Growing Hope Globaly Partnership
Serve within the community
The Ottawa-Barrington Growing Project is making a real difference.
The success story below was shared across all Growing Hope Globally donors on June 9, 2020. It is all about the difference that one of the two programs that we support is making for families in Nicaragua. Growing Hope Globally continually monitors and vets all of its projects in addition to the tracking that is done by the Christian Aid organizations that lead and support them. This extra step ensures that our gifts are used where intended – to end hunger and build a better life for small farmers, their families and communities.
Nicaragua Conquista Nandaime Program Update
Water Collection Tanks Improve Dryland Living
A 1000-gallon rain-collection tank has made living in the so-called central “dry corridor” of Nicaragua easier for Bertha and Luís and their family of six.As a family dedicated entirely to agriculture, their involvement over the last six years with local partner Fundación San Lucas has helped them thrive in an increasingly unpredictable climate.Bertha and Luís have participated in the program’s hands-on Farmer Field School, following such principles of climate-smart Conservation Agriculture as planting and harvesting drought-tolerant grains like soy and amaranth.Bertha enjoys working the land and maintaining their crops, but before the water project, irrigation was an arduous affair. She and her children had to drive an oxcart to a water source over ahalf-mile away to fill barrels, a dangerous and time-consuming task. With their water collection tank, Bertha is able to fill the time she saves by maintaining a vegetable garden during the dry season, and her children can go to school rather engage in water-fetching drudgery. The family’s health has improved not only because of the greater variety of wholesome foods, but because water allows for more scrupulous hygiene and sanitation practices. There’s enough for cooking, laundry, and watering livestock. Bertha also points out that they are economically better off because of the surplus produce they can sell, and because better health means less money goes for medications.
By providing tools, supplies, materials and knowledge to women like Bertha, Fundación San Lucas encourages sustainable farming initiatives that offer solutions to the many challenges of a dry climate. Being productive members of their families and communities increases women’s self-esteem and helps their community economy grow.Nicaragua Conquista Nandaime ProgramLed by World Renew and Local Partner Fundación San Lucas encourages sustainable farming initiatives that offer solutions to the many challenges of a dry climate. Being productive members of their families and communities increases women’s self-esteem and helps their community economy grow.
The Two Rivers-Barrington Growing Project is entering its seventeenth year! Thank you to everyone who has supported our farmer partners as they engage with Christian mission that supports sustainable agriculture and improves lives around the world. Our efforts have helped over 18,000 people to leave hunger behind for life!
Inputs for an acre of corn are $830, a half-acre is $415, and a quarter-acre $208. To make a donation in any amount, please choose Growing Hope on the BUMC giving page.
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What's growing?
Since a big part of our donation to Growing Hope Globally comes from the harvest, we are sharing an update from our friends in Ottawa. Your donations in support of their efforts allow our farmer partners to give more to help train and support sustainable agriculture and alleviate hunger in Nicaragua. If you haven’t helped yet, please consider a gift to the Growing Project this year.
This field is planted in soybeans. They will start to set blossoms in the next week or two, close to the Summer Solstice.
This is a cornfield on June 9. You can see dying weeds between the rows due to the recent application of herbicide. Before the end of June the corn will be side-dressed with fertilizer to ensure enough nutrition to grow a good crop.
Farmers report that, so far, the weather has been far more cooperative this year than last – the seeds were planted much earlier. There was a freeze on Mother’s Day that slowed development, and in some instances, required some replanting.
For more information, contact Sharon Orr.