Providing farmers and communities in the tropics with long-term assistance implementing environmentally and economically sustainable technologies.

Sustainable Harvest International launched the Smaller World Program to increase cultural understanding and empower the global community to create a more equitable and sustainable world. The program creates direct connections between groups and individuals who support our work and the communities we serve in Honduras, Belize, Nicaragua and Panama. Participants in the Smaller World Program develop a relationship with a community for the duration of SHI's program there. They are given the opportunity to directly support our work in that community, as well as take part in service-oriented trips. Smaller World Groups can be connected with religious institutions, schools, garden clubs, food coops or almost any other organization. Members of a Smaller World Group don't even have to be in the same geographic area if they can work together via the internet or other means. No matter what the nature of your Smaller World Group is, there are three major components of its activities.

1. Help Educate

Help your community embrace its role as a member of the global community! We encourage all Smaller World Groups to hold community-based events that inform others about poverty, deforestation and sustainable agriculture. Our office can provide you with a variety of outreach materials including posters, brochures, newsletters, handouts for kids and a powerpoint presentation that will enable you to easily educate others about how they can play a role in improving the environmental and economic destinies of farming families struggling to survive in the tropics.

2. Give Support

Each Smaller World Group is asked to come up with a fundraising goal for the year. We suggest considering the following levels:

$300 a year: Provide technical training and support to a family
$3,000 a year: Provide SHI"s support to an entire community
$15,000 a year: Provide salary, transportation, training and materials for one extensionist to work with a group of communities in his/her country.

SHI provides long-term support to families that have asked for our assistance. We generally work with a community for a period of five years, or until families are able to support themselves using new sustainable land-use practices. Whether you decide to connect with one or more communities or choose a smaller goal, we hope you will continue your support for the duration of our work in that area.

Some Smaller World Groups choose to support a specific project within a community as well as participate in a volunteer opportunity in Central America. We ask these groups to raise the funds needed to purchase the material supplies for their project. These service projects include building irrigation systems, working in rural schools, participating in family nutrition projects, helping with the construction of educational facilities and a variety of other hands-on volunteer work. You can learn more about volunteer travel opportunities by contacting our office. Please contact our Outreach Director and Smaller World Program Coordinator, Sarah Kennedy, to brainstorm fundraising and awareness events that you can hold in your community!

3. Make Connections
Smaller World Groups, partnering with a community, group of communities or family, will receive quarterly updates on the work they are supporting. These reports from the local extension worker will include photos and testimonies from participants, as well as a general description of work in that community.

Each Smaller World Group also has the opportunity to participate in a hands-on volunteer experience. You can choose to participate in a Smaller World Tour made up of staff and supporters from around the country, or you can work with our staff to develop a volunteer service experience based on your specific group interests and schedule. Please contact our office for more information on travel opportunities.

Click HERE to learn about Upcoming Smaller World Tours
Click HERE to contact SHI and learn more about our Smaller World Program