FFP supports many fantastic, noble projects large and small that are made possible thanks to bighearted donors. Below is a list of five I have learned about since coming on board last year that have really made an impression on me. In no particular order, here you go.
1. Goats For Life – Honduras
There’s been a lot in the news lately about how difficult things are in Honduras these days. The State Department’s Honduras entry sums it up, “Widespread poverty and unemployment, along with significant street gang and drug trafficking activity, have contributed to the extremely high crime rate. In January 2012, the Peace Corps pulled out its volunteers… An October 2011 United Nations report on crime and drugs ranked Honduras as having the highest per capita homicide rate in the world…”
So I was interested to hear about the “Goats For Life” program taking place near San Pedro Sula – an area notorious for all of the bad things noted above. The program is empowering local women by helping them start their own goat farms. In partnership with local aid agencies like CEPUDO, the women have learned how to manage, maintain and market their healthy goat flocks and parlay their farms into profitable businesses.
A group of women benefiting from the “Goats For Life” program have done so well; they recently won an award honoring some of the country’s best rural development programs.
2. Emilio Bonifacio, Hometown Hero
I was delighted to learn that Emilio Bonifacio, the underrated speedster for my beloved Marlins, has traveled to his native Dominican Republic several times to deliver baseball equipment and clothes to needy kids in partnership with FFP.
I’m taking this as a sign that I should continue tweeting at Emilio to join our softball team.
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Check out this video
3. Feed My Sheep School Construction – Kingston, Jamaica
The photo here pretty much speaks for itself!
4. Australian Red Claw Crawfish + Freshwater Shrimp – Sula Valley, Honduras
I really enjoy learning about FFP’s self-sufficiency initiatives. I appreciate the focus on helping people help themselves. While there are differing views on the best ways to fight poverty, giving the poor the opportunity to learn viable skills and start small businesses is pretty much unanimously accepted as a great starting point.
In partnership with the generous geniuses of Taiwan ICDF, this sort of aquaculture project provides a sustainable source of income and nutrition for the local community.
Despite the fact that I would probably die coming within 100 yards of this project, (shellfish allergy) it deserves recognition.
5. Xela Community Development – Guatemala
I was stunned reading about the scope of this ambitious, multi-layered initiative. Here are some bullet points, just for Phase 1 of the project!
- Construction of a community center where residents can gather for educational purposes, civic meetings, etc.
- Establishment of a three-pond tilapia farm.
- Installation of a water system to bring clean, healthy water to 75 families.
- Home furnishings for 75 families.
- A self-sustaining animal husbandry initiative including the construction of a chicken coop at each of the 75 homes.
- A gardening and reforestation program that will provide the 75 families with technical education, tools, 225 fruit trees, 225 oak and acacia trees, 600 flower seed bags, and 75 bags of fertilizer.
