Federico teaches Joel Cu Coc how to grow potatoes in plastic bags, May 28, 2022

Dear family and friends,

It is the rainy season in Guatemala and with that comes flooding. This has been evident on the highways, making them difficult to travel, especially to remote areas of the country.

Fortunately, in Chajmaic, the rains have not reached the level of the greenhouse beds that were constructed in March 2022.

Greenhouse of Martin T’iül Pop, May 5, 2022

In the next two weeks, Sowing Opportunities’ agricultural expert engineer, Federico, and our project manager, Ricardo, will travel to Chajmaic. They are doing so in a way to minimize their risks, in an environment where this is difficult to achieve.

Some of this strategy involves traveling in two vehicles in order have more resources in case of emergency, and making the 12-hour journey early on a Sunday morning, when there are fewer trucks trying to pass on the highway.

The pair plan to be in the remote village for a period of 10-14 days, beginning July 31^st.

Left: Ricardo with participants in April 2022           Right: Federico in Chajmaic in May 2022

There are five goals of this visit, ensuring the sustainability of agricultural, nutritional and economic vitality of the people:

1.      Check the 30 participant families’ greenhouse beds - how are

           they growing? who needs help?

2.      Check the health of the people. Weigh and measure the

           children

3.      Determine how things are going selling vegetables at the

           market

4.      Deliver bags with seeds to the 30 participant families so that they

           can grow more corn

5.      Select 30 additional families for the next phase, to begin in

           January 2023

The budget has been pared down to the minimum needed to put this plan into action. Many costs have increased due to supply chain issues, caused in part by the worldwide rising cost of gas:

We are seeking $1,000 so that we have enough to meet this cost. 

If 50 people each donated $20, we would reach our goal.  

Therefore, this is our challenge to you: 

Would you donate $20 and ask a friend to do so, as well, to help us to have enough for this important trip?

If you cannot donate $20 at this time, would you consider visiting and bringing a friend to visit Sowing Opportunities at the Malden Summer Festival today, 12:00-4:00 p.m., and making a donation in any amount in exchange for a homegrown plant or purchasing a Guatemalan handicraft? (Sowing Opportunities’ summer fairs and festivals are at this link.)

We are growing plants from seed in our backyard to sell at fairs and festivals, to raise funds for the greenhouse project in Chajmaic.

100% of the proceeds go towards agricultural sustainability in the remote, indigenous village of Chajmaic, Guatemala.

We are in this together! 

Please share this email with others.

Our contact email is info@sowingops.org.

Thank you again for your support of the greenhouses project.

Federico teaching the women how to plant, April 5, 2022