Maria Rogal

The United States-Mexico Foundation for Science

Grant Awarded: $9,790

The United States-Mexico Foundation for Science (FUMEC), a binational organization, helps people use science and technology to foster their economic and social development.

FUMEC works directly with people in their communities to build capacity and empowers them to create sustainable businesses with a positive impact on individuals and the community. To support Kanan Honey, FUMEC trained 70 Maya beekeepers (who have over 4,000 hives) in areas of food safety and entrepreneurship. In addition to enabling them to produce even higher quality honey, their honey is now sold under their own brand, enabling beekeepers to earn a fair price for their product. The economic success of Kanan Honey creates a sustainable business which fosters economic independence for its makers. The long-term goal of this effort, beyond providing a better income for beekeepers and their families, is to stimulate the economy in rural communities and provide models for local economic development throughout Mexico.

The partnership between FUMEC, Kanan Honey, and Design for Development (D4D) has resulted in a co-designed identity and marketing materials to position Kanan Honey in the Mexican, US, and European markets. Beyond economic gains, the value of the co-authoring materials are the empowerment of Maya beekeepers to be actively engaged in the creative process as they choose what stories to share—traditions, practices, values, and processes— with the a larger public. This grant directly supports the production of marketing materials to describe, brand, and communicate the quality of Kanan Honey in order to sell it in the US, EU, and Mexico.