Camioncito Fair Trade Safe Ride to School for the Workers Children

At NatureSweet Invernaderos S de RL de CV in Nayarit, Mexico, tomato workers directed their Community Development Funds toward improving school access for children in the local community of Santa María del Oro. Through a needs assessment and worker voting process, education emerged as a key priority. Workers specifically identified transportation to school as a practical and urgent challenge affecting local families and preventing consistent attendance. Children in Santa María del Oro often had to travel up to an hour on foot to reach their elementary school. This daily journey exposed them to unsafe roads and temperatures that could soar to 95°F, raising significant concerns among parents about safety and health. After reviewing these findings, the Fair Trade Committee proposed using Community Development Funds to provide a dedicated school transportation service. The workers overwhelmingly approved the plan, allocating $6,800 USD by the end of 2025 to fund a bus service that operates for both morning and afternoon school shifts. The project now benefits more than 87 children throughout the school year. The bus dramatically reduces travel time and ensures students arrive at school safely and ready to learn, while also relieving families of the daily stress of coordinating transport. This worker-led initiative is a clear example of how collective decision-making can address a critical barrier, directly improving the well-being of children and strengthening the entire community.