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School education, compulsory until 14 years of age, represents one of the most successful activities in Cuba. As a matter of fact, we should remember that the Ciénaga territory has not easy access and therefore, for a Developing Country subject to strong economic restrictions caused by the embargo imposed by the USA, guaranteeing education for all the children represents a unique economic effort.
In the Ciénaga de Zapata Biosphere Reserve there are elementary schools, and multi-grade classrooms have been built in all the settlements. In Palpite, a model school was inaugurated in June 2003: it is built with structures able to resist hurricanes, classrooms provided with computers and multimedia systems, and can welcome up to 125 pupils. Moreover, a craftsmanship school is working.
The secondary school is situated in Jaguey Grande, less than 50-60 km far from the farthest settlements.
Public health services are granted by the family doctor and nurse in all the communities, whatever the number of inhabitants. There is a general hospital in Playa Larga and a rural hospital in Cayo Ramona.
Thanks to the great success obtained among the local population, the use of traditional natural medicine has been promoted, and the hospital is equipped with a lab dedicated to the production of phytomedicines. |
Community Projects
CITMA is developing an environmental education community program in which pupils, teachers, park keepers, auxiliary medical personnel, school personnel and, in general, all the technicians and experts working in the territory directly take part. These programs are supported by the government and other local institutions.
The most representative examples of environmental education programs as part of the life of local inhabitants are the so-called "clubs of the friends of nature" existing in the schools of some locations and the cultural group "The Theater of the Forest", having the aim to sensitize the local population towards the issues of safeguard and sustainable use of the territory.
"Gruppo Korimacao" is the name given to the cultural organism dealing with the different cultural expressions existing within Ciénaga. Theater, dance, poetry, and music are some of the forms of art developed by artists and experts belonging to this group. The sports group gathering a great number of women of the whole Ciénaga territory around the game of baseball is curious and unique in its genre. Baseball tournaments and matches usually take place when particular occasions are celebrated.
The development of urban agriculture is another result by CITMA in Zapata. After only two years since the beginning of the project, the community horticulture program involves 900 families producing vegetables for their needs. Biofertilization is the most interesting aspect of the project, since it involves using all the remains of the other agricultural and zootechnical activities, transforming the production of foodstuffs for the local population into a sustainable activity. Moreover, the exploitation of small family equipment for the production of biogas has reduced the possibility of pollution of the surface water bearing layers deriving from the excrements of the pig livestock and of other species of animals essential to meet the need of high-quality animal proteins.
The control of the wildlife pathology is one of the main concerns of the municipal authorities, also for its possible effects on the human health.
The frontier Veterinary Service is in charge of diagnosing the illness that can be found in the local wildlife and suggests solutions which help to reduce the effects of the pathology.
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