Agros Blog

Are you fluent in Spanish and have a few hours to donate to Agros?  We have over twenty-five video interviews from Chiapas, Guatemala, and Honduras that need to be translated.

The process is easy and straightforward:

• We will send you an audio .mp3 file of a Spanish interview that you can listen to on your computer, Ipod, mp3 player, etc…
• You type out a word-for-word Spanish transcript of that interview
• You then translate the Spanish transcript into English (just a quick, rough translation)
• Send the word doc back to us and you’re done

The interviews vary in terms of length.  We need all interviews translated by September 15, so if you’re interested please email Maria Jose Soerens at mariajoses@agros.org.  Thanks.

Our 1st Annual Agros 5K Fun Run/Walk is coming up Saturday September 13, 2008 at Magnuson Park (directions). Early registration deadline is next Friday September 5, 2008.

Invite your friends and family to run and bring awareness about the great need for hope and opportunity in Central America and Mexico.

Schedule:
Race Day Registration: 7:30 - 8:30 am
Run and Walk: 9:00 am
Awards: 10:00 am
Kids Dash (ages 5 and under): 10:30 am
Kids Dash (ages 6 to 10): 10:30 am

Fees:
Run:
$25.00 per person, early registration, through 9/5- includes registration and T-shirt.
$30.00 per person, late registration (after 9/5) and race day - includes registration and T-shirt (T-shirt will be mailed to you).

Walk:
$25.00 per person, early registration, through 9/5- includes registration and T-shirt.
$30.00 per person, late registration (after 9/5) and race day - includes registration and T-shirt (T-shirt will be mailed to you).

Kids Dash: Free.

Runners/Walkers can register online, by fax, email or snail mail:
Register Online
Download PDF

Become a Fundraiser!
You can help Agros by creating your own fundraising web page for this event. Invite your friends to join the mission of Agros and let them know about the Agros 5K Fun Run. Click here to start.

For more information about the event:
- Email Doug Haley at racedirector@agros.org
- Or call 206.528.1066

The story of Agros is written by people who dare to overcome their limitations with hope and hard work.  These are people who, when given encouragement and opportunity, stand up with strength and hope that their dreams can be fulfilled even after poverty has worn their hearts away. 

This is the story of Mario, a leader of the Agros village Brisas del Volcán in Honduras.

For most of his life Mario rented land to grow corn and beans to feed his family. Making less than three dollars a day, he struggled to provide for all their needs. “I was constantly in debt at the local market, so any money I made during the week was already spent.” Whenever his family ran out of food, Mario would go into the mountains in search of bananas or roots to eat. “We had to make sacrifices because we didn’t have any money.”

One day Rosa, Mario’s wife, heard about Agros and after meeting with the Agros staff, she and Mario began to search land for their community. “We approached landowners, but they didn’t believe that we could afford to buy our own land, so they would chastise us, calling us ‘dirt-eaters,’ and dismiss us.”

But Mario and Rosa would not give up. In 2006, they organized a group of families and started Brisas del Volcán. “We were so happy when we started this village. We began by producing the coffee that was already growing in the fields and then we learned new ways to improve the production of basic grains.”

Agros has also given them financial and technical support for sustainable agriculture. “This is helping us succeed and pay for our land.”

Two years into this journey, Mario’s village is producing organic coffee, raising cattle, and diversifying their crops.

“Living in Brisas del Volcán has transformed our lives. Owning land has improved our relationship with God and with people. I was even able to provide for my daughter’s education, who graduated with a technical degree in management. I have food to eat, I’ve paid off my debts and I have money in my pocket to pay for our everyday needs. I see a whole new realm of possibility for my life, and I realize that I am capable of reaching my goals. Working with Agros has given me hope and a life of opportunity for my family.”

Partnership with Agros means more than loans and projects. At Agros we define poverty as ‘broken relationships’, and for the rural poor you can measure this. Relationships are broken as men and young boys leave their families and work for months in coffee or sugar plantations, or when mothers migrate to other countries seeking jobs… relationships break down for the poor when economic, health, education, environmental, cultural structures all break down.

Our development model is focused on restoring broken relationships, in ways that can be measured. We do this not by offering charity, but by empowering families to work their own way out of poverty. Attitudes and outlooks are transformed as opportunities are offered and families steadily create new realities of hope, organization and participation. Here is how Andrés, from the Agros village ‘Espinal Buenavista’ explains it:

Andrés is an indigenous Tsotsil from Bochil, a municipality of Los Altos in Chiapas, Mexico, and when he moved to the Agros community ‘Espinal Buenavista’ he dedicated himself to working the land and using micro loans (enterprise loans) offered by Agros to raise livestock, particularly pigs.

“Agros has always been honest with us, stating very clearly from the beginning that they are not a charity; they provide us with loans and training.  The truth is they have followed through on this with us.”

Andres and many others in Espinal Buenavista are being given an opportunity to use their skills to help their families escape poverty. Though his community has worked with other organizations, no other NGO or governmental organization has provided the scope of opportunity that Agros has. “We feel a strong, trusting relationship with Agros - with the field staff, directors, and partners. Agros is a flexible organization, the first that has made it easy for us to use long term loans and community organization to improve our lives.”

Andrés concludes, “Our community is now open to building relationships with people outside of Espinal Buenavista - this is new for us. We are united, and everyone participates and enjoys coming together for meetings. In this way, we are organized and the families are truly happy… we are content.”

I recently had the opportunity to take Claude Nikondeha, founder of the Amahoro Network, to see our work in Nicaragua. Claude is from Burundi, and he is interested in contextualizing and implementing the Agros development model in East Africa. This is what Claude shared with his network after our trip:

Dear friends,
Last week I had the opportunity to travel to Latin America for the first time. I arrived in Nicaragua to learn first-hand about the work of AGROS INTERNATIONAL. Upon my arrival, I immediately recognized that the people of Nicaragua are wonderful people with the most beautiful language, living a simple life of caring for each other and the land that God has given them. As I walked through their communities and witnessed the pride in their agricultural accomplishments, I was impressed with their eagerness to work hard to bring about lasting change in their villages. Their joy was contagious, and I found myself infused with deep delight with each encounter, with each story told and each meal shared together. Cultivating and owning your own land, is good news, indeed!

The vision of Agros is “to restore hope and opportunity to the world’s poor.” In other words they go after what Jesus called ‘the least of these’ and give them tangible hope in the form of farmland. For the last 25 years, Agros has been doing rural community development in Latin America with a simple but very transformative process — building self-sustaining and thriving communities.

While mistakes have been made, it is success that thrives as Agros creates communities with land, local leadership, homes, and a spirit of generous hospitality. Their work is a visible manifestation of God’s good news to the impoverished people of Latin America.

I went to Nicaragua hoping to be inspired for ‘the least of these’ in my own homeland of Burundi. Indeed, the rural farmers of Nicaragua inspired me beyond what any book or essay on rural development could have ever done! These are people who are getting their ‘first chance’, their first real opportunity to build a home, own land, run a business, lead in their village and experience the goodness of God’s provision. Their industrious and gracious spirit reminds me of my African kinsmen, and I feel like I have got a glimpse of hope for the countryside of Burundi.

For many years I have looked for a way to sustain healthy development in a rural setting and a communal culture. I believe this is it, this is what it can look like! Agros offers a paradigm that offers me hope; it is a model that can deliver real transformation on the ground. This model allows communities to grow, leadership to develop and opportunity to spring up like wild flowers. I have seen what is possible in Nicaragua, and I believe that it is possible in Burundi and across rural Africa. By partnering with the poor and making land, agricultural knowledge, community development and leadership training available to them, good things can grow. This can be good news for Africa! This summer while my family and I spend time in Burundi, one of the things we will be exploring will be a potential local NGO who can partner with Agros to bring this opportunity to the poor of Burundi.

Amahoro,
Claude Nikondeha

Distress and struggle are circumstances we all face during our lifetime. For some of us this looks like illness, life transition, or the loss of a loved one. For many others, these struggles are related to the uncertainty of having food on the table, a place to work, the loss of home, or the daily impossibility of living with simple dignity because its been stripped away.

Whatever the degree of our struggle, we all can relate to the relief that comes with tangible opportunity to overcome desperation. This is the story of José Ángel and his journey to fulfill his dream.

“We used to live in a community called Pancasan, on a little plot of land that belonged to my mother. However, four siblings plus our wives and children shared this place, so I decided to look for a piece of land where I could settle my family. When I began my search it was hard to find a loan to buy a plot of land. That is how I ran into people who told me about Agros. I thought it was a great opportunity and Agros staff visited me and invited me to a meeting where they explained their development model to us. I thought it was a good process so I signed up for the project. Nine months later, with the support of service teams who visited us from the US, we began building a well for drinking water. It was a beautiful and unforgettable experience.

After the well was finished, we began building our homes. Although a difficult endeavor, it was an extraordinary experience, and we continued persevering, motivated by the hope of finally having a beautiful and decent home!

We moved to our homes in June of 2001, and until this day I cannot fathom that I have a house when I see it. It seems that it is not mine, because even when I always dreamed of a well-built and beautiful house I could not imagine the possibility of owning it because I come from a very difficult economic situation. I am grateful to God -who used Agros - to make the dream of my life come true.

My life has changed, my mindset has been transformed — my situation has been improved. I’m grateful and very hopeful. Thanks be to God, and thanks to Agros!

My name is José Ángel and Modesta is my wife. We have four children and we have a great vision for the future of our community.”

War, poverty, systemic injustice… these are forces that work to steal the dignity and hope of so many. Here at Agros, it is our mission and passion to challenge the hopelessness and despair that exists for so many. This following is a story about a group of families in Mexico striving for land, hope, and life. They have a unique story, and yet nevertheless also represent the thousands upon thousands of families across Central America and Mexico who face the same struggle — people who are skillful, hard working, with hope and faith in abundance… and yet who lack fertile land and tangible opportunities. The following was written by our International Program Assistant, Christina Cummings.

The readiness of the group was felt throughout the room. Anticipation and hope mixed with desperation from previous dead-end after dead-end. The number of women, children and men that traveled to meet together at the end of a hard workday… the posture of each perched forward on the hardwood benches their own hands had constructed… the questions speaking to their hunger for change and fear of yet another false hope… it all spoke loudly of not only their history of marginalization and poverty, but also their desire for dignity and hope.

These twenty-five Guatemalan refugees were naturalized in Mexico after over twenty years of living on the outskirts of society. They gathered to meet with Agros to discuss the needs and hopes of their families. Currently, they are living on land that is entirely too small to support a healthy community and sustainable growth. “We’re going around in circles on this land,” says one woman in the front row. Even so, most have extensive experience in worm-composting, non-traditional crops, livestock, and other skills passed on from their ancestors. They simply do not have the land needed to grow the most basic crops to feed their families.

Racism and neglect are other issues this group faces, highlighted in their 10-year struggle with the Mexican government to connect their community to a local water system. One frustrated man recalls politicians’ visits — where packages of campaign materials were dropped off in their community while obvious, urgent needs are ignored. Abandoned by both the Guatemalan and Mexican governments, they feel like citizens of “not here nor there.”

Despite the struggle, these families have not given up. As part of a network of over 50 neighboring communities, they are united in their vision for a better future and are meeting together regularly to organize their search for land and opportunity.

Agros defines poverty as ‘broken relationships’, and this can be seen in how families are often forced to live apart, with the men forced to work on plantations, or in other parts of the region. One wife and mother, left behind as her husband was forced to look for work elsewhere, shook with emotion, “Here, the women work even when their husbands are gone; we take on the men’s responsibilities. But it scares me to think about what will happen to us if we don’t find land to work.”

At the end of the meeting the families filed out with hope and determination in their eyes. Conversations will continue as the families and Agros staff continue to explore the possibilities of launching a new project together.

Virtually every Agros village starts this way… with conversations, relationship building, and desire. Because Agros is committed to long term transformation, the process takes time. However, after 33 projects in 5 countries, it is clear that a modest investment in these families will reap enormous rewards. Land, agricultural training, relationship… hard work, commitment, faith… the ingredients are there. It simply takes a willingness to challenge despair and hopelessness.

The move is now officially complete. The Agros Seattle staff started working at the new office on Monday (3/17/08).

Special thanks goes out to Agros Office Manager Kathy Kautzky for shepherding, facilitating, and managing what has been a mammoth undertaking. She has managed this process with efficiency and remarkable grace.

Please note: our phone number will stay the same, however our new address is now:

2225 4th Ave. 2nd Floor
Seattle, WA. 98121

First — many of you received our in-house staff newsletter in your email inbox today. This was an unfortunate accident and we sincerely apologize. Like many of you, here at Agros we work hard to diminish SPAM and ensure that only essential email enters our own inboxes, and so we apologize all the more for the mistake! We can assure you that this will not happen again.

Second — Agros is saying good-bye to the U-District and moving to our new office in Belltown on March 15th. You can help us in a number of ways:

Before the move:

• We need people on call who help us move acquired furniture into our new office.
• Do you have a truck available to share? We need volunteers with a large pickup truck or large enclosed vehicle on an “On Call” basis to help get the furniture we are gathering picked up and delivered to the Belltown office.
• We need Boxes and Packing materials.

Day of the move: Saturday, March 15th

We will be organized in three teams, you can be part of one of them:

U. District Team
7:45 am - Food Hospitality
We need a couple of volunteers to bring and set-up a continental-style breakfast for the volunteer crew. This would include items like coffee, bagels, and fruit.

8:00 am - We need strong volunteers at the U District office to load boxes (and some furniture) into the moving truck, and to also help clean up once the office is empty. Your friends/family are welcome to join us.

Belltown Team
10:30 am - We need strong volunteers at the Belltown office around 10:30 am to unload the truck, attend to security doors and elevators, and deliver items to designated offices. Boxes and offices will be labeled in advance.

11:30 am - Food Hospitality
We need a couple volunteers to order and set up food for the volunteer crews at the Belltown office. We need a couple volunteers to clean up the food after lunch.

Finish Team
Sunday, March 16, Noon - 4 pm
We need flexible volunteers who could be available in case we need help with all those loose end items which couldn’t get covered on Saturday. We will only need volunteers if there are last minute needs to make sure Agros is up and running for Monday morning!

If you are able to volunteer for any of the above, please contact Kathy Riper at kathyr@agros.org or 206.528.1066 to let her know what day(s) and time you are available.

Office Needs
We are also looking for Office furniture! We are specifically looking for:

• Desks 5 - 6 feet length (we need several of these…).
• Desk Chairs in good condition.
• Two-shelf book cases.
• Conference Table - modular.
• Kitchen Table to seat 6 (30-36 inch wide).
• Contemporary track lighting.
• Coat racks.
• Plants - indoor, medium to large, easy to care for.
• New Coffee Maker.
• Kitchen cart (our counter-top is limited in space, our floor space is much more).
• Deck furniture.

Our Former Office Space in the University District is Available!
The space is about 2600 square feet. Contact Jean Ingebritsen for details at jeani@agros.org.

Trace Bundy, a world renowned guitarist and a passionate Agros supporter, will be releasing his newest DVD recording on Monday, March 10th at the Triple Door in Seattle.

The album “Missile Bell” is named after the story of an Agros village in El Salvador called San Diego de Tenango. Tenango’s history is laced with hardship and displacement. During El Salvador’s civil war, the villagers fled the country, surviving the war in Honduran refugee camps. They returned years later to find their land destroyed and occupied. With the help of Agros, the 18 families were able to purchase property and embarked on a new life together. The families, filled with gratitude and deep faith, postponed building their own homes in order to build a church and hold a service of thanks. But they needed a church bell. So they went searching and found an old missile casing leftover from the war - perhaps similar to one that destroyed their village in the first place - and they hoisted it up on a rope, transforming it into their bell.

Their missile-turned-to-bell speaks to the power of redemption: ugly become beautiful, dead things alive, old things new. Trace took that image and wrote a song called “Missile Bell” playing ugly, dissonant chords in a way that becomes harmonious. He plays it as a proclamation of peace and a testament to the villagers in El Salvador.

Trace and his wife Becca have recently committed to a six-year Journey with a Village partnership with a new village in Guatemala called “Villa Linda”. It is their desire to use their platform as artists to advocate on behalf of the poor and marginalized. Partnering with Agros has been an exciting way to make that vision a reality. The story of Tenango’s Missile Bell continues to impact their lives, their work, and their faith.

We invite you to come experience Trace’s music at his DVD release show, and particularly to hear this song “Missile Bell” and remember the families of Tenango.

Triple Door Mainstage
216 Union St. Seattle, WA
Monday, March 10th 7:30 pm
$10 advance / $12 at the door
206.838.4333
All-Ages - doors at 5:30pm
Tickets Available HERE
www.tracebundy.com

“Every sacrifice has its rewards…” says Felipe as he tells the story of how he came to realize the dream of owning a home for his family and improving their lives.

Felipe’s journey began in 1998, when he moved his family to Costa Rica seeking to obtain a job that would allow them to earn enough money to own a house. However, because he was from Nicaragua he was treated like a foreigner in a strange land, and he was subjected to unfair wages and constant discrimination.

As Felipe recalls, “They treated us very badly; we would not receive a fair salary because we didn’t have the appropriate work permits. I went to Costa Rica with great hope, asking for nothing more than an opportunity to work and go back to my homeland and to my family having something to offer; yet I went back with empty hands… I was sad, but I said to myself — Felipe, do not give up on your dreams.”

Once he was back in Nicaragua, Felipe heard about the possibility of joining the new Agros village development project in San Marcos de Belén. This was his hope and dream! To be given the opportunity to work for his own land.

Felipe shares, “I’ve always prayed with my wife and kids, and we would ask to the Lord not to forget us. I have always been faithful and I knew that with hard work and faith in God, we’d one day get a house - and land.

When we started getting organized for the new village. I prayed to the Lord and said ‘I will fight hard for this opportunity, but you are the one who has the last word on this’, because I saw that there were so many families in need…

I had to walk 25 miles back and forward to San Marcos de Belén, because I didn’t have the money to pay for the bus; my income was hardly enough to provide food for my children. It was a big sacrifice - it took me 7 hours to walk to the first Agros meetings; It was hard, I was assaulted a few times because it was dark by the time we were done with the meetings. I used to walk on dark roads without having eaten, because I seldom had food to eat, I’d first make sure that my wife and kids would have enough to eat. My wife, she always supported me, and of the little food we had, she would always wait for me until I came home late at night with food she cooked or saved from her own plate. But these hardships did not stop me and now that I look back, I thank God for the strength he gave me…

Now I remember all of that like beautiful memories, because those difficulties helped me accomplish what we have now. Before I had just hope, eagerness to struggle, and my family, but also immense poverty, suffering, and a hard life. Now I have my family living happily in their own home, I have land to work, and in a few years, I’ll be able to pay off the land. Now I have a community that supports me; I have neighbors and I live among friends. I’m grateful to Agros because now I can read, I know how to sign my name, maybe not very well, but I’ll get better at writing in the same way my life has gotten better. This is all a blessing from God”.

The following is a translation of an article written by Agros Guatemala Board Member Humberto Preti and published in the Guatemalan newspaper ‘Prensa Libre’:

“Last week the Agros Guatemala directors went to visit the communities that Agros supports in Barillas, Huehuetenango. After traveling through the beautiful peaks of Los Cuchumantes, we arrived (over torturous, difficult roads) at our destination and were surprised to see the inhabitants of these communities truly involved and working with a spirit of betterment. The men and women there are developing an aptitude for entrepreneurship.

It’s clear just how important the organization’s support has been for them. They are working hard by themselves, taking initiative and participating in projects that go above and beyond the aid that they have been given. Pascual particularly impressed us. In spite of his lack of education, he was able to build a drier for his coffee, which he made entirely by himself by copying the drawings that he saw in a manual. There are other community members developing their own businesses and implementing projects as well, some on their own and others in a communal fashion. The communal projects include a tilapia tank for raising fish, important buildings for the community such as schools, and sewing rooms to keep the machines in (some of which were acquired through loans).

Agros has been providing women with loans in the form of a community-run bank, which they have already taken to the next level by receiving training to be able to process their own loans. It’s admirable to see that no one has been defaulting on the loans ‘ve received and that some women are already moving on to their third loan.

It was our turn during the visit to one of the communities to give the land titles to everyone there who had repaid their land loans (in the Agros Guatemala village “El Edén”). Since the Agros model isn’t about giving everything away for free, it generates hard work and commitment among the villagers. This desire to improve is visible in the Canjobal communities as much as it is in the Ixil triangle - the importance that they are giving to their children’s education, their desire to get trained in different skills. These things have been made possible with the help of Guatemalan organizations such as INTECAP (a training program developed by the Industry Council of Guatemala) and ANACAFE (Guatemalan Association of Coffee Growers), as well as other organizations like Agros International, Generalitat Valenciana (Spanish Municipal Organization), USAID (US Agency for International Development) and other international organizations that have dedicated themselves to helping the poor by investing in productive projects.

In some communities where there are water resources, the families are already thinking of building their own hydroelectric system. Although there are already electricity networks in nearby, the villagers are not able to pay the excessive charges due to our dependence on hydrocarbons.

We then went to see La Providencia, the new farm that benefits one hundred families, and saw how there exists in each family member a desire to begin work on various projects and the construction of their homes. Nobody was thinking about the past, or about vengeance; their minds were on the future and in the wellbeing of their families in spite of having been among the communities most affected by the useless armed conflict that had plunged them into misery for many years. They are making gigantic steps. The families are already receiving information about birth control and are accepting it with interest.

The satisfaction of seeing these groups that are moving ahead, with clear visions, was my Christmas gift.

We’re excited to announce that Tierras de Vida is now officially SOLD OUT. We want to acknowledge the interest and desire of so many who want to be a part of this years event — thank you all. For those who will not be able to make it this year please know that Tierras de Vida 2008 will be held on Saturday, October 25, 2008 at Pickering Farm in Issaquah.

If you would like to be placed on a waiting list for this upcoming Nov. 3rd event, please contact dough@agros.org, or call the Agros International office at 206.528.1066.

Over the course of the year we get many volunteer requests and for a variety of reasons we are not always able to plug everyone in. However now (this week in fact!) we have need of Spanish translation help.  As follows:

I recently shot over 15 hours of video footage in Honduras, Nicaragua,  and Guatemala.  I am now looking for Spanish speakers who would be willing to help translate video interviews into English.  The process is easy and straightforward:

• I will send you an audio .mp3 file of a Spanish interview that you can listen to on your computer, Ipod, mp3 player, etc…
• You type out a word-for-word Spanish transcript of that interview
• You then translate the Spanish transcript into English (just a quick, rough translation)
• Send the word doc back to me an you’re done

The interviews vary in terms of length.  None of them are over 15 minutes.  I need all interviews translated by this Monday, Oct 15… so if you’re interested you can email me direct at seand@agros.org.

By now many of you on our mailing list will have received an invitation to Tierras de Vida 2007 (TdV). Below is a brief interview with Doug Haley, the Agros Resource Development Associate in charge of making the event happen this year. The event is open to all, so please come - and bring a friend!

What is Tierras de Vida?

“Tierras de Vida” is Spanish for “Lands of Life”. The event is Agros’ yearly fundraising event, and the theme this year is “Challenge Despair — Bring Dreams to Life”. This year we hope to bring together and inspire upwards of 350 people by the life-changing work Agros is doing in Central America and Mexico. Through words, photos, music, and video — we will connect you to the hearts of the extraordinary people we serve. Guests will get a sense of the need that exists in these countries, and they will hear what Agros is doing to meet that need. I guarantee you, people will come away from this event deeply inspired!

What will people experience at TdV this year?

This years event will include great food, music, colorful settings, drama, a new video, and speakers from both the Northwest and Nicaragua. Our founder, Skip Li, will emcee the evening. Tim Dearborn, from World Vision, will be our keynote speaker. Other speakers include Libby Boatwright from Lake Grove Presbyterian Church in Oregon, and Mario Gaitan, our Country Director in Nicaragua.

Why is this event important to Agros?

Not only are the funds raised at this event essential in helping us break the cycle of poverty in Central America and Mexico, we also want people to hear and see the joy of transformed lives. The stories of the people in Agros villages are simply incredible, and we want people to hear them and be inspired!

Who is coming?

Everyone is invited! This is a perfect setting for those who already know about Agros as well as those who are curious and want an introduction to our work. So please invite your friends and come join us for a fun night!

When and where is it?

TdV is being held in Upper Gwinn Commons at Seattle Pacific University on Saturday, November 3, 2007. There will be a reception at 6:00 with dinner, and the program begins at 7:00. The address is 3310 6TH Ave West, Seattle. Click here for a map.

How can I get tickets?

You can order tickets in three ways. You can order online at Brown Paper Tickets, or by calling the Agros office at 206-528-1066, or by emailing Doug Haley at dough@agros.org. Tickets are $50 and include both dinner and the reception.

Anything else?

Imagine if you can what it would be like to live life in crushing poverty, with no hope for anything different. Can you imagine living without dreams or hope? Worse yet, can you imagine someone who has lived in poverty for so long that they have lost the ability to dream?

The work we do at Agros allows rural poor families to not only dream, but to actually work to make those dreams come true. We are seeing this unfold in over 6,000 lives throughout five countries. Come see how you can be part of “Challenging Despair and Bringing Dreams to Life“!

Click here for more.

Land is critical to life. Who owns it? Who uses it? How it is used? These are just a few of the many questions regarding the issue of land. And for this reason there is an on-going global debate as to how it should be distributed and who should have access.  The forces of population, economics, politics and environment all affect the question of land ownership and use. There are many perspectives regarding how the complexities of land ownership should be addressed.

We’ve posted a new Agros white paper describing the different perspectives and approaches, including a section on how Agros seeks to address the question.  Our approach is unique, and has made a difference for more than 1,000 families in Central America and Mexico.

CLICK HERE to read the white paper.

Here at Agros we understand that our volunteers and work-study students play an extremely important part in helping accomplish the overall mission. We’ve been blessed with some extraordinary people who’ve donated significant amounts of time here at the office, and we’re grateful for every one.

With that said, we now have an immediate need for a volunteer to help us fill the gap between our summer and fall volunteers and work study students. Please contact us if you are available September 17-28 to help with general office jobs and answering phones.

You can contact us online via our online contact form, or feel free to call our general office number at 206-528-1066 and ask for Jean Ingebritsen.

Here is an update from Laurie Werner, Agros International Director of Program:

“I just spoke with the Nicaragua office and since the hurricane is projected to hit the coast and then travel to Honduras, they aren’t expecting significant impact in Nicaragua. They may, however, experience torrential rains in the region where the Agros village ‘Norwich‘ is located. The field staff are all out working in the communities as normal.

I also spoke with Victor (the Agros Executive Director in Honduras) and he said that they are in constant contact with the villages and have everyone working hard to harvest and store their beans before the hurricane can cause any damage. At this point, if the hurricane stays on track they only expect heavy rains. The hope is that the Hurricane will lose speed and velocity as it hits land and will pass through quickly with minimal damage.”

The following is a story written by Tania, our Human Development Coordinator in El Salvador.
“Huracán Mitch” in Tenango, El Salvador

Three guitars and one bass, all of them crafted by Viviano, come alive in the hands of their skilled players. Setting up the beat, “The Hurricanes” begin the show.

The band members, Angel, José Luis, Viviano and Arturo, they all share an immense love for the land, the community, and music. A few years ago they decided to put together this band in San Diego Tenango, Cuscatlan.

“We wanted to start this band because we felt that it was important for the community to welcome our friends from overseas, to participate in the parties and, who knows, to become known abroad and maybe to be famous one day!” comments José Luis, featuring a big smile while proudly telling the origins of his band.

The name “Hurricanes” came up as a joke to make reference to the enthusiasm and excitement that this band inspires in the crowd when they play their songs, mostly northern “corridos” and worship songs, or “coritos” as they are called in Central and South America.

Recently, an Agros “Journey With a Village” team from University Presbyterian Church (UPC) in Seattle visited the community to share, support, and work alongside the families in the village.

As part of the welcoming celebration, The Hurricanes received the UPC volunteers with cheerful songs, to show the gratitude of the community towards their new visitors. Soon after the volunteers entered the celebration, one of their members, Mitchell or “Mitch”, grabbed his own guitar and without saying a word got up on the stage and started playing along with the band trying to follow the chords.

From that moment on, and during the whole stay of the UPC serving team, The Hurricanes had a fifth member, and among the jokes and laughs from the community, they were re-named as “Hurricane Mitch”.

The experience of musical exchange and integration was enriching for the band as well as for the volunteers, and demonstrated in a very simple and compelling way that no matter language, age, or social condition, we all can share a moment of communion and receive more than what we give away - a theme that continues to resonate in so many ways in all of our Agros villages.

Lennart Bage, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), recently published an article on the essential elements needed to fight poverty in a lasting, sustainable way. His findings both affirm and dovetail with our own development model here at Agros, where we have also found that alleviating rural poverty requires an integrated, holistic, and sustainable approach.

Here are a few quotes from his article, and a link to the entire piece:

“Investments in agriculture can transform economies and pay high dividends in terms of quality of life and dignity for poor rural people.

Many of those left behind are rural people - the small farmers, landless workers, herders, fisherfolk and artisans who depend on agriculture and related activities to survive. Seventy-five per cent of the world’s extremely poor people live in the rural areas of developing countries - over 800 million women, children and men. One-quarter have no secure access to land. In many areas, indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities make up a disproportionate number of the rural poor, and in all areas women are the most vulnerable and marginalised.

Agricultural investments drive economic growth
Investments in agriculture can transform economies and pay high dividends in terms of quality of life and dignity for poor rural people. They can drive broader economic growth, setting the stage for long-term sustainable development. Indeed, investments in agriculture are more effective in raising people out of poverty than investments in any other sector.

…these solutions must be rooted in the aspirations and priorities of poor people themselves… poor rural people tell us that secure access to land, water and other natural resources is one of their highest priorities. In fact, studies show that inequitable distribution and lack of access to land are often the driving forces behind poverty and hunger, as well as the roots of armed conflict and civil war.”

Click here to read more of President Bage’s excellent article.

Veronica is a 27-year-old indigenous woman from Nuevo San Miguel, Mexico. She is the mother of 5 children and the wife of Juan. Veronica has been working with Agros since the very beginning of 2004, and her family has received several enterprise loans from Agros to fund different initiatives such as a small weaving business and an irrigation system. Juan and Veronica also received a loan from Agros to start a nixtamal mill to make tortillas, which allows Juan to be closer to his family.

Veronica has developed great weaving skills, and she is very excited working with other women in the productive projects facilitated by Agros. While Veronica hardly speaks any Spanish, she manages to share her weaving skills with other women, and has also created space in her backyard to start a collective bird-breeding project with the rest of the women. This bird farm will provide eggs and meat for local consumption and trade.

Veronica’s fellow workers describe her as a quiet and analytic woman who is eager and able to share her knowledge with everyone. For them, Veronica is an example of empowerment and participation.

Veronica comments:

“I am very proud of being the mother of my children — I have beautiful children.  I’ve learned to support myself working with my own hands; surely Agros has supported me.  It is because of Agros that I have made it through.  Thank God that there is an organization like Agros that teaches us to work and not to wait.”

This is to announce the opening of a new job opening at Agros, as follows:

Office Manager/Executive Assistant
This position is responsible for efficiently managing the Agros office in Seattle as well as providing administrative support to the CEO. The Agros office in Seattle has a staff of 16 (and growing), with additional student and volunteer workers. There are field offices in 5 countries in Central America and Mexico. The ideal candidate will care deeply about the mission of Agros and about using his or her professional capabilities in office management and support to further the Agros mission, and will enjoy working to improve support systems in a growing and developing organization.

Go here for position requirements and to learn how to apply.

Please feel free to forward this announcement to qualified applicants.

Aduana Dos, Nicaragua, Plantain and Irrigation Project Story

“It is hard to believe that I was actually able to repay my loan,” says Don Agustín, 41-year old husband to Señora Rosa, 37, and father of five. He shakes his head in wonder as he recalls the results of his first plantain harvest from the parcel of land he received through Agros International Nicaragua.

Don Agustín is an inspiration to many in the village of Aduana Dos, an Agros village located 40 kilometers from the capital city of Managua. Hopeful to obtain a piece of his own land on which he could live and work, Don Agustín attended an Agros meeting in 2003 after friends encouraged him to begin a new phase in life. He heard from Agros that it was possible to leave poverty behind, and achieve the dream of land ownership.

After several meetings with the Agros staff, Don Agustín realized an important truth: Corn and beans are good for making tortillas and bean dishes on a daily basis, but are not sufficient to grow financially and move forward as a family.

The Agros team began working with Don Agustín and the other farmers of Aduana Dos, strategizing on planting new crops. They quickly decided that the plantain, a popular product in the local market, would be a great option. “But how will this work if we have no experience planting plantains? And the debt that goes along with all this? It’s impossible!” Don Agustín thought. Though the plantain had proved itself as a profitable crop in the markets and was shown to have several market advantages in recent agricultural studies, Don Agustín thought he should give the idea some thought, so he asked for some time before making his final decision to move forward.

The time came for Don Agustín to make his decision as to whether or not he would cultivate plantains on his parcel, or to just continue with the familiar crops of beans and corn. Though he had never felt as anxious about any other decision, he decided to move forward in faith. He assumed a loan of $547 to sow 750 seeds on an area of 0.6 acres. He and the rest of the villagers installed an irrigation system and acquired the necessary materials. The conditions on the loan stated that repayment was to be made within two years.

Despite being a new and experimental crop in the region, the farmers demonstrated dedication and care throughout the entire process of weeding, removing leaves, fertilizing, irrigating and facilitating the first production cycle. Sure enough, the plantains were an enormous success! The harvest was extremely well received in the market and provided a solid income for the participating families.

The first thing Juan Agustín did with his profits was to repay the debt of his loan — a year early! Don Agustín had not believed that he was capable of such an incredible accomplishment in his life! He always remembers the difficult times when the struggled with the production cycles of corn and beans.

Today, Don Agustín is emotional as he shares about the results of this project. He now plans to make more payments on his land loan and his house with the profits from the sale of the next harvest of plantains.

Don Agustín shares how the following elements are what have made this project successful:

• The acquisition of the necessary technical knowledge to operate cultivation and to obtain expected results,
• The acquisition of economic resources necessary for the purchase of material and equipment for irrigation systems,
• The development of training and ability to market his products, and
• The farmer’s marketing of 0.6 acres of plantains valued at $2,000, taking account for irrigation costs.

Don Agustín has a new optimism and confidence in life. He has a new faith in the future and is eager to listen to further proposals and recommendations from the Agros team. Today Don Agustín considers himself as having made a huge step closer toward the vision he and Agros share for the future of Aduana Dos. It is their dream to achieve lasting economic sustainability, and to truly harness and develop all of their God-given potential.

In the words of Don Agustín,

“I’ve now learned that nothing is impossible.”

Agros Family of José Angel Villalobo and Modesta Magadalena Chávez
Futuro del Mañana, Nicaragua

The family of José Ángel Villalobos, 44, and his wife Modesta Magdalena Chávez Chávez, 44, is an exemplary case of overcoming the grips of poverty. This young and entrepreneurial couple, including their four hard-working sons, has earned the trust and admiration of many through their creative solutions, service towards those less fortunate and commitment to repaying their land loans.

Five years ago, the idea to hand-craft rustic wooden beds for his family dawned upon José. Seeing the natural beauty and excellence of his work, neighbors became interested in purchasing his beds — beginning a new commercial opportunity for José. Ever since, José and his family have been seeking to build upon their skills and expand to other hand-made wood products. José’s oldest son Roberto enrolled in a nearby carpentry workshop where he learned to refine his designs and how to use industrial equipment. Following the workshop, Roberto shared what he learned with his father and brothers. As they perfected their techniques, their family income began to increase, improving their overall quality of life.

In 2005 José’s family was presented with the opportunity to take a loan through Agros to acquire carpentry machinery and move into a more competitive market. The family decided to take the risk to expand their infrastructure with a loan, and with these new tools, José and his sons increased the quality and design of their work, again improving their economic circumstances, but to a much greater degree. With this advancement, the family has been able to not only repay loans on the machinery, but make payments on their land and improve the production of their basic grains and small livestock as well.

Despite the success of their enterprise, the insecurity of decreasing demand for wood products still exists for José’s family, as expressed by one of his sons, “Every day it’s harder to find wood to use. So we need to go to school so that in case we are forced to look for another type of work, we can have a job in another field.”

Fortunately, José and Modesta know the importance of education. Envisioning a better life for their sons, José and Modesta were led to invest their own lives in their children’s education. Their sacrifice is paying back as all four are currently attending or have completed higher level studies.

Daniel de los Santos is now in his third year of college studying Agriculture Engineering and José Ismael is in his fourth year. Douglas and Roberto Enrique, having passed their final exams, recently graduated from high school.

Modesta, although not extensively involved in the carpentry business, has made a lasting impression through her leadership skills and sacrifice. Serving on the community’s development committee as Treasurer and caring for the sick and elderly through the church she leads with her husband. Through these roles, as well as her concern for the well-being of her family, have returned to her the trust and admiration from the entire community.

Together, Modesta and José, along with their four sons, form a strong family that has brought their community and many others hope that they too, can experience a life of opportunity.

We are extending the deadline for the Service and Education Manager position until July 6, 2007. Click here to view the qualifications, and please feel free to forward to any qualified applicants.