Planting Seeds of Hope

There is something quite satisfying about digging your hands in the dirt, planting seeds, and waiting patiently to cultivate your harvest. Not only is it sustainable and soothing to the soul, gardening reconnects us with the land and invokes feelings of peace, abundance, and gratitude.

For families in Guatemala, whose livelihoods have been compromised by the pandemic, planting a small garden is a way to provide nutritious and cost-effective produce for meals. In the recent Hope Kits, 1,656 families received seeds to plant their own garden with radishes, carrots, and spinach.

In August, Operations Manager Josué Sicán ordered 300 pounds of seeds – enough to plant over 50 acres (the equivalent to about 37 American football fields) with vegetables. Once those seeds arrived, Josue and his team got to work weighing bags of seeds – over 5,000 bags in total!

In Guatemala, the land of eternal spring as it’s known to many, you can grow almost anything all year round. The Common Hope team settled on radishes, carrots, and spinach not only because of their high nutritional value, but also because they are not typically prone to plagues or insects and because they grow and can be harvested very quickly. Radishes in particular can go from seed to harvest in 3-4 weeks’ time.

Within days of the Hope Kit delivery, families were sending photos, videos, and messages to their social workers to show them the small gardens they had planted. Many families said they had taken advantage of the activity to bond over a common goal. Some said that they were relieved, because it meant they wouldn’t have to go to the market as often. Others turned it into a teaching opportunity for their kids.

The strength and resiliency of families, the generosity of our supporters, and the abundance of hope ARE seeds of opportunity and will deliver a wonderful harvest.

Seeds of Hope Gallery