Kristen's Internship at Plenty

Kristen at Plenty
Originally uploaded by Creation Care Study Program.

I did my internship with a non-profit organization called Plenty Belize. They are a branch of the Plenty formed from a commune called “The Farm” in rural Tennessee. The organization developed out of the commune and began providing international aide in the 70’s to Guatemala after a huge earthquake hit. Their time spent in Guatemala made them never want to leave and by the early 90’s they had established a branch in Punta Gorda-a town in the southernmost part of Belize that is surrounded by several remote Mayan Villages.
Although they had worked on such projects as soy production, midwife training, alternative energy, and the school feeding program in previous years, their main focus is the Garden-based Agriculture for Toledo’s Environment or GATE project. I worked with sustainable gardens and relevant educational/nutritional workshops to support the progression in school gardens both in the Mayan Villages and in Punta Gorda. The unique people I met along the way and being able to see a sustainable development project in action has taught me a lot. In the midst, I still saw much hope, fire and dedication in individuals and the ways they impact their surrounding communities.


Kristen Mcphee
Hope College