If you are new to our newsletter, welcome! Communities for Life is emerging from the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic with a commitment to building a strong foundation for self-sustainability in Manchay, Peru. Each month our newsletter highlights and updates readers on progress in the Manchay community.
Communities for Life is thrilled to welcome back participants and first-time guests to our second annual golf tournament at the beautiful Carnmoney Golf & Country Club. We are excited to showcase the impact of last year’s event and continue on in support of sustainable community development in South America. The Texas Scramble format will be played on Monday, September 12, 2022, with lunch and dinner included. Learn more.
Gardening in the Desert
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to garden in a desert? Maybe you’ve experienced times of drought or water restrictions during hot summer months. But for the people of Manchay, Peru, learning how to garden is a unique hurdle. Manchay is located outside of Lima in the arid mountains in the heart of Peru. The land is so desolate that there are no natural springs or irrigation channels. In fact, water is trucked in for the entire city.
Although we are in the middle of our hot summer months in North America, the southern hemisphere is experiencing winter. This presents a further challenge for gardening in an already challenging landscape and climate.
When Communities for Life first conceived of introducing a gardening program to the people of Manchay, we had to determine how to help individuals learn gardening while in a desert climate. One solution was to design irrigation systems with wash water from Manchay homes. Another was hiring a local agronomist, Eduardo, to teach our students about gardening techniques in their unique climate.
Our main objective is to help the community produce food for their families with enough leftover harvest to sell to neighbors and local markets. Our hope is for every graduate to become self-sufficient and resilient.
This summer, would you consider the people of Manchay? A gift of any amount will help us continue these gardening programs to build self-sufficient individuals and families. Would you consider giving today?
Learn more about the Communities for Life gardening program.