Diced, whole or bite-sized, any way you slice them, veggies are delicious. But for the Mendoza family – they are a way of life. It’s how Marisol and Julian of San Mateo, Bolivia keep their family of three fed. And you help make it happen. This hard-working family is a part of Esperança’s Family Farming Microenterprise Project that assists families with running and maintaining a successful farm. Through your support, Esperança helps families learn how to grow beyond providing for the needs of their own home – by making the most of their allotted space and teaching them new production alternatives. We also assist families with positioning in the market as the best vegetable producers by observing and imitating the practices of other professional growers.
“Through the project, I had the opportunity to be a part of the technical exchange trip with Argentinian producers last May,” says Marisol. Before joining the project, Marisol and her family produced local crops like lettuce and chard. Today, through the Family Farming Project, she has learned how to grow more exotic vegetables like artichokes, which fetch a higher price at market. “For us small producers who live off agriculture, it’s very important to have support from Esperança, by empowering us to improve our quality of life, through example and guidance,” says Marisol with a smile. “Because of it, our children will have better life opportunities!”