Sweet Dreams: Celebrating Success and Gearing Up for the New Year

This past month we joined with Carolyn and Fernando Lazaro and others at Libreria Sayulita to help with a new project they began this fall, called, "Sweet Dreams." 

The project, modelled after a long running project in San Miguel, uses recycled plastic bags to stuff cloth mattress covers. This process creates lightweight, durable and comfortable children's mattresses that simply hang up on a wall when not in use. Of course, it also recycles plastic bags that may otherwise be blowing around the pueblo. It's a win - win situation. 

The goal is to distribute child-sized mattresses to indigenous families whose children are currently sleeping on bare floors. Carolyn and Fernando identified eleven indigenous children from Chiapas, living in Sayulita, who need mattresses right now.

They recently delivered the first two mattresses to Manuel and Marta, and their two young children, Elisa, 4 years old and Carlos Daniel, 2 years of age. 

Marta explains,"The children have never slept on a mattress. Back home in Chiapas most children sleep on a dirt floor. Sometimes they have a small piece of board with a blanket on it." 

The family make and sell the beautiful Chiapas and sell the beautiful Chiapas woven wool animal dolls. Marta says she learned the craft and inherited the designs from her mother. Her uniquely expressive creations, like this "grumpy" purple monkey are captivating.

Many indigenous Chiapas families are living and working far from home, throughout Mexico, to escape the extreme poverty and history of persecution of indigenous peoples in Chiapas.

Manuel says that, even though they miss their extended families he is so happy to be here.

"I'm with my wife and children and we have work to make a living. We could not have this back in Chiapas; life there is very hard! We would like to thank the people who invented this mattress, because it can go anywhere with us. We wish to thank the people who made it, who stuffed it, who collected the bags and thank you for bringing it to us."

With the first two children now sleeping on cozy mattresses, Carolyn and Fernando are excited to see the project move ahead this winter. "What we need now are more hands that can help, and many more plastic bags!" says Carolyn. When each of the remaining nine children is sleeping on a mattress, they will set new goals and continue to bring a good night's rest to children in Sayulita and surrounding area.

You Can Help in the New Year

Three ways you can help with this simple, effective project:

1. Join us to stuff, assemble and/or sew mattresses
2. Collect and donate CLEAN used plastic bags
3. Make a cash donation for materials

Volunteers may join us at the bookstore, Libreria Sayulita, to roll up bags, stuff mattresses, sew, etc.

• Tuesdays between 9 am and 1 pm  
• Thursdays between 11 am and 2 pm

Come get involved. It’s fun - like an old-fashioned quilting bee, but with fresh espresso drinks!

You can drop off your CLEAN plastic bags at:

1. Costa Verde School: Monday to Friday between 8 am and 2 pm
2. The bookstore at Libreria Sayulita: Monday to Friday 8 am to 2 pm and Saturdays 9 am to 1 pm
3. Mercado del Pueblo (public market): Friday between 10 am and 1:30 pm
4. Yah Yah Cafe, at the plaza: anytime between regular cafe hours

If you wish to make a small monetary donation in support of this project, please email Carolyn for information at: carolynleeme@yahoo.com