New Funds Help Grow Community Garden Project in Mexico
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Nearly 50 YouthActionNet alumni from across Mexico recently competed for special funding to strengthen their ventures, thanks to a generous donation from Mexican businessman José Ortega. The winning initiative, led by 2014 Premio UVM Fellow Carlos Ranero, is HICA—a venture that works with vulnerable urban communities in Oaxaca through community gardens that improve family nutrition, strengthen food security, and generate new sources of income.
Through HICA's community gardens and artisanal food production efforts, the organization has developed a new culture of sustainability. Participants learn how to recycle organic and inorganic waste and use non-renewable resources in a limited and appropriate way. The program trains participants to produce food for themselves and sell surplus crops in the community, generating new income for families who need it most. In 2014, HICA worked with nearly 200 participants using its two community gardens.
How will Carlos use the award funds to grow HICA's impact in the community? He plans to accelerate the commercial side of the venture by conducting a market study, developing a unified brand, and implementing a marketing strategy that will help HICA participants become more efficient at selling their produce. This, he believes, will result in better profits for the farmers, higher-qaulity produce options for the community, and increased sustainability for the venture.
Congratulations to Carlos and the entire HICA team!
