Growing Hope Globally

10/30/2026

On this Faithful Farmer Friday, we give thanks to God for His provision and care for the harvest! We are grateful to all of the farmers, churches, and volunteers who share from God's blessings to help farmers around the world find lasting solutions to hunger.

Here's a nice shot from the soybean harvest this past week in Holland, MI.

10/29/2026

Jaider is a community leader and farmer participating in the Colombia Sincelejo Montes de María program. His commitment to community well-being has led him to actively participate in the activities developed by local partner Sembrandopaz, especially in training on agroecology and the conservation of the tropical dry forest.

Throughout his participation, Jaider has strengthened his knowledge, which now guides many of the decisions he makes as a community leader. Beyond learning new agricultural techniques, the training allowed him to reaffirm the importance of producing healthy food while protecting the soil, water sources, and the tropical dry forest.

When another initiative arrived in the community to promote yam cultivation primarily using practices that are more expensive and detrimental to the long-term health of the soil, Jaider was able to put his experience into practice. He proposed to the new project’s technical team the incorporation of agroecological practices such as the use of natural foliar fertilizers, worm castings, organic soil amendments, and other biopreparations that the community had already learned. He requested that some of these practices be adopted so that more producers could implement them within this new initiative.

Beyond a technical recommendation, this experience reflects a significant shift: the knowledge gained serves to guide community decisions. As a leader, Jaider recognizes that it is possible to strengthen agricultural production while protecting natural resources and promoting a development model more aligned with the needs and characteristics of the community.

Jaider’s experience demonstrates that the program’s impact extends beyond fieldwork. Capacity building not only contributes to improving agricultural practices, but also provides community leaders with the tools to analyze new proposals, promote sustainable alternatives, and positively influence decisions that affect the future of their communities.

The Colombia Sincelejo Montes de María program is led by Mennonite Central Committee - MCC and local partner Sembrandopaz. For more information on this program and ways you can help, visit our website: https://www.growinghopeglobally.org/program/colombia-sincelejo-montes-de-maria/

10/28/2026

Travel with us! Opportunities are available for learning trips to Honduras and Guatemala. Join in an overseas trip and experience firsthand the challenges faced by the communities we support and the ways they are working to overcome them. These visits are a great way to meet and learn about our global neighbors.

Growing Hope Globally trips are an opportunity to learn rather than do, they are not holidays or mission trips. Travelers will enter into another culture as a learner, honor the achievements of the farmers they visit, and offer encouragement.

Travelers will be equipped and encouraged to share their learning with others and get involved with Growing Hope Globally to take meaningful action in their own communities. Learn more and fill out a travel application on our website: https://www.growinghopeglobally.org/get-involved/visit-a-program/

10/27/2026

Check out this story from the Zambia Lundazi program! We are proud to support this work in partnership with World Renew!

The Official Magazine of the Christian Reformed Church

10/27/2026

Sign up to be a Hope Planter monthly donor on our website: https://www.growinghopeglobally.org/get-involved/become-a-hope-planter/

You can make a lasting difference in the lives of people who struggle with hunger and poverty. When you become a Hope Planter, your monthly gift sows seeds of change in places of brokenness and injustice. You can give the gift of dignity and hope that comes when farmers are able to grow enough food to feed their families throughout the year, earn an income, send their kids to school, and so much more. Your donation helps those we serve flourish and find lasting food security. Join us! Together we can grow lasting solutions to hunger.

10/26/2026

Every morning across Uganda, hundreds of thousands of young people climb onto motorcycles in search of passengers. For many, becoming a boda boda driver is one of the few ways to earn an income. A driver can earn about $8 a day before expenses. It’s honest work, but also uncertain, physically demanding, and difficult to turn into a growing business.

With an average age of just 17, Uganda is one of the world's youngest countries. Older generations usually own coffee farms, while young people don’t inherit land until later in life, leading many young people to believe they have no future in agriculture. The Uganda Rwenzori Program is changing that perception.

Mountain Harvest and Growing Hope Globally are helping young people become Youth Community Coffee Entrepreneurs (YCCEs) - business owners who earn an income by helping farmers produce better coffee and access premium markets. The model is simple. Young people receive training in regenerative agriculture, coffee quality, harvesting and post-harvest handling, financial literacy, business management, and digital data collection. They are equipped with all of the necessary coffee collection materials, and working capital to begin purchasing coffee directly from farmers. Their income grows as farmers' productivity improves. The better the coffee quality, the more coffee they aggregate, and the more farmers they serve, the stronger their businesses become.

Richard is one of 17 YCCEs in the program. Like many other Ugandan youth, he spends a lot of time on a motorcycle these days, but the results of his efforts look much different. He now runs a thriving coffee aggregation business, earning the trust of farmers by providing a reliable market and promoting the delivery of high-quality coffee. In a single harvest season, Richard purchased and delivered 60,702 kilograms of coffee cherries to Mountain Harvest, generating $3,303 in income. With two harvest seasons per year, he has the potential to earn $6,600 annually and even more if he expands his customer network or offers complementary services.

"I never imagined that coffee buying would become such an important part of my future. What began as a way to earn additional income has grown into a business that I am passionate about expanding. By working closely with farmers and encouraging them to harvest only red ripe cherries, I have helped them improve the quality of their coffee and earn about 20% more than the local market price. Seeing farmers trust me and value the support I provide gives me great pride and motivates me to continue growing my business."

The Uganda Rwenzori program is led by Lutheran World Relief and local partner Mountain Harvest. For more information on this program, visit our website: https://www.growinghopeglobally.org/program/uganda-rwenzori/

10/24/2026

Happy National Make a Difference Day! Thank you to our volunteers for the difference you make!

With Growing Hope, you can be a part of a solution that touches the lives of people around the world and breaks the cycle of hunger and poverty that limits them. Many hands do make light work... and your hands or small donation will make a long-term difference in the lives of the people we are reaching. We wouldn’t be who we are without our fantastic volunteers. Thank you for your time and for being such a blessing.

Find out more on our website: https://www.growinghopeglobally.org

10/23/2026

Happy Faithful Farmer Friday from the Corner of Hope Growing Project in Waukon, IA! Looks like a perfect day for the harvest! Thanks to all the farmers and churches involved, and to Beck's Hybrids and Waukon Ffa for your support! 💚

10/22/2026

In the Lower Chaco region of Paraguay, securing reliable access to clean water is one of the most pressing challenges for rural, indigenous families.

The region cycles between severe droughts and torrential rains. Extreme flooding can isolate entire communities for months at a time.

Underground water sources are scarce and salty, making well-digging unviable. The burden of collecting water from distant, surface water sources typically falls on women and often exposes families to waterborne illnesses.

To address these challenges, Pastoral Social Diocesana de Benjamin Aceval, with support from Church World Service and Growing Hope Globally, partners with the local government water agency to implement rooftop rainwater harvesting systems. By capturing rainwater from roof surfaces and channeling it through gutters into concrete cisterns, families gain a reliable source of clean water. Unlike plastic tanks, which tend to degrade quickly, these community-built cisterns provide a long-lasting solution. Coupled with local training in hygiene, sanitation, and water purification, these efforts help drive lasting change.

These rainwater harvesting systems do not stand alone, but play a critical part of a larger, interconnected picture. The Paraguay Lower Chaco program’s integrated approach also involves coming alongside communities with training and support for agricultural plots, small livestock management, beekeeping, rights-awareness training, and community advocacy efforts.

All these components work together to build dignity, stability, peace, and hope. Reflecting on the holistic impact, program participant Martiana shared, “Never before has an organization come with different and interconnected components of a project. All the trainings are very important for us. Not knowing our rights is one of our worst enemies. It affects all dimensions of life.”

The Paraguay Lower Chaco is led by CWS / CWS · Oficina Regional para América Latina y el Caribe and local partner Pastoral Social Diocesana de Benjamín Aceval. For more information on this program and ways you can help, visit our website: https://www.growinghopeglobally.org/program/paraguay-lower-chaco/