Our partner Taa'Pi't works with indigenous families in the Lake Atitlán region of Guatemala to reintroduce traditional foods, cooking techniques and agricultural practices based on Ru Kuuyx qa Way qa Kuyaa, the Mayan expression for directing recognition, acceptance and gratitude to the vital energy that arrives in each home in the form of seeds, vegetables, fruits and liquids. Petrona Cocon is one of the women who benefited from this project and she shares her reflections here. The Taa’ Pi’t Ru Kuuyx qa Way qa Kuyaa (Essence of our Food and Drink) project has greatly influenced my life, both in health...[ Read More ]

In 2020, Pangea Giving is proud to award $111,410 in grants to 16 partners. After receiving recommendations from our three regional grant pods, the Board approved our final grants on February 23. Grants are being transferred to partners in March and early April. Latin America The Latin America Pod awarded $36,667 in funds to five organizations operating in Oaxaca, Mexico or Guatemala. These organizations are all returning grantees and address issues including gender equity and women empowerment, gender-based violence prevention, sexual and reproductive health education, nutrition, and indigenous rights and cultural education. Learn more about our Latin America grant partners....[ Read More ]

The Oaxaca Site Visit team converged at the lush garden filled Hotel Las Golondrinas on a Sunday night in time for a first sampling of the enticing local cuisine and a planning session for the week ahead.  The group, consisting of two men and two women from four different decades, came together after spending the previous days visiting a variety of locations: water projects in Ecuador, the sights of Mexico City, and an exemplary Rotary Project supporting hydroponic green houses in rural Oaxaca. How often can we travel with a small group diverse in age and gender, where we together...[ Read More ]

Going into my first site visit trip, I wasn’t sure what to expect. We had a full week scheduled in Oaxaca, Mexico, a few meetings to better understand the regional context, and plans to visit three community organizations that we fund who address gender and women’s rights issues (UNOSJO, MUSOR and GESMujer). Despite knowledge of these facts, I felt rather uncertain of how the week would actually unfold. My first takeaway: Don’t expect to know what to expect.   A lot of work goes into planning the site visit (my gratitude to Pangea members Susan and Betsy for their prep...[ Read More ]

Chronic undernourishment in the Tzutujil Maya community of San Pedro la Laguna is significant, especially in young children. High rates of poverty and lack of access to nutritious foods contribute to this problem. In addition, studies indicate that the extensive use of synthetic chemical fertilizers is the main cause of contamination of nearby Lake Atitlan. Young Mayan girl works with instructor The vision of our new partner Communidad Intercultural Educativo Taa’Pi’t (Taa’Pi’t) is to help people consciously achieve their full potential and contribute to an empowered society that is comprehensively educated and productive, based on their ancestral Mayan culture and...[ Read More ]

On the evening of April 7th, the Pangea Giving community gathered to celebrate another successful year of grant-making. The Mount Baker Community Club provided a lovely venue for members and friends to reconnect over glasses of Washington wine and dishes of Syrian appetizers. In keeping with Pangea's concern for immigrants and displaced people, the event was catered by Project Feast, a local non-profit that provides pathways for refugees and immigrants to careers in the food industry. Board President Maryann Ness and Treasurer Mary Williamson reviewed 2018 and looked ahead to what 2019 will bring. Many of these details are reviewed...[ Read More ]