AbonOrgániCo (Abono meaning “fertilizer” and Orgánico meaning “organic”) operates as a sustainable business that hopes to serve as a pilot project for creating AbonOrgániCos in other developing countries.  What began as a graduate project at the University of Massachusetts in 2009 has become a reality and is now well on its way to achieving its goals to:

            •           reduce organic waste that would otherwise go to the dump

            •           create a marketable product (good living loam) that is a necessity in short supply

            •           demonstrate to others that it can be done easily

            •           educate farmers about compost and how to use it

            •           create meaningful jobs for adolescents from high-risk backgrounds and allow these youth the opportunity for an education

AbonOrgániCo processes organic waste retrieved from the Central Market (Cenma) in Guatemala City, converting tons of material destined for the landfill into compost - an economically and ecologically valuable product.  Once processed, the compost is used as an organic fertilizer (restoring structure and major and minor elements to depleted soils), and as a soil amendment (retaining water and improving soil structure).

OfC students learn from working with AbonOrgániCo the importance of composting and conserving resources, methods of composting, issues about human consumption and refuse, socio-economics of wealth distribution, stewardship of natural and human resources, Guatemalan culture, Spanish language, and business development.  Future OfC courses will include these components in addition to possible business development and marketing components.