Agros Blog

At the gracious invitation and arrangement of Mario Fajardo , owner of the Honduran eco-tourist ranch, La Estancia El Pedregal,  an interview of a recent Agros Vision Trip was conducted by two members of a Honduran national daily newspaper, and local television news station, the Diario Tiempo.

Participants on that Agros trip were Bellevue business leader, Barry Rowan, Harvard Graduate students and representatives from Menlo Park Presbyterian Church and  Bay area businesses.  Enjoy the following translation of this special coverage, benefiting all involved!

Below is a translation of the article from the Diario Tiempo. To read the article in Spanish click here. 

Read the rest of this entry »

The tragedy of the earthquake in Haiti is beyond what many of us can even fully grasp. We see shots of the wreckage, people still being miraculously pulled out of the rubble, and the large scale effort to just get food and water to people, not to mention much needed medical care.  The absolute suffering and horror that they have lived through over the past weeks has moved the world.

For those who survived–they now face the dual task of grieving all that has been lost while also rebuilding lives, homes, and livelihoods.  We cannot underestimate how hard this will be.

The overwhelming generosity that has been pouring from all over the world to help with the relief efforts has been amazing to see, and uplifting in light of the disaster and incredible need in Haiti at this time. It is critical and necessary.

But in time the abundance of emergency and relief care will wane, and eventually exit the country. When it’s time to rebuild, will Haiti have the tools and support to provide sustainable, long-term solutions for its people?  What will Haiti look like in a year, or three, or five to ten years from now?

In the trainings we provide all those who visit an Agros village, we outline the difference between “relief” work and “development” work. “Relief” work can be defined as the various interventions needed to meet immediate, critical needs (such as food, water, shelter, and medical care) in the aftermath of a disaster.  This is what we are seeing in Haiti right now.

“Development” work is a longer-term effort to provide opportunities to people to shape and rebuild their communities.  This includes stabilizing family/community economies;  creating access to education and healthcare;  building lasting food security for families; enabling people to build necessary infrastructure; and in the case of Agros, helping families own the necessary assets–such as farmable land–required to make the development effort truly sustainable.

This is what Agros does through our holistic community development model.  We empower rural families living in abject, extreme poverty to reach a level where they become land and business owners, generating sustainable income and becoming an active part of the regional community and economy.  Taking a long–term approach, we offer the training, credit, and partnership necessary for rural families to eventually build and own a sustainable community.   Families acquire the assets and knowledge to ensure that their future generations will live beyond the subsistence level.

Of course even this can be no guarantee that tragedy won’t strike and that the impact won’t be devastating.  Civil conflict, natural disaster, and disease will continue to harm and affect those who are the most vulnerable.

However, having more stabilized and strengthened communities and economies can help families weather disasters better, and can shorten the recovery time.

Haiti was already the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, and the majority of families already lived in devastating poverty. The scale of the destruction is due in many ways to the already failing infrastructure and overwhelming poverty present in the nation when the earthquake struck.

As Haiti begins to rebuild, the development process must be driven by values and processes that ensure true sustainability.  As we’ve learned in Agros villages, the work of empowering impoverished and tragedy-stricken communities must start with the notion that the people themselves have the dignity and capacity to do it themselves.  What they need is tangible investment, opportunity, and support.

There are many hurdles to overcome, just as the communities we work with have overcome the suffering and damage of civil wars, hurricanes, and earthquakes. But it can be done–Haiti can be rebuilt.  And we hope and pray that the development efforts to rebuild and strengthen Haiti are truly successful, for the people of this small nation and for our world.

While we do not have operations there, all of us here at Agros are saddened by the tremendous loss and suffering endured by the people of Haiti and the tragedy that continues to unfold. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the countless people struggling to survive, the many families who’ve been affected worldwide, and to those organizations and individuals working tirelessly to help ease the suffering of so many.

The gravity of the situation and the sheer amount of work that lies ahead is daunting. But even the smallest of efforts can multiply into measurable impact for so many on the ground. And with so many organizations to choose from, we wanted to provide a list of a few agencies already at work that you might consider supporting in this effort:

• GlobalGiving’s Relief Fund for Haiti
• Partners in Health
• International Committee of the Red Cross
• Medical Teams International
• Oxfam America
• World Vision

You might also consider making a quick donation by text message. The Mobile Giving Foundation reports they’ve facilitated more than $10M to Haitian earthquake relief through text messages to date. For example, you can donate $5 to Haiti-born musician Wyclef Jean’s Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund by texting the word “Yele” to 501501, or $10 to the American Red Cross, by texting the word “Haiti” to 90999, and more.

We know you are a group who cares deeply about alleviating the suffering of those in the throes of poverty and despair — thank you in advance for your care, concern and support for those who truly need it.

With thanks to a very generous donor, we’re excited to share that from now until December 31st, every dollar you donate to Agros – up to $25,000 in general fund giving – will be matched dollar for dollar!

Whether you prefer to make a general donation online, donate by phone, donate by mail, or give a gift in honor of someone you love from the Agros One Seed Alternative Gift Catalog – your gift will be doubled! Your gift to support the work of Agros will go far to make a lasting difference in the lives of the rural poor – from helping provide loans for small agricultural businesses and women’s enterprises, seed for crops, or support for in-country professionals that provide hands on training in agronomy, health and hygiene practices and human development.

Here are just a few examples of how far a gift can go in the countries where we work, and how taking advantage of this matching opportunity can double your impact:

• A $1000 gift is enough to provide one acre of land, the most effective tool for breaking the cycle of poverty. With this match, your gift has the potential to provide two acres of land for a community!

• A $500 gift can supply a fuel-efficient stove and composting latrine for a family.
  With this match, your gift could provide two families with a family health package!

• A gift of $250 can secure a water pump and 100 feet of irrigation piping.
  With this match, your gift could provide two valuable irrigation systems!

• A gift of $100 can provide two women with small business loans.
  With this match, your gift could provide four women with funds to start their new businesses!

Please consider going above and beyond what you might normally give to empower countless families in Mexico and Central America to break free from the cycle of poverty -  to be self-sustaining, and have the freedom to dream again.

Whatever you’re able to give, we thank you for choosing to make such an impact this year and helping Agros finish the year strong!

P.S. – If you plan to make a gift from the Agros One Seed catalog and you’d like us to send your honoree a gift card for the Christmas holiday, please be sure to order your gift by Monday, December 21st to ensure it arrives on time.

On behalf of all of us at Agros International, thank you for your presence and generosity at the 2009 Tierras de Vida event!

While many were moved by Teresa Sanchez Lopez’s presentation, it was also a great honor for Teresa to be able to share her story with you. She later told staff, with tears flowing, how much the support and encouragement of all those in attendance meant to her.

Teresa will never forget your generosity, and neither will we. Quite simply, Agros exists because of your care and support, and so all of us say – ¡Mil Gracias!

At Agros we care a great deal about communicating and sharing this work with clarity and excellence. Our doors are always open to feedback and input from you, and so to that end, for those who were able to attend could you take just a few minutes and fill out this online survey on how we might improve?

Many also asked after the event how they might become more involved with the Agros mission. Here are a few simple ways you can deepen your involvement with Agros:

• Did you enjoy the video at the event? Click here to watch it again and share it with your friends!
• Subscribe to the Agros blog to receive regular updates on our work.
• Join our Facebook Fan and Cause pages, and follow our Twitter updates.
• As the holidays are fast approaching, spread the word about the Agros One Seed alternative gift catalog to your friends and family.
• Host an Agros 101 introduction for your friends – contact us  (infoagrosorg?subject=I'd like more information about hosting an Agros 101)   for more info!

As Teresa shared on Saturday, “without dreams you will die.” Thank you for supporting the dreams of so many families working their way out of poverty across Central America and Mexico.

As many of you know, Hurricane Ida hit El Salvador late Saturday, Nov. 7, fed by 145-kilometer-per-hour winds and causing heavy flooding. The Category 1 hurricane left over 130 dead and thousands displaced.

We are saddened to report that our four Agros El Salvador communities have all been impacted, as follows:

• San Diego de Tenango: The road is inaccessible, a portion of their crops have been lost, homes have been damaged, and families’ health have been impacted.

• Nuevo Renacer: Roofs are leaking and floors have turned to mud. There is considerable erosion to the access road and a loss in basic grains and vegetables.

• La Esperanza: Severe erosion to the road as well as significant loss of basic grains has been reported.

• El Milagro: A large portion of the families’ basic grains were lost.

We are in daily contact with our El Salvador staff, and plans are underway to help these villages recover and rebuild. We will keep all partners posted as this process continues.

Today, October 16th, the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recognizes the global observance of World Food Day. In a year deemed the ‘worst financial crisis since the Great Depression’, the ripple effects of which exponentially hurt most those already suffering, it is fitting that this year’s theme focuses on Achieving Food Security in Times of Crisis.

The FAO highlights the critical importance of food security for the entire world’s citizens, especially as the ‘economic crisis is stalking the small-scale farms and rural areas of the world, where 70 percent of the world’s hungry live and work. With an estimated increase of 105 million hungry people in 2009, there are now 1.02 billion malnourished people in the world, meaning that almost one sixth of all humanity is suffering from hunger.”  Please visit the FAO’s World Food Day website to learn more about food security issues and how you can get involved in making a difference.

For Agros International, land tenure and food security are tantamount to everything we do working to improve the lives of the rural poor of Central America and Mexico. From selection of fecund, productive agricultural land to providing sound agricultural training, Agros staff is committed to providing Agros communities with all the tools necessary to ensure their ongoing food security and growth.  In turn, Agros communities have worked hard to implement sustainable agricultural techniques to diversify their crops and increase yields. In many cases, these improvements have meant the difference between one meal of tortillas a day to three consistent meals a day from a diversity of nutritious food groups for the whole family.

We invite you to reflect on this date the value of food security in your life, and how critical it remains for the millions of people who continue to go hungry. Please consider giving a hand-up to those working to create sustainable food sources for themselves and their families. Give the gift of One Acre of Seed or a Flock of Chicks today!

Today, October 15th, we celebrate the International Day of Rural Women. Established in 2007 by the UN General Assembly’s resolution 62/136, the annual observance recognizes “the critical role and contribution of rural women, including indigenous women, in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty.” The observance serves to not only applaud the many contributions made, but also raise awareness around the many challenges and inequities still facing most rural women globally.

As noted in the UN Secretary-General’s annual message, the disparities that continue to exist are particularly noteworthy in a year that also marks the 30th anniversary of the only international human rights treaty to address the rights of rural women, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. This doctrine calls upon us all “to ensure that women fully participate in rural development; have access to health care…training, education, credit and loans; and benefit equally from infrastructure investments…”

Agros International has always recognized and supported the critical role of women in building and nurturing thriving communities, families, and individuals. Women in Agros villages are not only working the family’s crops, they are also successfully raising their children and managing the home. A great number of them are at the same time advancing their studies to better their future opportunities, taking on loans and successfully managing income-generating microenterprises, and holding elected offices making important decisions in village community leadership. Inspiring isn’t it?

It is probably no surprise, then, that a cornerstone of Agros’ model has always been to ensure that women get equal billing on the title of land ownership—both the husband and the wife’s name is on the land title. Owning land for the first time in their lives is a major step forward for women and a tremendous sense of personal pride; getting equal recognition and reward in the eyes of the law for their contributions is an important component to building equity in other areas of community development.

More amazing still are the women who do it alone – work the land, raise the children, go to school, manage small businesses and contribute to village leadership – working towards attaining their land title.

One such example is Juana from the village of San Diego in El Salvador. While her husband left her with five children to raise alone, she built a life for her family through hard work and a hopeful spirit. During the war in El Salvador she and her family sought refuge in Honduras, surviving difficult conditions. When they returned after the peace agreements and learned of Agros, Juana and her family were one of the first to join the community of San Diego. Partnering with Agros has been one of the most important decisions she ever made because with land of her own, she can take care of her children. In San Diego, her oldest son Nelson helps her cultivate corn and beans and diverse vegetables. Juana is also one of the first in her community to start a tilapia project where she and business partners earn $2/lb. for the 150 – 200 pounds of fish they farm on average each quarter. She’s also an active member of the Women’s Committee, working on a multitude of projects to improve the lives of women and youth in her community. Through these activities, Juana can send her children to school and provide them a more stable home than she ever had.

Through much hard work and determination, Juana is expecting to pay off her land loan very soon. She still has a bit to go, but is determined to see the day when she can take her title to her land as a single working woman, and share the rewards with her children and their children for generations to come.

We invite you to recognize and pay tribute to the many achievements made by so many in the face of great adversity on this International Rural Women’s Day. In honor of this special date, please consider making a difference in the life of a rural, poor woman in an Agros village who, like Juana, is working hard to make a meaningful change in their lives. Make a Women’s Small Business Loan today!

On this Thursday, October 1, Oprah Winfrey will deliver a call to action for all women. Inspired by the New York Times best-selling book “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide” by Pulitzer Prize winners Nicholas Kristof and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, The Oprah Winfrey Show will spend a full hour revealing stories of women overcoming adversity to realize a better life for themselves. Be sure to tune-in to the “Oprah” show this Thursday, Oct 1, to hear this appeal in support of women around the world. Check local listings for time and channel.

In conjunction with the show, Oprah will launch a new giving registry online at www.oprah.com/forallwomen, where Agros International will be featured.

You can find Agros’ featured project in Oprah’s giving registry by clicking on the project entitled “Economic Independence for Women in Central America.” Or, you can navigate directly to Agros’ featured project page at GlobalGiving.

Agros exists to end rural poverty for entire village communities, and supporting women is an important message for Agros because we believe investing in women is a critical component in the development of solid communities.

Not only do women prove themselves to be successful entrepreneurs, but their commitment to reinvesting profits into their families reaps rewards for the extended community. Women’s projects are becoming a significant source of income in many Agros villages and better position families to pay off their land loans ahead of schedule.

Here are just a few examples of projects that offer women economic independence, confidence, and the ability to contribute to their families’ income:

Twenty-five women in Batzchocola, Guatemala have joined together to form a Community Bank. They have successfully completed six six-month lending cycles with a 100% on-time repayment record and have saved $1,847 to lend to other community members outside of the Community Bank. This is a huge accomplishment for a group that started working together just three years ago and will significantly increase access to funds for all village members interested in starting projects.

Griselda, 48 years old, is the President of the Community Bank Group A in Cajixay. “My dream for our group,” she shares, “is that the projects benefit all of the women in our community.” Griselda currently invests in a small store where she sells sugar, water, nachos and medicine. She also raises pigs and rabbits, in addition to having her own bread oven! Griselda is so ambitious she has established a partnership with a nearby restaurant that places a weekly order for her breads. With the income that she earns, she hopes that her grandson Denison will be able to go to college, just like her son Jacobo who graduated in 2007 in agro-forestry.

Women in other Agros villages are concentrating on a variety of projects including baking and food catering, animal husbandry, weaving and embroidery, decorative arts, and small retail stores.

Your support helps Agros make a significant impact in the lives of rural, female entrepreneurs and their families.

When Agros succeeds, it is usually because we have paid attention to three things: We need to have the right families, the right land, and the right staff. Last week’s approval of Bella Vista as the fourth Agros village in Honduras is a case in point. It’s a voyage that began in the spring of 2007 when Bruce Andrews, a member of a delegation visiting Agros villages outside of San Pedro Sula spoke these words:

“If we don’t help these people, we’ll be spitting in the face of God.”

Bruce’s words were the defining moment of reflection for the delegation from Lake Grove Presbyterian Church in Lake Oswego, OR after they had visited Los Bordos, one of the most impoverished slums in the Western Hemisphere. Their visit was guided by staff from Agros Honduras and CASM, the Honduran Mennonite agency that had been caring for the people of Los Bordos. CASM had asked Agros if together, they might be able to help people from Los Bordos move back to the rural area and form successful villages.

The people of Lake Grove were willing to help support the effort, but they were not to be the only ones. Two months later, a group from Bellevue, WA, who were for the most part veteran supporters of Agros, visited Honduras and spoke with the same group that CASM had selected. They also pledged their support. We were going to need more support before we were done, but we were already paying attention to those three things, and they weren’t all looking good.

First, the Bordos families, a group of people originally from a village called El Limonar, were not doing well with negotiations for the land to which they hoped to move. Then our staff leadership in Honduras went through a transition, and Joel Martinez, our new director, wanted to rethink a number of things, including how we went about the difficult process of assisting in the replanting of urban people in a rural entrepreneurship setting.

Urban migration is a worldwide, massive phenomenon for the landless, rural poor who find it difficult enough to feed themselves, let alone make a living in rural areas, and who are subsequently drawn to cities where they can earn cash by competing for menial jobs. The influx is so great that– even with cooperative municipal governments– the migrants end up living in poor shelter and overcrowded conditions, without water, sewer, or utilities and with disease and crime. I’m sure you’ve seen the pictures, if not the reality. In the gloom of these conditions a silver lining gleams: cash from the jobs, and the elusive urban temptation of possibility. By contrast, the rural areas seem hopeless.

This is the environment in which our Agros staff sought to find some of these urban poor who might be interested in returning to the country, taking on long-term debt in order to own land, and learn how to profit from its use. It’s like traveling upstream.

Joel began by finding a few families who might be interested in joining established Agros villages such as Nuevo Amanacer and Brisas del Volcan, working alongside campesinos, country-born and bred farmers who, thanks to their partnership with Agros, were well on their way to profiting from their agricultural enterprises. The experiment was only partially successful. A few families stayed, but others ended up returning to the city, citing the amount of hard work and the long wait for cash as reasons.

In time, Joel could see a way: It helped if Agros and CASM found people who had migrated to Bordos from the area where the new village was to be established. It also helped if the families had only recently arrived in the city, and had not become accustomed to the immediate reward of a cash environment.

He then found a group of campesinos in the La Montañita area of the Santa Barbara region who wanted to become an Agros village, and who were interested in the idea of welcoming back some families who had moved from there to Bordos. He brought the two sets of families– 29 from the country, and six from Bordos– together to talk. The families agreed to work together, and began looking for land. That proved to be a lengthy process as well, since the land required irrigation, and that in turn required obtaining water rights.

Meanwhile, we were still working on the necessary financial support. Two principals from Ludeman Capital Management, financial advisors based in Bellingham and Seattle, also visited Honduras, and provided that crucial final cap. A couple of graduate students from Harvard, moved by their visit to Honduras, joined the Bellevue group.

Finally, everything seemed solid: families, land and staff. The original support partners, who had been so eager to help two years previous, were thankfully still ready, so that when we went through the Agros International board’s due diligence process for approval, we obtained it. The land is situated high, and the villagers decided to call it Bella Vista. The resemblance to “Bellevue” (the French version of “Bella Vista”) may be unintentional, but was not lost on at least one person from the Bellevue group of supporters.

When people from the developed world are faced with the overwhelming plight of the urban poor in the developing world, we tend to have one of two extreme responses: We want to help immediately, or we despair of ever making a difference. If you think about it, both stances are self-centered. The former assuages our pain, that latter attempts to anesthetize it. Either way, the response is about us.

There is a third way: To gently and firmly decide to make a difference somewhere, go about it, and not tire of doing good. This is what the staff of CASM did, it’s what Joel Martinez and the Agros Honduras staff did, it’s what the families of Bella Vista did, and it’s what their supporters from Oregon, Massachusetts and Washington did. As Barry Rowan, one of the Bellevue group said during his visit, it’s what the Pilgrim immigrants to America did: They persevered, over the long haul, to a new beginning.

Bienvenidos, Bella Vista. You are worth the wait.

With the recent passing of Juan, “Señor Tortilla,” Agros has lost an inspirational community leader, a wise and patient employee, and a dear friend. Juan was a father of six, and husband to Juana. He passed away on August 19th, 2009, and will be greatly missed.

Señor Tortilla, as he was known among his North American counterparts for his appetite for hand-thrown tortillas, first joined Agros 15 years ago at a meeting of families interested in forming what would become Agros’ fifth village, El Paraiso. The families had survived a brutal civil war and had journeyed from miles to share their dreams for development of a new community.

Señor Tortilla emerged as a natural leader during the development of El Paraiso and was trusted and respected by those in the community. He was a self-taught, locally renowned furniture craftsman and a keen, mentoring agronomist and soon became a loyal Agros employee. He helped pioneer the new villages of Trapichitos, Batzchocola and Xeucalvitz, translating Spanish into the three dialects of Ixil he spoke. Often you would find him with children from the communities, coloring, playing, and resting with them as they followed him through his days. He had strong faith and was devoted to serving his people.

His memory will live on through the lives of all that he touched in Guatemala and North America.

On Sunday, June 28, Honduran President Manuel Zelaya was ousted in a military coup. While there are reports of ongoing protests in both Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula, the rural areas where Agros works have not been directly affected. Agros Honduras Director Joel Martí­nez has reported that all Agros villagers and staff are safe.

As for travel considerations, we not canceling any Service Team or Vision Trips at this time. As we continue to monitor the situation, we may cancel trips in the future if there is any undue risk.

We will continue to monitor events closely, and will stay in very close contact with Agros Honduras staff. Any future updates will be posted here on the Agros blog.

It never ceases to amaze me just how much we stand to learn from children. Their perspective about the world around them is so bright, their demand for equality so unwavering, and their desire to “do good”  so pure.

I saw a great example of this in practice the other day at the St. Joseph School’s bake sale. When you think of the traditional bake sale, it’s typically employed to raise money for things the kids need, like more instruments for the school’s band or new uniforms for a sports team.

But this bake sale was different. After first being introduced to Agros and its mission by teacher Beth Peterson, the three 1st grade classrooms at St. Joseph’s joined forces and decided to put on a bake sale to raise money for the children and animals in Agros communities. Their zeal was infectious, and soon a date was set and moms and dads alike were in line last Fall ready to help bake for a cause!

On a carefully orchestrated rotating schedule of parents, students and teachers manning tables across a several hour span, the first bake sale held in the school’s cafeteria was an absolute success. Offering a variety of delicious treats, ranging from cookies to cakes anywhere from 50¢ to $2 for a bundle, the first bake sale brought in an astounding $640!

The kids clearly had a blast baking with their parents. But what may have trumped that was the fun in having the adult responsibility of selling the goodies and handling all the finances. The 1st graders were so pleased with the fruits of their labor, they decided they wanted to do it again in the Spring! In the meantime, the $640 raised was set aside for safe keeping until the next bake sale scheduled a few months later, after which they planned to present one check to Agros.

Before the next bake sale, Ms. Peterson invited her longtime friend and Agros staffer, Dave Spicer, to come share a bit more about Agros with the students. As one of Agros’ fundraising officers, this was the youngest group of “future philanthropists” he’d ever presented to. So he went prepared with rich stories and visuals to engage the children in a way that would help relate the Agros children’s daily experience as compared to their own; showing both the similarities and differences. There were many pictures of Agros children with animals like goats, rabbits, chickens and cows and the children loved it. After the presentation was over, student after student shared that they really liked that “Agros works with people and animals, and they help each other.”

Dave and I both were humbled, and wanted to make sure the kids knew how many lives their efforts would touch in such positive ways, and how inspiring they were to us personally.

When the time came for the second bake sale, the parents, teachers and students functioned like a well-oiled machine. The resources were in place, the goods were plentiful and varied (and I might add quite delicious!), and there were prospective buyers a plenty with thanks to well-placed and artfully decorated poster advertisements! Buyers came and went in steady waves, and the baked goods seamlessly replenished to meet the needs with thanks to the many organized parents behind the scenes.

It was such fun to see the 1st graders work their magic and sell people not only a delicious treat, but also talk about Agros’ mission and what inspired them to run the bake sale in the first place. It was equally heartwarming to see kids from the other grades carefully look at the photos of Agros villages we’d brought and ask such smart questions about the work.

At the end of the day, the second and final bake sale of the year brought in a little over $500! That is a lot of cookies, muffins, and cakes exchanging hands!

A few days later, in a poignant and heartfelt ceremonial gesture, the 1st graders from St. Joseph’s presented Dave with a check to Agros in the amount of $1140!

Our sincere thanks to the first grade teachers at St. Joseph’s Elementary, Beth Peterson, Mary Doquilo and Aimee Meier for their vision and leadership to see this project through, and to all the parents who offered so freely of their time and resources to bake and host the bake sale tables.

And most especially, our warmest thanks to the 63 students of St. Joseph’s 1st grade classrooms for including Agros on your journey to “do good in the world” and reminding us all of the importance of giving. We would be honored to work in tandem with you again next year, and hope you’ll share some of your coveted baking recipes with us, too!

Any day that an Agros family receives their land title is a very exciting day here at Agros. May 13th was an especially exciting day, because not only did two families get their land titles, but they were the first land titles to be transferred in El Salvador by Agros!

Both families are from the Agros community of San Diego de Tenango which was the second Agros village established in El Salvador.

To commemorate this special day we held a land title ceremony in the community of San Diego, and invited representatives from the other three Agros villages to share in the event. Before the ceremony was even set to begin, the community center filled with men, women and children excited to be there! After the usual speeches and formalities, our lawyer stood up and read the titles aloud… word for word. And then it was time to make the transition of ownership official, first with signatures by Cipriano and Maria Antonia from one family, and then German and Isabel from the other.

 

Two families became landowners this day, but an entire community shared in their pride of ownership. The San Diego village was started by a group of 18 families who had a long history of commitment to one another. Having been displaced first by civil war and then again by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, the group came together through one man’s generous invitation to share his half-acre parcel of land with 18 other families to live on, and together they would cultivate the adjacent rented land. But because they could only rent the farmland, their income would always be limited and the lack of true assets meant they couldn’t qualify for any traditional enterprise loans to grow a fruitful business. So, with a shared tenacity and vision to improve their circumstance further, the group negotiated a purchase price to acquire the 141 acre parcel of rented land and make it their own in 2000 with Agros’ help.

This land title ceremony was a validation of their shared efforts and, based on the excitement on the faces of all in attendance, is one of many to come.

Patty Borja, the longest serving staff member in El Salvador, spoke at the ceremony and shared how much of an honor it was for her to be able to see this moment come true — to see the dreams of these two families become a reality.

This is land, hope, and life… realized.

Our heartfelt thanks to our friends around the globe for your concern about the welfare of the Agros villages in Honduras after last week’s tremor. The powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Honduras at 3:24am local time last Thursday. The jolt toppled approximately 80 homes in both Honduras and Belize, killing at least six and sending untold numbers of people running into the streets in the middle of the night. Honduran President Manuel Zelaya estimates the damages total upwards of US$37 million.

Thankfully, the families in the Agros Honduras villages are all safe and sound, and report no damage to community buildings or infrastructure. Equally, Agros in-country staff and their families are all well. We are grateful that the Agros family is unharmed and the only resulting disruption was to the main office’s Internet connection which is expected online again in a few days.

For more information on the quake itself, read CNN’s latest update.

Today Agros makes the exciting announcement that Hans P. Theyer has been selected as President & CEO, effective June 1, 2009.

By way of introducing Hans to the Agros community we recently asked him to respond to the following questions.

What drew you to the Agros position?

The possibility of helping and serving the poor in both the regions where Agros is already working, and in regions where Agros is considering to one day expand.

Agros has a model that actually breaks the cycle of poverty for rural communities. In developing economies, this cycle of poverty and suffering is passed on from generation to generation and sadly is not a condition children can easily overcome.

The key to breaking cyclical poverty for the rural poor is in taking a long-term, holistic approach. This must certainly include empowering families to work and increase their income, as well as helping them to build long-term assets. But in order for the economic component to be successful we must also look at the whole person within the whole community.

To use a familiar analogy, what Agros does is not only teach families how to fish, but how to sell the fish, and to care for the pond. And most importantly, Agros does this in a way where the families themselves become owners of the pond!

We already know that bottom-up strategies that empower rural families over the long-term are more effective than short-term, individual interventions. And for the rural poor, those families depend so much on land for food, security and shelter. Being able to own your own land for these families is not just a dream, it’s essential!

These are just a few of the reasons why I’m honored to be able to join and serve this unique mission!

And then from a personal perspective, working for Agros is a dream come true. Working at Agros is a place where I can integrate the personal, spiritual and professional realms. I come from a background in Latin America where men define themselves in terms of their careers and professional accomplishment, and this does not necessarily go hand in hand with personal growth and serving others.

As you think about the days ahead for Agros, what excites you the most?

It is hard to prioritize — there are so many things. Let me share just a few.

Today I was looking through pictures from our Program Director, Laurie Werner, of families in El Salvador signing their land title deeds after paying off their land loans. Even from a distance I can feel what this means to them and how, previously, obtaining land ownership was a far away dream. But now the dream for these families has come true.

As I’ve had the chance to interact with (Agros founder) Skip, the board and the Agros executive leadership team, it has indeed been a pleasure as they set such a high personal and professional example. I have also interacted with several Journey With a Village partners, and have seen how their eyes and smiles brighten when they speak of their experiences and their connection to their “extended families” in the villages. I can sense how enriching these partnerships are to villagers as well.

I also remember how the Agros staff welcomed me so warmly just a few days ago and I must admit this is one of the most dedicated and knowledgeable teams I have ever seen.

Lastly, for me as well as for my wife and two sons, this opportunity is a joy and a blessing.

Tell us about your past work experience and how it relates to Agros?

First, I believe that my experiences with rural realities in so many different countries give me a good understanding of the challenges our villagers are facing and how Agros’ holistic approach can offer a lasting solution. I have had the chance to work in South East Asia, China and India, as well as throughout Latin America. While these regions are all fairly different from one another, they also have commonalities and similar challenges in their underserved communities.

Secondly, with a background in business, economics, and most recently having brought leadership to Microsoft’s rural computing efforts for emerging economies, I feel I can bring Agros a balance between strategic vision and a results-driven approach, knowing that strong partnerships, relationships, and teamwork are essential.

I have also worked both in the field and in corporate headquarters, giving me an understanding of “both worlds”, a valuable asset for managing our Seattle and country teams in the five countries where we operate.

Lastly, I have worked with and led multicultural and interdisciplinary teams, creating partnerships between many diverse entities, which is also the case at Agros. Creating effective partnerships across cultures, languages, and geographies is a key part of what Agros does.

As you look forward, what do you see in store for Agros?

A time for growth and larger impact! As I recently shared with the Leadership Team, Agros’ work is not only unique and effective, but transformative for everyone involved. Agros has done a good job sharing the work with their current base of supporters, but I believe we have an opportunity to gently but firmly take Agros’ light from under the basket and let it shine in many new places!

Globally, there are so many issues that cry out for sustainable solutions.  Whether it’s the world food crisis, environmental sustainability and over-consumption of resources, or the increasingly linked economies of the developing and developed world; we are in a time where Agros has much to offer.

Alleviating poverty is hard work. There are no quick solutions and so much depends on the generosity of supporters. However, I simply believe that Agros’ work is too effective, too transformative, and too important to not work as hard as we can toward that dream of “mil-Agros”  (In Spanish,  “a thousand Agros Villages” and/or “a thousand miracles.”)

Any last thoughts you wish to share?

Yes. I want to thank Skip, Susan Moulton and the Board, as well as the Agros Leadership Team and staff for how they have already welcomed me. And I can’t wait to meet our hard- working field staff and country directors.

I also want to thank our donors and partners for their support in making Agros the blessing it is for so many today, as well as for the many more rural, poor families we wish to touch. I look forward to meeting and getting to know our current family of supporters, as well as reaching out to new supporters and partners.

You all deserve my very best professional, personal and spiritual effort to assist in this transforming journey called Agros. Thank you.

As the World Health Organization (WHO) raises the swine influenza A (H1N1) pandemic threat alert to level 5, Agros is carefully monitoring the situation in the countries and regions in which we work.

Of the five countries Agros works in, “Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, and Mexico”, Mexico is the only country with confirmed cases of swine flu to date. On Tuesday of this week health officials from member countries of the Central American Integration System met in Managua, Nicaragua to coordinate and discuss preventative swine flu measures, which include tightening border and immigration controls. In addition, these health ministers signed joint accords committing to unite together, and to use all resources available to confront the epidemic.

Agros villages are located in the rural sectors of these countries. We have field staff who are in regular contact with our villagers and if anyone starts to show swine flu symptoms we will work to make sure they obtain medical attention. In addition, our staff are conducting hygiene reminders in every village and making sure villagers know what to look out for.

As for travel considerations, we not canceling any Service Team or Vision Trips at this time. As we continue to monitor the situation, we may cancel trips in the future if there is an undue health risk in any region where we travel and work.

Lastly, here are a variety of helpful links:

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL & PREVENTION
http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/default.aspx

US STATE DEPT TRAVEL RECOMMENDATIONS
http://travel.state.gov/

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL INSURANCE SITES
http://urgent.internationalsos.com/default.aspx
http://www.hthtravelinsurance.com/extras/swineFlu.cfm

GENERAL NEWS SOURCES
http://www.reuters.com/news/globalcoverage/swineflu
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/

Following are a list of educational, film, and international development events in the Seattle area:

May Events

Meaningful Movies, ‘Un Poquito de Tanta Verdad’ (A Little Bit of Too Much Truth)
May 1st, 7:00 p.m.
Keystone Church, Wallingford, 5019 Keystone Place

“Un Poquito de Tanta Verdad” shows the story of a community of farmers, workers, and students organizing in Oaxaca, Mexico to tell their story of oppression when the mainstream media refused to report it.  Filmmaker Jill Freidberg will be in attendance and host a community discussion after the film.

International Worker’s Day Rally and March
May 1st, 3:30 p.m. rally, 4:00 p.m. march
Judkin’s Playfield, behind St. Mary’s Church, 611 20th Avenue South
(206) 324-6044

Join El Comite Pro-Reforma Migratoria y Justicia Social for the annual May 1 rally & march in support of workers everywhere.

El Centro de la Raza Cinco de Mayo Celebration
May 2nd, 3:00 p.m.
Jefferson Community Center, 3801 Beacon Avenue South
(206) 957-4602

El Centro’s 4th annual Cinco de Mayo celebration will feature traditional food, arts and crafts, children activities, local vendors, and entertainment.

Sandra Cisneros at Town Hall Seattle
May 7th, 7:00 p.m.
Town Hall Great Hall, 8th Avenue and Seneca Street

Author Sandra Cisneros celebrates the 25th anniversary of The House on Mango Street, a novel about a young girl growing up in Chicago’s Latino neighborhood.

Dead Aid: Why Aid is Not Working and How There is a Better Way for Africa
Featuring Dr. Dambisa Moyo
Kane Hall, Room 130, University of Washington

The World Affairs Council presents Dr. Dambisa Moyo, member of Cambridge University’s Center for International Business and Management and the Royal Institute of International Affairs. Dr. Moyo argues for more innovative ways for Africa to finance development, including trade with China, accessing capital markets, and microfinance.

Pacific Northwest Microfinance Conference
May 8th, 7:00 p.m. and May 9th, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Upper Gwinn Commons, Seattle Pacific University

The Pacific Northwest Microfinance Conference brings together local organizations on the forefront of microfinance to collaborate and share ideas about reducing global poverty. The conference features a talk from Skip Li, Agros founder and Laurie Werner, Program Director.

Genevieve Albers Forum: Bill Gates, Sr.
May 19th, 7:00 p.m.
Piguott Auditorium, Seattle University
(206) 296-5732, haukebseattleuedu

Seattle University Albers School of Business hosts Bill Gates, Sr., discussing Showing up for life: Thoughts on the Gifts of a Lifetime. Gates, Sr. is the co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and is involved in various philantrophy and non-profit projects.

International Relief, Development, and Conservation in the Cloud
May 21st, 7:00 p.m.
Museum of History and Industry, 2700 24th Avenue East

The World Affairs Council presents four CIO’s (Chief Information Officers) from leading NGOs, Ed Granger-Happ from Save the Children, Simon Jennings from Oxfam, Vida Durant from CARE, and Jean-Louis Ecochard from The Nature Conservancy. They will discuss the effect of information and communications technologies on the work of humanitarian agencies.

Environment in a Developing World
May 26th, Time and Location TBA

Join the discussion with various Washington-based groups on how to improve working conditions and the environment in the developing world.

I’m very excited to announce that Shannon Gallagher has joined the Agros team as the new Agros Annual Campaign Manager. We are grateful to have such a talented, committed person join our team. She brings a clear passion to serve, and a remarkable professional background.

Shannon’s previous work experience includes working as the Yahoo! Global Marketing & Programming Manager, Yahoo! Front Page, managing a multi-country targeted IP marketing program to better engage (localized content) and monetize (premium upsell) 90M international daily users adding millions of dollars in new revenue.  She guided a team of designers, web developers, and media specialists to implement simultaneous international internal marketing, co-branded and cause-related campaigns.

Shannon left Yahoo! for Africa, working in Mozambique as a Microfunds Fellow for Kiva (www.kiva.org). Returning to the US, she then went to work as Director of Marketing and Content for Graspr, Inc., an online video community that offers high quality instructional content on a wide range of topics.

She has a Masters degree in Latin American Studies from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service, has studied in Venezuela and Chile, worked on projects in Bolivia and Argentina, and is fluent in Spanish as well as proficient in Portuguese. She also completed a Research Assistant Internship at the United Nations, Secretary General’s Office.

Please join me in welcoming Shannon to the Agros family!

On May 8th and 9th, Agros Founder, Skip Li, and Program Director, Laurie Werner, will speak at the 2009 Pacific Northwest Microfinance Conference. They will share observations and insights gained from their years of experience using microfinance as one integral part of Agros’ holistic approach to poverty alleviation for entire communities.

Integrated within the five-component Agros development model, small capital loans provide the opportunity for villagers, especially women, to dramatically increase their income and productivity. This conference is an important local forum for discussion about poverty alleviation and an opportunity for Agros to talk about our unique holistic development model and to connect with other local non-profits using microfinance.

Interest in microfinance as a tool for poverty alleviation has skyrocketed in recent years. The MicroCredit Summit estimates that at least 3,000 institutions utilize microfinance and over 100 million people have participated in microfinance programs. The Conference presents a unique opportunity for local professionals, educators, students, and interested members of the public to connect and engage in a dialogue about microfinance. The diverse group of speakers and exhibits will demonstrate the range of institutions using microfinance, showcase a wide variety of success stories, explore recent innovations, and provide information about how to support local organizations engaged in microfinance.

Chi-Dooh “Skip” Li will deliver the Saturday evening address, “Call to Action”.  In 1982, Li responded to the needs of the landless poor in Central America by founding Agros International, a non-profit with an innovative development model. He will draw on 25 years of experience working with rural poor and observing the effects of microfinance programs. Laurie Werner will be speaking on the panel Beyond Credit: The Integration of Financial and Non-Financial Services Within the Community: looking at the impact of how microfinance can be used as part of a larger, integrated strategy of poverty alleviation.

The Microfinance Conference presents a fantastic opportunity to learn more about microfinance, support Agros International staff members, and connect with local citizens supporting the effort to find solutions to global poverty.

Please come to support Agros and learn more about local microfinance!

2009 Pacific Northwest Microfinance Conference
Upper Gwinn Commons, Seattle Pacific University
Friday, May 8, 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. and
Saturday, May 9, 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Registration: Before April 30th: $40, $10 students (first 100)
After April 30th: $50, $20 students

Additional Information: http://www.spu.edu/depts/sbe/se/microfinance/