ZERO HUNGER
Our Zero Hunger Projects
Our “Stove Project”: Many families in our communities cook on an open fire. This is not only a very time-consuming job but is also very unhealthy for their lungs. We provide these families a stove so they can cook in a healthier situation.
Of the people who cook on an open fire in Colombia, 41.9% have decreased lung capacity and 33.1% have frequent coughing attacks. Every year, nearly 2,300 people die from related conditions and 1.2 million people become ill.
We also created a “Vegetable Garden Project”, which works with local soup kitchens in various Medellín districts. These kitchens are run by private individuals who prepare lunch for the neighborhood’s children since many children and families lack the financial resources to feed themselves. In cooperation with these kitchens we will create a community vegetable garden. In this way, the local food providers become less dependent on donations and can grow their own food to distribute to families who need it.. Vegetables and fruit are normally hardly a part of the daily nutrition of these children, so this project also contributes to a varied diet.
"Plant a little love, watch a miracle grow"
This will also bring people from the neighborhood together, as a group will be made responsible for the maintenance of these gardens. By implementing this, we contribute to food sovereignty.
Why we are so excited about this project is because it uses ancestral knowledge, especially pre-colombinos, that mimics the ecosystems of the selva. It is called "agricultura sintrópica".
Another outreach program is our “Chicken Project”. A short drive from the beautiful city of Medellín is a natural reserve inhabited by four different indigenous tribes. For decades these tribes have faced great conflict and hardship. For example, various armed gangs have slowly and methodically taken land away from the tribes, thus creating pressure for the reserve. In order to provide the local indigenous with food, we began providing them with chickens. These chickens walk around freely and provide the entire community eggs. In the future, we will expand this project even further by guiding the community in collecting and selling extra eggs. The income will be used to expand and create new sustainable projects.