Whole Planet Foundation opens in a new tab empowers impoverished individuals in our global communities through microcredit. The inspiring stories of these microcredit clients are told by Foundation Team Members through words and photos. When Hallie Easley on the Whole Planet Foundation team came up with the idea of telling some of these stories through recipes, I was excited by the possibility of exploring different foodways while highlighting the work of the Foundation.We've been working together on this project for a few months now. In 2008 Hallie and Ha Lam, national projects photographer, traveled to different countries where the Foundation has microlending projects. During their travels, they met dozens of microcredit clients in different regions and gathered stories and photos. I spoke with Hallie and Ha to find out more about some of the food they sampled during their travels. From those conversations, we decided to feature these recipes:
Coconut Bread opens in a new tabEuceria, a baker and Whole Planet Foundation supported borrower, lives in the Caribbean coastal village of Guadalupe, Honduras. Pan de coco (coconut bread) is a regional staple and was the inspiration for our recipe.Guatemalan Chicken Stew opens in a new tabThis stew, also called pollo en jocón, was inspired by borrowers in Guatemala. Serve it with corn tortillas on the side for soaking up the rich and tangy tomatillo and green onion sauce.Mango Agua Fresca opens in a new tabThe trick with making agua fresca (Spanish for "fresh water") is to infuse the water with fruit essence without turning it into a smoothie or slushy drink. This recipe was inspired by Maria, a street food vendor and Whole Planet Foundation borrower who lives in León, Nicaragua.Rice and Beans opens in a new tabGallo pinto, or "spotted rooster," gets its name from the black beans and their dark liquid that speckle the rice. This national dish of Costa Rica and Nicaragua is frequently served alongside fried eggs, meat or plantains. This recipe was also inspired by Maria, a street food vendor and borrower in León, Nicaragua.
Ethiopian-Style Chickpea Stew opens in a new tabWe decided to create this hearty, highly flavorful vegetarian stew after seeing photos of borrowers in Ethiopia roasting chickpeas. This recipe was inspired by Letegebrieal, a Whole Planet Foundation borrower who runs a chickpea roasting business.To learn more about the Whole Planet Foundation, visit their website opens in a new tab and sign up for their e-newsletter opens in a new tab. Stay tuned for more borrower-inspired recipes as the Foundation expands their microlending projects in more communities around the world.How do you tell stories through the food you put on your table?
