Am leaving for Alta Verapaz on Sunday again. Last month I went to Nuevo Palin and found a really inspiring story. These tomatoes are their fourth crop. Each crate will sell for around ten dollars, and there had been 18 for this harvest. Eleven families continued with the kitchen gardens, and of these seven started to produce for sale, establishing their own mini co-operative. Adicay stayed involved and brought them fertilizer and seeds, which the villagers paid for themselves out of their sales. When the other villagers saw how successful the co-operative was, they too wanted to join up. The second picture shows 15 signing up for the fifth crop. Nuevo Palin has become tomato central! I will go there next week with Ricardo, who ran the initial project. I think they will need to find another crop.

As a pilot project it has been very successful. I for one never expected it to grow to this extent and become sustainable in the process. The fact that these families now have an income and with it a source of pride – not to mention the Vitamin C from eating the produce – is something that Charity Anywhere can be very proud of.