2024 Agros Vision • Agros

"Igniting a new era of ambition and purpose..."

As Agros International celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2024, we are not merely commemorating the past; we are igniting a new era of ambition and purpose.

As we celebrate our 40th anniversary in 2024, we are not merely commemorating the past; we are igniting a new era of ambition and purpose. For four decades, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to serving the most vulnerable and following in the Way of Jesus. Yet, as we reflect on our past achievements, our vision extends beyond the horizon, fueled by a renewed sense of purpose. Inspired by our founder, Skip Li, and his tireless advocacy for landless farmers, we now
embark on a bold mission: to impact the lives of 50,000 individuals by our 50th anniversary

This audacious goal represents our dedication to fostering lasting change and nurturing flourishing communities across Central America.

Our journey to this point has been marked by your incredible support and generosity. Thank you for your faithful partnership. Over the past four decades, your contributions have fueled our growth and enabled us to reach new milestones. It took us 30 years to reach our first 10,000 beneficiaries, but thanks to your support, we doubled that figure from 10,000 to 20,000 in just six years. Now, as we embark on the next phase of our journey, we are determined to impact the lives of 30,000 more people in a fifth of the time it took us before.

This acceleration is a testament to the effectiveness of our programs and the dedication of our donors. With each donation, you are helping us sow the seeds of hope and prosperity, which will eventually blossom into a bountiful harvest for the communities we serve. Your continued support is not only appreciated but essential as we strive to achieve our new goal of reaching 50,000 lives in the next ten years — by our 50th anniversary. This isn’t just a numbers game; it is not just about reaching more families in need; it’s about partnering with you to provide them with opportunities and resources to realize lasting and profound transformation.

On this 40th anniversary, we are thrilled to announce the launch of the Seeds of Promise, Harvests of Hope fundraising campaign, which aims to secure $25 million during the next five years needed to make this vision of accelerated transformation a reality.

Our Seeds of Promise, Harvests of Hope campaign is an open invitation to join us on this transformative journey. Together, we can make a real difference in the lives of thousands of people, providing them with the tools and resources they need to build a prosperous future for themselves and their families.

Before I introduce our vision for 2024, let me report back on the promises we made to you on last year’s Vision Report.

In 2023, we introduced two pivotal initiatives aimed at expanding our impact and empowering communities: the La Bendicion Harvest of Hope Center and the Women’s Entrepreneurial Fund.

These two initiatives have exceeded our expectations, empowering farmers and entrepreneurs alike to build sustainable livelihoods and break the cycle of poverty.

The La Bendicion Harvest of Hope Center has evolved into a thriving agricultural hub, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and resources to transform subsistence farmers into successful market effective agribusiness owners. Since its inception, the center has provided comprehensive training in modern farming techniques, affordable financing, access to markets, and ongoing mentorship to rural families who now see for the first time in their lives that their hard effort finally pays off.

The La Bendicion hub is one of its kind, but with your support we will establish at least two more Harvest of Hub Centers in the next five years.

We believe that women are unstoppable, and investing in them will always deliver the highest social returns. This is why over the last year we prioritized the expansion of the Women’s Entrepreneurship Fund (WEF) which today benefits more than 1,200 rural business women in the farthest and hardest to reach areas of Guatemala.

The WEF is not only a women entrepreneurship fund but a solution for income diversification among rural households and an effective way to generate local opportunities for families to stay together and avoid the temptation to migrate away from their villages. We believe that when women actively engage in economic opportunities families become prosperous and stay together.

Witnessing the spirit and determination of these women is humbling. Their effort is the best antidote to immigration, their success keeps families prosperously together. We committed to these new programs, and you made them happen!

Stay tuned, as I will be sharing in upcoming communications much more about these exceptional women!

How About Our Vision for 2024?

As part of our Seeds of Promise, Harvest of Hope campaign, Agros will go deeper into the WEF program to provide tailored services for women producing traditional Mayan textiles and to engage the rural youth. It breaks my heart to walk entire villages where only elders, women, and children remain. This mass exodus is destroying the social fabric of entire regions. The consequences of breaking families will resound for generations.

We are actively organizing about 300 skilled Mayan artisans to collaborate, enhance their sewing abilities, and break free from the grip of local intermediaries known as “patrones/owners” who exploit their labor. Through the WEF, we will empower these women to increase productivity and collectively seek direct market opportunities. Many of these women shoulder the responsibilities of running their households single-handedly, as their husbands have migrated away, leaving them to care for their villages, children, and elders. Moreover, numerous families are grappling with the heartbreaking reality of chronic malnutrition among their children. The urgency forces us to act and act promptly.

Similarly, we recognize the critical need to address the plight of the youth. To ensure they remain in and thrive in their communities, we are expanding WEF initiatives and crafting specialized services to foster viable and modern agribusinesses and entrepreneurship opportunities for this important segment of the population who is driven to migrate searching for hope. Migration is not the answer, and while we are used to hearing about the implications of migration on this side of the border, the consequences back in Central America are often ignored and their effects only bring more poverty, instability, and fractured families and communities.

At Agros our programs offer a solution to migration, your support to these programs keep families prosperous and together. We have achieved success with similar programs in Nicaragua and are committed to replicating this success in Guatemala.

During this year commemorating our 40th anniversary, we are launching the Seeds of Promise, Harvests of Hope five-year fundraising campaign.

It’s time to rally as a community of generosity to buy land once again in Central America.

The last time we came together as partners to embark in the journey of buying land and build new communities was 10 years ago. Let’s make this 40th anniversary celebration an opportunity for thousands of landless families who would never own a productive parcel of land and a place to call home without your support and care.

Over the last decade, our model has dramatically evolved, becoming much more impactful, efficient, and scalable. Today, the journey from extreme poverty to land ownership and intergenerational prosperity has never been this possible! The modern production techniques, market alliances, business development services and catalytic financing that is now part of the Agros village development model is a true game changer.

Like never before, the Agros model is the only long-lasting solution to rural poverty. By joining our Seeds of Promise, Harvests of Hope campaign, you can be an answer to the prayers of thousands of families who have endured the hardship of poverty and who are desperate for a solution that can bring hope and lasting prosperity into their lives.

The Seeds of Promise, Harvests of Hope campaign marks a pivotal moment for our ministry. We can’t achieve these ambitious goals without your help. We humbly urge you to amplify your generosity and stand with us and the people we serve.

Thank you for your ongoing generosity. You have been a cornerstone of our journey, enabling us to transform the lives of 20,000 families across the region. We hope your hearts will be moved to make it possible to provide hope to those who are now broken and in need.

Let your heart be guided by the grace of solidarity that God instills within us.

“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.”

PROVERBS 19:17

With deep appreciation and gratitude,

Alberto Solano

President and Executive Director

Agros International

Alberto Solano

Alberto joined Agros in September 2015 as President and Executive Director. Alberto brings more than 20 years of experience in microfinance and sustainable development in Central America to Agros.