About The Guava Tree Initiative
Learn about our mission, our team, and the model farm transforming rural El Salvador
Meet the People
David Bueno
CEO of the Stephen Foundation
David Bueno was born in El Salvador to missionary parents. After graduating from Vanguard University, he returned to El Salvador in 1993 and helped co-found a faith-based organization dedicated to community development. His professional experience is in rural development, with an emphasis on sustainable agricultural development.
Over the past twenty years David has expanded his expertise in the development of social enterprise models and how to integrate them into a sector-wide approach. Agrogenesis, which operates the orchard business at the Farm, is an example of how this strategy is applied to help bridge the gap between small-scale producers and formal markets.
Samuel Santa Maria
Farm Manager
Born in 1981, Samuel grew up in the mountains of Chalatenango during the 12-year civil war. His father was a subsistence farmer living in conditions of extreme poverty. After spending 10 years in the US, Samuel returned to El Salvador to join the Stephen Foundation and begin managing the model farm. Under Samuel's leadership, the Farm has steadily achieved its objectives and become more sustainable each year.
He has built a home surrounded by family and expanded his dream for the Farm, recognizing its potential to help other farmers achieve their own aspirations. He believes there's no greater blessing than building a future where one's person, family, and community can flourish together.
Dr. Jaime Barrientos
Agrogenesis Administrator
Dr. Barrientos is a veterinarian and agribusiness operator. He received his veterinarian degree from the University of El Salvador. He also holds certifications in Food Technology and Public Health. He has operated a large pig farm for more than twenty years and has extensive knowledge of Salvadoran markets for agricultural products.
US Advisory Committee
Bill Ashley
Bill was born and raised in the Kansas City area. He has an extensive background in business as the former CEO of Allied National, a health insurance administration organization. He now focuses on providing business leadership assistance to faith-based charitable organizations that address the challenges individuals face in experiencing lives of fulfilment, hope and joy.
Shon Yust
Shon operates a 150-year-old family farm in the state of Kansas. He is also an entrepreneur with multiple businesses in the Kansas City area. Shon runs his own non-profit, Team Hally, that raises funds to distribute Bibles in multiple languages.
Joey & Lizzy Vecchione
Joey and Lizzy have been married for seven years and currently reside in Colorado. Joey serves as an Air Traffic Security Coordinator with NORAD, while Lizzy works as a Donor and Event Manager at The Exodus Road, a global nonprofit dedicated to combating human trafficking. Together, they are passionate about living intentionally, promoting sustainability, and loving others well as they seek to make a meaningful impact in the world.
About the Farm
In 1998, a 150-acre farm was acquired in El Salvador to test crops and methods that could benefit local subsistence farmers. Post-civil-war reconstruction efforts had highlighted the importance of addressing the conditions of extreme poverty, most prevalent in rural areas.
Smallholder farmers needed to diversify to more profitable crops in order to achieve financial stability and support their families. Through the Stephen Foundation's model farm, farmers have access to crucial agricultural assistance services, helping their transition to more sustainable farming practices.
Mission
The Farm's mission is to foster long-term agricultural development that equips rural families to overcome poverty.
Key Activities
The Farm provides research and development of non-traditional crops and intensive farming methods. The goal is to identify more profitable and applicable agricultural activities that can be shared with local farmers.
The Research and Development Process
Field Testing
Crops are field tested to ensure new varieties adapt well to soil and climate conditions.
Pilot Projects
Acclimated crops graduate to pilot projects, where Farm managers assess financial viability, identify risks, and refine implementation methods.
Social Enterprise
Successful pilot projects are spun off to a social enterprise to help develop new markets, allowing it to grow to the scale and quality necessary to meet market demands.
The Farm also addresses short-term nutrition and food security concerns. The Farm partners with local farmers to increase productivity of basic grains, locally growing and distributing fresh produce to feeding programs. Addressing immediate nutritional needs, especially those that affect early childhood development, is a key component of the Stephen Foundation's development objectives. A good start in life is critical to enhancing a child's success in the future.
The Stephen Foundation Farm aims to be a long-term resource to address the issues of food insecurity and agricultural development in order to keep families together, strengthen community bonds, and build the local economy.
Facts About the Farm
Innovation in Action
The Farm was also the first to introduce the yellow passion fruit in El Salvador. The original seeds were imported from Brazil. From a relatively unknown fruit, today passion fruit has become one of the most popular fruits for juice in the country.
Support Our Mission
Help us continue transforming lives through sustainable agricultural development. Your donation directly supports the Farm's operations and the communities we serve.
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