TIANGUIS – the “solidarity“ market
A success story continues: Kolping Mexico’s ‘solidarity’ market TIANGUIS took place once again in Chiapas. This is a special market place where local producers offer their products directly for sale. All products are free of chemical additives and are largely produced ecologically. The market is also an important network for the producers, because some of them can also exchange their products with one another, or purchase certain raw materials. For example, the maker of a vegan ice-cream can buy the cocoa from another producer who offers her own cocoa on the market.
Every market day also features cultural events. This time there was a campaign “I paint my first piggy bank”. On the one hand, the focus was on the promotion of creativity as well as the display of pottery in the region of Chiapas, and on the other hand it was to introduce the topic of “saving” to the children. The participants of the market, who offer their goods here, are working at the same time as a collective saving group, which decides autonomously which person from the group will be supported through a loan for which project. This time, start-up capital was given to the project “La Canducha”, which produces home-made sauces and sells them at the Tianguis. With this money, “La Canducha” will buy small bottles for the new line of gourmet sauces, intended primarily for travellers, who are less able to carry food items. This special Kolping market is a place of solidarity and shows that another form of doing business is possible.
