Provide Organic Gardens for 20 Indigenous Women

Micaela is one of the new members to the Organic Gardening Project in Chumanzana, Chichicastenango, Quiche, Guatemala. She is 41 years old and married with ten children. They range from 22 to 4 years old. Her family was not able to give her the opportunity to attend school, but she still is eager to learn new things. She asked to join the group because she saw how the women in the group were benefiting from their membership. Her home is an hour and a half walk from the house where the meetings are held, but the distance is not important. She wants to learn how to grow her own food in her own garden. It will be a savings for her and will allow her to provide fresh vegetables for her family without making the two hour trip by bus daily to buy them. Her children are also learning to help her plant and take care of the garden. The whole family is benefiting from her participation in the group.

Candelaria Sut, the project manager, has been working with the experienced gardeners in the group to share what they have learned.  They have planned workshops on natural fertilizer, insecticides, and other gardening techniques.  

She took Micaela and her fellow gardeners to visit a center that teaches techniques for a healthy life style. The director of the center demonstrated the uses of different plants, how to grow them, and how to preserve them by drying. They were able to share this new knowledage with the women who were unable to go on the trip.

The project is rolling along with all of the women actively involved.  The group is organized with its own officers that lead the group as they make decisions concerning the project.  Candelaria is there to facilitate the process and seek out ways to implement the projects they suggest.   

We still have $935 to go before our project is fully funded. Micaela, the other three new women to the project, and the original group have benefited from the donations you have already made. There are more people waiting. September 16^th is the next Matching Day. The 15th is Guatemalan Independence Day. Donate to celebrate and have your donation matched!  Tell your friends as well.  Remember Sept. 16th is the day to get Matching Funds for your donation!