What is it all about?
El Cuyo, a fishing village on the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, is located in the Reserva de la Bíosfera Ría Lagartos nature reserve. There are flamingos, pelicans, turtles, a beautiful beach - and a garbage problem! Every day rubbish is burned in the middle of this natural paradise. Vegetable waste, palm leaves, plastic, glass… It all ends up in the landfill. We want to change this! That is why we are launching the «Initiativa de Compostaje Comunitario», the Community Composting Initiative. The aims are:
- less waste to incinerate,
- an important step towards total recycling,
- greater environmental awareness,
- unsprayed vegetables for the local community,
- healthy food and extra income for the locals.
The dump from above: waste is burned here every day - in the middle of the nature reserve. In the background you can see the lagoon and the village. 
Just a few metres away from the flamingos, everything from palm leaves to plastic bags is burning.
How does it work?
We start with the restaurants and hotels. There are almost 60 in El Cuyo. As many as possible join the initiative and start separating their waste. We collect it - for which we charge a small fee. We compost the organic waste and recycle the rest. We use the nutrient-rich compost to grow vegetables sustainably. This provides a small income for the locals and a healthy alternative to conventional food.
At the heart of the project, however, is education and awareness-raising: we organise workshops, film evenings and teaching sessions for children, young people and adults. Our vision is for everyone in the village to learn, step by step, how waste separation, composting and environmental protection work. The first composting courses have already taken place and more workshops will soon be held.
Environmental education for all: We want to share important knowledge with the people of El Cuyo through lectures and courses. 
Kindergarten composting class: mothers composting for the first time. 
On this leased site, we turn organic waste into compost. 
We use the nutrient-rich compost to plant vegetables. Here is the first harvest, planted with secondary school students: coriander and corn.
Why a Crowdfunding?
Government support for such projects is very unlikely in Mexico. With contributions from participating restaurants and hotels, we aim to cover running costs and pay the composting team a small remuneration - a welcome additional income in a place that has become very expensive for locals. The crowdfunding campaign will help us get off the ground and cover infrastructure costs. These include
- 300 compost bins
- Tools
- Land rent (composting and vegetable growing)
- Construction of a simple tool shed
- A shredding machine
- A cargo motorcycle for transport.
With your support, we would also like to take our education and awareness work to the next level. Funding will enable us to run more events and create professionally structured educational opportunities for all ages and interests - materials and ideas that can be reused in other places.
All other tasks and expenses are carried out by volunteers - with passion and conviction. Because one thing is clear to us: «Compost for Paradise» is an important start. It protects nature, raises environmental awareness and creates new prospects for the local population. And it paves the way for other initiatives - in El Cuyo and hopefully in many other villages in Mexico.
Behind the project is a dedicated team, a mix of locals, long-term tourists and El Cuyo enthusiasts. One of them is me, Coco. I came to El Cuyo as a volunteer two years ago - and fell in love with this paradise. I want El Cuyo and its nature to be protected. And I am convinced that (with perseverance and a lot of patience) change is possible. Poco a poco - step by step.
Thank you for helping to keep this paradise a paradise!
If you would like to know more about the project, receive the detailed project presentation or get involved, please contact us!
Reward: A key ring made from recycled, local wood - we'll engrave it with the name of your choice. 
Reward: Mexican stone bracelets. Made by Nachi, who also participates in composting. 
Reward: Your favorite drink as a «Cóctel del Día» at the popular Can Cocal restaurant. 
Reward: Instead of «Hercules», the Kompo vehicle may soon bear your name.