the high school and the CAIF [Care Centre for Children and Families].

They met my expectations, it was what I wanted, to achieve something with the community, not each one looking into their own comfort zone but the whole environment”, says Patricia Berocay, Head of the Piedras Coloradas High School.

54 2014 ANNUAL REPORT