I am once again on an international outreach trip for Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteers sponsored by the Tandana Foundation.
First, a little background. The Tandana Foundation was started by Anna Taft many years ago when she spent a gap year (after high school) in Ecuador. She loved the people and eventually started a foundation that provided medical assistance to the indigenous people in the Andes mountains.
In 2012, former First Lady Hope Taft contacted me about possibly starting a “gardening vacation trip.” We hoped to bring interested OSUE MGVs to Otavalo to work in the indigenous communities, helping them on various gardening projects.
The vacation part comes when the work is finished in the morning, we get to learn about the area’s culture through various activities, tours, and so forth.
The first year, we needed eight people to make the trip. We had 20. This was a bit too many, as it became difficult to arrange transportation, meals and having that many people at one time.
We have been going to Otavalo with the Foundation since 2012, except for 2021-22, due to the pandemic. Each year we average around 15 people and for the past two years, we have had two trips, back-to-back.
Over the years, we have completed numerous projects in the 20+ communities around Otavalo. We have worked with health care centers to plant nutritious vegetables to address the lack of nutrients available to seniors and children, planted a hillside with trees to help reforest the area to protect the water system, and completed many more wonderful projects.
Many foundations do fantastic work in Ecuador; however, I love the philosophy of the Tandana Foundation as they require that communities also put in some sweat equity.
Over the years, communities such as Peguche and Panecillo have applied for a grant from the foundation. The grant helps to purchase the supplies for a project. In addition, community members are required to participate in the project alongside our MGVs.
This past week we worked in the Carabuela community at the Modesto Larrea JiJon school. Twelve MGVs and I worked to clear two areas for planting vegetables. On Wednesday, we planted vegetables and a few flowers.
Family members come each day to help with the project. School administration and teachers are always so grateful for the help. The vegetables help to feed the students. We made a grand entrance to a gathering of the entire school (roughly 200 kids from kindergarten to tenth grade) and they clapped as we walked into the schoolyard.
They also performed an indigenous dance and welcomed us in English. A few family members cooked lunches for us, and we ate with the community members.
Next week I will provide more details about the community and the culture. In these indigenous communities, if people don’t plant vegetables, they don’t eat.
Pamela Corle-Bennett is the state master gardener volunteer coordinator and horticulture educator for Ohio State University Extension. Contact her by email at bennett.27@osu.edu.
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