Information for Prospective El Salvador Sistering Committee Members
Welcome! ¡Bienvenid@!
Dear Prospective Member of the MOFGA-El Salvador Sistering Committee,
Thank you for your interest. This information should give you some ideas about our work so that you can determine whether and how you might want join us. If you have ideas that you’d like to discuss after reading this information, or if you’d like to attend our next meeting, please contact us at the address below.
Our mission is to create solidarity among small farmers and community organizations in Maine and El Salvador. We promote economic and social justice and environmental protection through sustainable, organic agriculture and sustainable communities. Through this mutual relationship we hope to put a human face on the impact of globalization, learn from each other, and educate people in both countries. We are a committee of MOFGA, formed in 2001 and consisting of a dozen or so members, both farmers and non-farmers. We hold a monthly potluck supper and meeting, usually in Lincolnville and usually on the third Sunday of the month. We make decisions through consensus.
Our work has included the following:
- Coordinating, hosting and funding a two-week tour of Salvadoran organizers and farmers to Maine in September 2003. The focus of the tour was the effect of globalization on agriculture. The delegation impacted hundreds of people through farm tours, college and high school classroom visits, panel discussions, a keynote speech and talks at the Common Ground Country Fair (CGCF), a meeting at the Maine Department of Agriculture, and other contacts.
- Coordinating an eight-member delegation from Maine to El Salvador in 2005 to build solidarity, tour projects of our sistering organizations (CCR and CORDES), educate and be educated, and discuss developing a marketing plan. We have coordinated several delegations from Maine to El Salvador since then.
- Hosting several tours of USESSC members in Maine
- Raising funds by marketing Salvadoran products
- Educating Maine people about food and farming, here and in El Salvador, through talks, presentations at the Common Ground Country Fair, reports to MOFGA, newspaper articles and radio shows
- Communicating regularly with our sisters in El Salvador
- Exploring ways to support Salvadorans’ efforts to accomplish organic certification
- Representating our committee on the Board of the national US/El Salvador Sister Cities Network
- Participating in an international encuentros (meetings) in El Salvador
You may become involved with our committee in one or several ways. For example:
- Join our committee and participate in our monthly meetings
- Help with our Empty Bowl Supper (our primary fundraiser)
- Join a delegation
- Help host a delegation
- Help with translating or fundraising
- Represent our committee to other groups in Maine
- Look for technical information that may help Salvadoran farmers
We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Paul and Karen Volckhausen
MOFGA-El Salvador Sistering Committee Co-Chairs
1138 Happy Town Rd.
Orland, Maine 04472
[email protected]
MOFGA-El Salvador Sistering Committee Co-Chairs
1138 Happy Town Rd.
Orland, Maine 04472
[email protected]
