As you know from the most recent Bulletins, we are working on a new project involving four different organizations-two in Guatemala, one in Managua, Nicaragua and the Huichol Center in Mexico, which have requested Plenty's assistance for their soyfoods and nutrition education efforts. We call it CAFSI (Central American Food Security Initiative). Through CAFSI we will be purchasing soy processing equipment, and we will help the groups install it, and do trainings in the use and maintenance of the equipment and different ways of preparing soyfoods and making soyfood products for sale. Two of the organizations will be growing soybeans, so seed variety trials have to happen and growing and harvesting techniques learned.

We were recently notified of substantial funding for the Huichol project from our old friends at Onaway Trust and new friends at the AMB Foundation.

Thanks to another grant from the Better World Fund, we were able to help the Mayan Soy Dairy operated by ADIBE in San Bartolo near Solola, Guatemala open a shop in a near-by town where they can sell their products. Remember, the ADIBE Soy Dairy is the original Mayan Soy Dairy built by Plenty and the Cakchiquel Maya of San Bartolo in 1979. That Mayan Soy Dairy is 25 years old this year, and they're still making soymilk, tofu, soy ice cream and tempeh using mostly the same equipment we took down in '79. Using your individual donations to Plenty, we were able to provide the funding to upgrade the dairy floor and roof. Now we're raising money to upgrade the equipment.

We're still seeking funds to be able to buy equipment for the women's cooperatives, UPAVIM in Guatemala City and SOYNICA in Managua, Nicaragua and send Plenty soy techs to both locations this year.

Another component of CAFSI is the cultural exchange whereby staff members from the organizations visit each other to trade information, ideas and experiences and make friends who will continue to help each other later on.

The West Coast Plenty office will host two fundraisers in California this summer on August 20 and 21st, in collaboration with the Huichol Center for Cultural Survival. Along with food and good company, there will be audiovisual presentations and Huichol Center Director Susana Valadez will speak. A variety of Huichol artworks will be for sale. All donations and proceeds will benefit programs at the Huichol Center including Plenty's soy and nutrition project. Come and help us support this wonderful collaborative effort! The August 20th event will be held in Salinas, and the August 21st event will be held at the Terra Linda Community Center in San Rafael. Contact the West Coast Plenty office for more info email lwarting@redshift.com or call (831) 484-5845.

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