Rosas, sonrisas, y educacion

In preparing my presentation for our region-wide Fulbright conference next week, I came across a wonderfully affirming article on the Whole Foods Market blog.  If you buy Fair Trade roses from Whole Foods in the United States, chances are good that they came from Agrogana, the family-owned flower farm north of Latacunga where I spend my Thursday afternoons.

As part of the Fair Trade agreement, Agrogana offers its workers a number of options to help foster community betterment, individual well-being, and sustainable knowledge.  My role in the effort is miniscule: I teach English and art to a group of eight incredible campo kids one day a week.  I am working (struggling, more accurately) to implement a small internship program for English-teaching students at the Universidad Tecnica de Cotopaxi, whereby they will have the opportunity to practice their skills in a unique educational environment.  As a natural effect of their participation in the internship program, my university students will learn about Fair Trade ideals and their potential benefits to local communities.

Here again is the link to the Whole Foods article, which features a statement by Segundo, a worker at Agrogana:  Whole Foods Market blog

Tom Murphy leads a workshop on capturing emotions through portraiture.