Village Food Fair held in Pueblo Viejo

Plenty Belize would like to thank Dawn Dean of the Maya Mountain Research Farm for writing the following post.

Last Thursday, in the hot, hot sun, we washed hundreds of little hands. The occasion was the Pueblo Viejo Food Fair, held in honor of the students graduating from Plenty Belize’s school garden program. Maya Mountain Research Farm participated by teaching all natural soap making, and then… by washing hands. We let the kids choose their favorite type of soap. Do you want to try ginger, cacao, jack-ass bitters, corn or luffa soap? Hold out your hands, get them all wet, lather up and rinse! Do they smell nice? Feel clean? Now you’re ready for your meal!

Cleansing, all natural body soap can easily be made with just lye, water and coconut oil, but most people don’t know how. To support Plenty Belize in their mission of “promoting the well-being of the people, communities and environment we share in Toledo”, MMRF decided to teach this easy skill of soap-making to interested students and parents. The kids were fascinated by the chemical reaction of lye with water (it gets hot fast!) but mostly it was the moms we saw copying down the recipe.

MMRF staff took the opportunity to check out the children’s garden, which was loaded with cilantro, peppers, cabbage and lettuce. While we waited for the meal we sipped corn lob, then, once we were really, really hungry, we gorged on local veggies and local chicken prepared with traditional recipes. A wonderful day was had by all who attended.

Single Mom receives grant to start business

Everyday our Belizean parents struggle to make ends meet to keep food on the table for their kids, clothes on their back and a warm bed to sleep in. While some have jobs, others live from day to day. One such parent is Ms. Elidiana Coye from Cattle Landing, Toledo District. Ms. Coye is the mother of 5 children, all of which she is solely in charge of their upbringing. She approached our office with a vision and initiative in her heart to start a business. Her plan was to get a freezer and sell pig meat in and around town. Through a European Union funded BRDP grant, Plenty Belize was able to assist her with the purchase of a freezer to start her business. It has been 7 months since this venture started; Ms. Coye stated that while she encountered some challenges in the beginning her business has been steadily increasing. Ms. Coye sells ice, chicken and also ideal (a local frozen treat!) on occasion when the freezer is not loaded with pork. Plenty Belize has applauded her effort and through the BRDP has provided her with paint to make a sign outside her house. Ms. Coye claims that before the grant she was not able to provide for her children, and now she is saving up her money to expand her business to help her children more in the future.