A graduate student team from George Washington University just finished up their assignment in El Salvador, where they were conducting community assessments to create a set of indicators that help farmers measure their own progress. It was a dynamic, empowering assignment, for both the volunteers and the beneficiaries.
Their blog (linked below) captures highlights of their experience, day-by-day:
http://elsalvadorcapstone.wordpress.com/
[Thank you Ashley, Felicia, and Nivedita!]
Today is October 16, World Food Day. A reminder for each of us to consider the daunting task of making sure that the world’s 7 billion men, women, and children can eat. On this day in particular, we ask ourselves, “how can I make a difference?” One answer is to volunteer.
Over the last 21 years, Winrock’s volunteers have impacted 8.2 million individuals in 56 countries around the world, contributing to the global effort to increase availability, access, and quality of food. We are proud to see how these efforts are making a difference.
In Kenya, volunteers worked with several different women’s poultry groups that were struggling to maintain healthy, disease-free chicken flocks. For example, members of the Kyemole Poultry Keepers Group received training on biosecurity and safe poultry production, as well as assistance with improved feed, financing, and linkages with buyers. As a result, members have increased their income and, in turn, improved household food security. One member, Alice Pius Makau, proudly states, “I am not afraid of my children sleeping hungry anymore, because I have enough food for them, all of the time. The money I get from chicken sales helps me to buy the food that I do not grow on the farm. I also have a constant supply of meat and eggs for my family’s protein nutrition.”
In El Salvador, volunteer Alejandro Segarra-Carmona (right) shows local farmers how to apply sustainable pest control techniques to their crops. Segarra-Carmona came here to provide good agricultural practice training, integrated pest management and quality standards. Trainees will apply these techniques to increase production and improve quality.
In Mali, volunteer Poul Hansen worked with the Women’s Local Milk Stockist Cooperative in Oulessebougou to help ensure that many more Malian families had access to quality milk. At the end of the training session, the president of the Cooperative proclaimed, “This is what we’ve been talking about – some new ideas to make a difference! Now the nutrition and health status of our children in need will change for the better, as will the income of women processors.”
In Bangladesh, Farmer-to-Farmer volunteers have trained women farmers on improved vegetable production techniques. As a result, women (like the woman pictured) have been able to successfully grow bitter gourds and vegetables in fallow lands. Their families have reaped the benefits of improved nutrition and increased income.
In Nepal, volunteer Howard Prussack trained low-income vegetable producers to improve vegetable production and processing. Mrs. Sharada Sharma, an agro-vet owner and farmer who participated in Howard’s trainings, stated, “These [techniques] look so simple and we can do it easily, but we didn’t do it before. This training is eye opening for me and many other rural women producers.”
These efforts -and many others- have helped our beneficiaries increase sales by $52 million and increase income by over $9 million (combined).
This is tremendous impact, though there is still more work to be done. Check out Winrock’s website , if you want to be a part of the effort to help increase food security around the world!
“The assignment in El Salvador offered me a unique opportunity to work closely with indigenous people who share many of the same challenges of the American Indians, Alaska Natives and Pacific Islanders who have been the focus of my professional career. The wonderful spirit of the people I met, their joy in everyday life and their willingness to work through their challenges and develop solutions is inspiring. I enjoyed visiting their villages, sharing meals, and learning and seeing how they adapt to their natural environment. In this regard, I shared their joy and sense of purpose. Professionally, I was able to share past experiences with them, and speaking and working with them offered me a great opportunity to gain new experiences that will be useful when working with indigenous people in the future.”
–Ms. Quanah Stamps, Farmer-to-Farmer volunteer in El Salvador
Volunteer Quanah Stamps trains a group of women farmers in El Salvador
[Thank you, Quanah!]
We are honored to work with so many dedicated volunteers! This past year, 73 Winrock volunteers received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award for their time and outstanding service as volunteers! –Two of these volunteers received a gold award for dedicating more than 500 hours in one year; eight volunteers received a silver award for 250 hours of service; and 63 volunteers received a bronze award in recognition of more than 100 hours of volunteer work.
Here are just a few photos of some of these volunteers in action:
Howard Prusack in Nepal
Anais Triadic in Mali
Kamal Hyder in El Salvador
John Woiwode in Bangladesh
David Pearce in Ethiopia
Thanks so much to each of you for your extraordinary efforts!
After recently returning from his volunteer assignment with Winrock’s Farmer to Farmer program in El Salvador, Fernando Diaz states, “It was a great trip, and a wonderful experience!” The cattle farmers he worked with are excited to put what they learned from into practice. One trainee states, “Fernando gave us important information on animal nutrition and hygienic milking practices. He checked our work and approved it so we know we are doing things right!”
Check out some photos from his trip:
Great work, Fernando! Gracias!
