Current Programs
Guatemala
FOCUS: Immediate nutrition needs of children, and development of self-sustaining food processing and distribution services
PARTNER: Grupo de Soya Santa Maria (GSSM) – “Karen’s Soy Nutrition Program (KSNP)”
LOCATION: Relleno Sanitario (sanitary landfill), Zone 3, Guatemala City
DATE RANGE: March 2010 – Present
PROGRAM: As follows...
Karen’s Soy Nutrition Program (KSNP)
October 1, 2015 marked 5 years since Plenty, a group of local residents who called themselves Grupo de Soya Santa Maria (GSSM), and the Misioneros de la Caridad initiated twice weekly distributions of fresh, nutrient rich soy foods to undernourished and vulnerable children who live in settlements outside the walls of the Guatemala City waste dump. KSNP continues to: 1) bring quality foods each week to more than 325 children; 2) help mothers better understand nutrition needs of their families, and; 3) provide safe income earning opportunities for women in the area. Plenty representatives worked on site with its partners, the women of GSSM, during visits to Guatemala in January and August of 2015. Plenty was happy to see again that KSNP donated funds were properly accounted for, and the women who are making and distributing foods to the children are continuing to improve their food processing and quality control skills, and self-confidence. GSSM paid a servicing and repair charge for the dough mixer and purchase a small electric grinder for the soybeans in 2015. The Misioneros de la Caridad continue to donate about $400 and Plenty donates $1,000 each month to meet costs of providing foods for the children. Foods are distributed every Wednesday and Saturday, and each child receives an 8 once drink of fresh soymilk, and cookies fortified with toasted soy flour. The servings provide children with 11 grams of protein, iron, calcium, B vitamins, calories and other essential nutrients. It costs 43 cents per serving to make and deliver the food to the children, and 7 cents per serving to pay for the program accounting, monitoring and technical assistance costs. Plenty would like to continue this program through 2016.
Technologia Para la Salud (TPS), Essential Seeds and Trees Propram (ESTP)
Over each of the past three years the women of Tecnologia Para la Salud have worked with one hundred economically marginalized families, living in five villages in the Department of Chimaltenango, to implement the Essential Seeds and Trees Program (ESTP). TPS is providing farm-site technical support, distributing tools, tree seedlings, education materials, and conducting workshops with families who want to establish and use trees and plants that help to control soil erosion, and that can be used for organic insect repellent. These same families are working to increase production and use of traditional beans, corn, amaranth, medicinal herbs and vegetable crops. Some of the same families have also started growing small quantities of non-gmo soybeans. With funding provided by the Trull Foundation in 2015, Plenty was able to help our partners at TPS to: 1) establish a de-humidified room for improving storage of native/indigenous seeds; 2) increase plantings and use of trees and bushes with erosion and insect control properties; 3) distribute agriculture hand tools to help 40 families work their land; and, 4) continue providing workshops and on-site technical support to help participants improve integrated organic farming practices. Plenty also recognizes the Atkinson Foundation and International Foundation for their contributions in helping the women of TPS and Plenty to get the ESTP started during previous years.
El Salvador
FOCUS: Addressing immediate and long term nutrition and employment needs of two communities
PARTNERS: El Cuenco, Programa de Soya San Ramon (PSSR) and the University of El Salvador (UES) Schools of Medicine and Agronomy
LOCATION: Bajo Lempa & San Ramon, San Salvador
DATE RANGE: September 2012 – Present
PROGRAM: As follows...
Rancho Grande Small Farmers
During 2015 Plenty continued to support small farming families in the lower Rio Lempa, San Vicente area of El Salvador, assisting their efforts to improve production and post harvest management of high nutrient foods (dry legumes, grains, chipilin, chaya, mora), and seed storage. Funding was provided to help the village of Rancho Grande construct a secure seed storage room, and for a group of farmers to construct a shed building for post harvest processing of vegetables, grains and herbs. Plenty representatives met with farming families in Rancho to hand out education materials and discuss methods of preparing and using neem seeds and leaves, and other local plants for insect repellent.
San Carlos and Rancho Grande Nutrition and Soy Food Processing
In the lower Rio Lempa area, Plenty is continuing to coordinate its community based inputs with nutritionists Josefina Sibrian from the Universidad de El Salvador (UES), School of Medicine, Ann Grieg from Programa de Soya San Ramon in San Salvador, and Peggy Greggson from the non-profit El Cuenco. These women are conducting nutrition, environmental health and food processing education activities with families living in San Ramon and San Carlos. Plenty has worked with Josefina, Anna, Peggy and families to increase the growing and use of more moringa, chiplin, chaya, mora and dry legumes within traditional foods and meals. In 2015, Plenty provided financial support to help the Comite de Mujeres San Carlos improve their water supply. These women are preparing nutrient rich foods for community events, and selling small amounts of bakery foods that are fortified with fresh soy milk and/or toasted soy flour. Members of the Comite de Mujeres San Carlos are also working with Josefina and Anna in conducting nutrition and food processing education activities with the community.
Universidad de El Salvador (UES), School of Agronomic Sciences
Throughout 2015 Plenty has continued to assist agronomic engineer Mario Orellana and a small team of UES professors and students who are researching non-gmo soybean varieties that can be integrated within the cultural practices of small farmers. In April 2015, Plenty paid costs of the government required GMO testing for the Pb-1 variety that the UES team wants to begin sharing with small farmers during 2016. The laboratory testing was completed by Genetic ID, and results showed no traces of genetic modification. UES is completing the required nutrition analysis for any of the non-gmo soybean varieties that will be considered for legal registration. During the last week of August 2015 Chuck Haren met with friends at UES to discuss their progress towards having the Pb-1 and other non-gmo soybean varieties registered in El Salvador. At the same time Plenty was able to donate materials to help the UES team with their research and small farmer outreach efforts. After making two site visits in 2015, Plenty is encouraged by progress that this small group of dedicated professors are making to secure registration for a non-gmo soybean seed lines, provide opportunities for students to learn more about growing, processing and marketing soy foods, and to help interested small farmers integrate the growing soybeans within their cultural practices.
FOCUS: Immediate nutrition needs of children, and development of self-sustaining food processing and distribution services
PARTNER: Grupo de Soya Santa Maria (GSSM) – “Karen’s Soy Nutrition Program (KSNP)”
LOCATION: Relleno Sanitario (sanitary landfill), Zone 3, Guatemala City
DATE RANGE: March 2010 – Present
PROGRAM: As follows...
Karen’s Soy Nutrition Program (KSNP)
October 1, 2015 marked 5 years since Plenty, a group of local residents who called themselves Grupo de Soya Santa Maria (GSSM), and the Misioneros de la Caridad initiated twice weekly distributions of fresh, nutrient rich soy foods to undernourished and vulnerable children who live in settlements outside the walls of the Guatemala City waste dump. KSNP continues to: 1) bring quality foods each week to more than 325 children; 2) help mothers better understand nutrition needs of their families, and; 3) provide safe income earning opportunities for women in the area. Plenty representatives worked on site with its partners, the women of GSSM, during visits to Guatemala in January and August of 2015. Plenty was happy to see again that KSNP donated funds were properly accounted for, and the women who are making and distributing foods to the children are continuing to improve their food processing and quality control skills, and self-confidence. GSSM paid a servicing and repair charge for the dough mixer and purchase a small electric grinder for the soybeans in 2015. The Misioneros de la Caridad continue to donate about $400 and Plenty donates $1,000 each month to meet costs of providing foods for the children. Foods are distributed every Wednesday and Saturday, and each child receives an 8 once drink of fresh soymilk, and cookies fortified with toasted soy flour. The servings provide children with 11 grams of protein, iron, calcium, B vitamins, calories and other essential nutrients. It costs 43 cents per serving to make and deliver the food to the children, and 7 cents per serving to pay for the program accounting, monitoring and technical assistance costs. Plenty would like to continue this program through 2016.
Technologia Para la Salud (TPS), Essential Seeds and Trees Propram (ESTP)
Over each of the past three years the women of Tecnologia Para la Salud have worked with one hundred economically marginalized families, living in five villages in the Department of Chimaltenango, to implement the Essential Seeds and Trees Program (ESTP). TPS is providing farm-site technical support, distributing tools, tree seedlings, education materials, and conducting workshops with families who want to establish and use trees and plants that help to control soil erosion, and that can be used for organic insect repellent. These same families are working to increase production and use of traditional beans, corn, amaranth, medicinal herbs and vegetable crops. Some of the same families have also started growing small quantities of non-gmo soybeans. With funding provided by the Trull Foundation in 2015, Plenty was able to help our partners at TPS to: 1) establish a de-humidified room for improving storage of native/indigenous seeds; 2) increase plantings and use of trees and bushes with erosion and insect control properties; 3) distribute agriculture hand tools to help 40 families work their land; and, 4) continue providing workshops and on-site technical support to help participants improve integrated organic farming practices. Plenty also recognizes the Atkinson Foundation and International Foundation for their contributions in helping the women of TPS and Plenty to get the ESTP started during previous years.
El Salvador
FOCUS: Addressing immediate and long term nutrition and employment needs of two communities
PARTNERS: El Cuenco, Programa de Soya San Ramon (PSSR) and the University of El Salvador (UES) Schools of Medicine and Agronomy
LOCATION: Bajo Lempa & San Ramon, San Salvador
DATE RANGE: September 2012 – Present
PROGRAM: As follows...
Rancho Grande Small Farmers
During 2015 Plenty continued to support small farming families in the lower Rio Lempa, San Vicente area of El Salvador, assisting their efforts to improve production and post harvest management of high nutrient foods (dry legumes, grains, chipilin, chaya, mora), and seed storage. Funding was provided to help the village of Rancho Grande construct a secure seed storage room, and for a group of farmers to construct a shed building for post harvest processing of vegetables, grains and herbs. Plenty representatives met with farming families in Rancho to hand out education materials and discuss methods of preparing and using neem seeds and leaves, and other local plants for insect repellent.
San Carlos and Rancho Grande Nutrition and Soy Food Processing
In the lower Rio Lempa area, Plenty is continuing to coordinate its community based inputs with nutritionists Josefina Sibrian from the Universidad de El Salvador (UES), School of Medicine, Ann Grieg from Programa de Soya San Ramon in San Salvador, and Peggy Greggson from the non-profit El Cuenco. These women are conducting nutrition, environmental health and food processing education activities with families living in San Ramon and San Carlos. Plenty has worked with Josefina, Anna, Peggy and families to increase the growing and use of more moringa, chiplin, chaya, mora and dry legumes within traditional foods and meals. In 2015, Plenty provided financial support to help the Comite de Mujeres San Carlos improve their water supply. These women are preparing nutrient rich foods for community events, and selling small amounts of bakery foods that are fortified with fresh soy milk and/or toasted soy flour. Members of the Comite de Mujeres San Carlos are also working with Josefina and Anna in conducting nutrition and food processing education activities with the community.
Universidad de El Salvador (UES), School of Agronomic Sciences
Throughout 2015 Plenty has continued to assist agronomic engineer Mario Orellana and a small team of UES professors and students who are researching non-gmo soybean varieties that can be integrated within the cultural practices of small farmers. In April 2015, Plenty paid costs of the government required GMO testing for the Pb-1 variety that the UES team wants to begin sharing with small farmers during 2016. The laboratory testing was completed by Genetic ID, and results showed no traces of genetic modification. UES is completing the required nutrition analysis for any of the non-gmo soybean varieties that will be considered for legal registration. During the last week of August 2015 Chuck Haren met with friends at UES to discuss their progress towards having the Pb-1 and other non-gmo soybean varieties registered in El Salvador. At the same time Plenty was able to donate materials to help the UES team with their research and small farmer outreach efforts. After making two site visits in 2015, Plenty is encouraged by progress that this small group of dedicated professors are making to secure registration for a non-gmo soybean seed lines, provide opportunities for students to learn more about growing, processing and marketing soy foods, and to help interested small farmers integrate the growing soybeans within their cultural practices.