SUMMARY
In 1997 a group of Catholic women, worried about the situation of their community, founded the Alternative Health Centre of Muribeca (CESAM). CESAM was created to help the inhabitants of the poor neighbourhoods of Jaboatão dos Guararapes in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil.
With the support of local NGOs and with international cooperation funds, they installed a small lab to |
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process medicinal plants cultivated in an urban garden. Now they commercialise more than 20 products including herbal teas, creams and lotions.
Its members are poor women, with a low educational level and low incomes. Their work is based on values as solidarity, companionship and horizontal and democratic participation for management and decision-making. CESAM has allowed them to feel as enterprising women and to generate supplementary incomes for their families.
The study presents the strengths of the experience, which has survived for many years without alliances with the local government. It also analyses in detail the limits of the strategy, in terms of the consolidation and growth of its members.
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