Hi, my name is Kaushal

I’ve been a volunteer with SiKanda for two months, and I am in awe of the diverse and impactful work that SiKanda does. Through being a volunteer, I’ve been able to travel to different areas in Oaxaca to observe and participate in different projects led by SiKanda and their ally nonprofit Puente a la Salud Comunitaria. Seeing the direct impact made through projects like MARES (Acronym in Spanish for Women Saving in Solidarity Networks), and how these programs directly uplifted women and their overall communities and solidarity was inspiring. When I visited San Lorenzo Cacaotepec, I was struck by the organization and hygiene of the waste processing site, and by how closely SiKanda staff works with recyclers. Additionally, my time in Santiago Juxtlahuaca in La Mixteca was valuable, where I even had the opportunity to give a workshop presentation on pesticides and learn from the audience members on how pesticides have affected their lives or communities. This presented an opportunity to share some of my college degree experience in a real life application. 

My work at SiKanda inspires me to be more active in my communities back in Tacoma or San Jose, California. With my new knowledge, I hope to be able to better serve migrant communities in the organizations that I work with back in Tacoma, and advocate for them in much more effective, intentional, and impactful ways, just like SiKanda does. I highly recommend volunteering with SiKanda to expand your horizons if you have the chance, because it will change your perspectives and expose you to life in Oaxaca.

Kaushal Raghu

Molecular and Cellular Biology Major (BS), Spanish Language, Culture and Literature (BA)

University of Puget Sound en Tacoma, Washington

Take a look at some of my adventures in the gallery:

1) Picture with the Project “A Just Harvest” team during activities in Juxtlahuaca, in the Mixteca region of Oaxaca.

2) In December 2024, I met a group of AVE Women who make up the Protection Committee, which works to strengthen the safety of girls, boys, and teenagers in the Zaachila Oriente colonies. They shared tips with me on how to make mole and recommended that I buy a press so I can make tortillas when I return home. They also told me that I’m invited to visit them when I go back to Oaxaca, I hope it’s soon.

3) On my visit to Juxtlahuaca, I gave a workshop on the effects of pesticides on people who migrate from the Mixteca region to northern Mexico to work in the agricultural sector, mainly with chili peppers and tomatoes. This experience allowed me to apply my university knowledge in a real life situation.

4) On my last day at Sikanda, with a shirt from the team.