Omar prunes trees in his family garden. Photo: World Vision
Written by: World Vision Ecuador; Edited by Katie Hackett
Omar, 38, is a dad of three sponsored kids in Maquipurashum Li, Ecuador.
He remembers the year World Vision partnered with his community because he saw it as a “blessing from God.”
“Through it, we managed to organize people,” he says. “A group of 16 families was established, to improve our diets and household income.”
World Vision worked with Omar and the other families to cultivate vegetable gardens with quality seeds and fruit trees. They started raising guinea pigs.
"Thanks to World Vision we were able to increase the production of our family gardens, which nowadays have become small farms of organic crops. We produce vegetables, fruit, guinea pigs, rabbits, birds and organic fertilizers.”
“The harvest of fruit in the garden, in this case strawberries, brings the family together to participate in the work,” Omar explains. Photo: World Vision
There are now 72 families involved in Omar’s agricultural association. The families have a diet rich in vitamins, minerals and protein, and the income from their produce goes to cover their children’s school expenses.
The benefits go beyond health and finances, though. Omar says the association is also helping to cultivate their values.
“Family members participate in all the activities,” he says, “which promotes unity, respect and love for Pacha Mama (Mother Earth).”
Give families a source of income and nutrition with agriculture training, seeds and tools.