This month’s recipient of Sayulita Life’s $5,000 donation is Banco de Tapitas, a private non-profit organization that was officially formed in 2015. Banco de Tapitas uses money earned from their recycling program to provide care for patients battling cancer all over the country, from infants up to 21 year-old young adults. They have several support programs and initiatives, but their most recent project is the creation of a large metal heart-shaped structure for collecting recycling, that will soon be placed in Sayulita’s main plaza; this large structure will not only be a work of art and a beautiful addition to our artistic and vibrant plaza, but it will help to gain attention and encourage people to recycle their plastic bottle caps-- all for the wonderful cause in raising money for sick children and young adults.
Sayulita Life’s $5,000 donation went directly toward the purchase of materials to actually create the large metal structure; more specifically, to fabricate a two meter metal structure in the form of heart that will be installed in the main square of Sayulita.
I talk with Valeria Espina, leader of the Banco de Tapitas organization, about Banco de Tapitas’s various initiatives and projects, as well as the metal heart that will soon be in the plaza in early November of 2019.
First, can you explain to readers a bit about your organization and some of your programs or initiatives?
Yes; we are a non-profit, private organization that collects all kinds of plastic caps through our ambassadors and authorized “Delivery Points”, which are sent to our organization’s collection center to be recycled, and thus generate resources/funding for patient care, from 0 to 21 years old in the whole country. We have several support programs, including “Local Cases”, which is a program for patients who require some support to complement their treatments in their hometowns, such as therapy sessions, nutritional supplements, medicines, transportation grants, medical scholarships, or payment of fees or surgical procedures. “Uncover Your Dream” is a program for patients who may have a complicated diagnosis, as well as those who have completed their preliminary stages of medical care and are under surveillance. This program is our promise that our patients can spend the best day of their life fulfilling their greatest desires or wishes. The “Rapunzel Movement” is a program for patients 10 and older who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy (including adult women), with the intention of providing them with oncological wigs, hand-in-hand with emotional therapeutic support. These are just some examples, and we have many other programs that we run.
Where did the idea for the metal heart project come from, or how did it begin?
A couple of years ago, we had the idea to try to find ways to bring people together in recycling. For this, a group of volunteers suggested that we create in a public space of mass influx, a container. However, we knew it should not be just any container, but that this had to attract attention; this is how the idea of making a metal heart shaped structure came about. We knew that it would bring together many people and would collect many plastic caps from the community. The initiative was very well received by the local population, and quickly other municipalities, universities, businesses, and schools all wanted to adopt this idea to help support us.
How will the metal heat recycling structure help the community?
The idea of this heart is on one hand, it will help to reduce the negative environmental impacts of generated waste, and in this case, specifically plastic. Furthermore, it will attractively raise awareness for the benefits of recycling among the population, especially children, who are highly motivated to bring their donations to this structure. Finally, the plastic that is collected will be reinserted into a recycling plant in order to create the resources that will be used to support our various facets and projects helping sick children and young adults all over the community and surrounding areas.
Where can readers get more information about your organization, or become involved/help?
We have an online store to help raise funds for our cause, where you can find distinct types of recycled products, such as “green pencils” that can be planted at the end of their useful life, a variety of containers for recycling (some in the same structure as the heart, and others made with the same plastic that is recycled), eco-friendly bags, and more. We also have support in meeting the Social Service hours of college students with different administrative tasks. This requires that you contact us directly at our email. You may also visit our website to learn more information about our organization and various programs.
*Since its founding in 2004, SayulitaLife.com has been dedicated to giving back to the community of Sayulita. In our 15th year as a company, Sayulita Life has created the “Giving Fund”, where we have pledged to donate $5,000 pesos EVERY MONTH to a local charity or cause. Read more at https://www.sayulitalife.com/giving-back.
Written by: Aanya Sheikh-Taheri