The 2023 Seeds for a Future team.
Seeds for a Future
In 2004, a group of archeology volunteers working in the Chocolá area (Suchitepequez, Guatemala) wanted to try to help the people of the area with whom they had collaborated. In rural Guatemala, government services are minimal, and malnutrition, food insecurity, and poverty are widespread. The volunteers held a community meeting to ask residents what they needed most, and it became clear that their responses could be generalized to the fundamental underlying need to take better care of their families and create a better future for them. Seeds for a Future was officially founded in 2009 to help rural communities become self-reliant and thrive.
Seeds for a Future, a registered US nonprofit, trains and mentors families across rural Guatemala, a country with the highest malnutrition rates in Central America and one of the four highest rates of chronic childhood malnutrition.
Beyond chronic malnutrition, rural Guatemala also faces high infant and child mortality. Limited access to health care and nutritious food allows preventable illnesses to take hold and turn deadly.
To address these challenges, the Seeds for a Future Program provides a year of training and hands-on mentorship in permaculture for sustainable gardens, nutrition and health education, and microbusiness.
Seeds for a Future takes a long-term approach, offering direct, personalized training that equips individuals and families with the knowledge, skills, and startup resources they need to build lasting food security and self-reliance. That knowledge is passed down from generation to generation, extending its reach.
Seeds for a Future’s local staff provide training and mentoring in the following areas:
Photo: Families work together to start their nutrition garden. © Seeds for a Future
Based on the coaching and mentoring of families to provide the skills and materials they need for success, the Seeds self-reliance model also fosters the development of “home-grown” leadership, which facilitates the program’s spread throughout the community.
The program has enjoyed great success, with over 2,100 families completing it in 14 communities, and it continues to grow as new families enroll.
Photo: Mushrooms – nutritious, delicious, easy to raise and easy to sell. © Seeds for a Future
Virtual Events with Seeds
We held the first installment of our virtual series spotlighting on-the-ground visits to our global partners!
We first heard from Population Connection Senior Analyst Hannah Evans, who visited Guatemala recently to see the work of Seeds in action. Hannah shared important background information about Guatemala, stunning photos from her visit, and great testimonies from participants and members of Seeds.
Next, Leilani Yats, Executive Director of Seeds for a Future, delved deeper into the organization and its goals. Leilani discussed the founding of Seeds, the achievements and growth that Seeds has made since its founding, compelling stories of families who participated in their programs, and organization objectives for the future.
The first 1,000 days of life are a critical period for child development. From the moment of conception to approximately age two, caretaker behavior has the power to shape health and well-being outcomes for the rest of a child’s life.
During the presentation, our partners summarized the scientific literature on the significance of the first 1,000 days and provided a window into its application through their ‘Casa Granja’ or Backyard Farm project. Their integrated approach has a ripple effect, positively impacting individuals, families, and communities at large.
Families receive seedlings and seeds. 
Later, families learn to save and store seeds for continuous planting. 
Seeds for a Future helps each family plan how they will use whatever space they have for the most benefit. 
Containers can be very useful when space is limited. 
Some families have more land and can plant enough for their own use and to share or sell. 
Mandala-style permaculture garden. 
In some areas, gardens need protection. This structure was built with locally available bamboo. 
Enclosures mean neither eggs nor birds are lost to predators. 
When food animals receive better care, they produce more rapidly. 
Plenty of cucumbers for her family and to sell in the market. 
Youngsters learn skills, and pride in their accomplishments. 
Top Extensionist Julio helps a family “learn by doing” – one of the fundamentals of Seeds' Casa Granja program. 
Through our Global Partners program, Population Connection supports a growing number of grassroots organizations around the world working to increase access to education, public health and family planning services. Their…
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