In America, food is possibly the most common asset to our daily lives. No matter where we turn, there is always food, and because of this, we take it for granted. We fail to realize that in other areas of the world, food is at an extreme shortage. This could be because of a variety of factors including poverty, bad soil, an imbalanced climate, or a combination of all three. This is especially a problem in the country of Guatemala, where people are slowly dying of starvation every day. There, 70% of farmers live in poverty, and 79% are farming on degraded soil. Because of this, malnutrition has become a prominent issue in the country.
A man by the name of Curt Bowen saw the problem in Guatemala, and started looking for a solution. He co-founded Semilla Nueva in 2010 as a company whose mission was to “rebuild” rural Guatemala. One major stride the organization has made was the implementation of a pigeonpea seed that grows between crop rows and doesn’t need fertilizer to be healthy. In the year 2014 alone some 1,400 families planted pigeonpeas. Through Curt Bowen’s work, Semilla Nueva has made amazing strides in making Guatemala a healthier and richer country.
Now Curt Bowen is the Executive Director of Semilla Nueva, and the organization is still working in Guatemala. Not only did Bowen make a difference in Guatemala, but he also is making a difference in America. Through his work, he has gained attention to Guatemala, and the needs of the country. He has inspired others to volunteer in other countries to make improvements in the world. Curt Bowen has truly earned the title of social entrepreneur.
Having been to Guatemala, I know just what a problem the lack of proper education or opportunities for fixing the problem of degradation can be for many farmers. Their families truly need the resources from their farm in order to survive or to earn money. Without crops, they will die. It is an incredible gift to them to earn money on land that is not properly fertilized.