Mango Tree makes new inroads for sustainability in Bogota

An important update from Sustenance Group founding partner, Nancy Bauer, who is also the Executive Director of Mango Tree Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes the sustainability of women worldwide.

Future home of Yo Mujer's rooftop garden

“In February, I traveled to Bogota to partner with INplazados, a group of young Bogotanos who are committed to helping create income generating and sustainable projects for the women of Yo Mujer.  They are going to be our “feet” on the ground.  We are getting ready to begin installation of the rooftop vegetable garden that our donors helped us to fund!  Nancy also had great meetings with USAID, Asocolflores (the Colombian National Flower Growers Association) and Camacol (a Colombian construction company).  One of our goals is to try to find employment opportunities for the women at Yo Mujer – we think this is a great start.”

Nancy has also committed to participating in her 5th Ovarian Cycle.  The Ovarian Cycle is a virtual century ride created to raise money to fund ovarian cancer research.  Yep, you read it right!  It’s a 100 mile virtual bike ride – the virtual part being that riders spend 6 hours on a spinning cycle, indoors.  But the end result (outside of a slightly sore bum) is that all the money raised will be donated to several groups working to create a reliable test for ovarian cancer.  Check out the Ovarian Cycle’s website – www.ovariancycle.org.  You can support Nancy’s efforts by making a donation in her name – all on the website – click on make a donation, type in Nancy Bauer, and it will come up “Nancy Bauer/Atlanta 2010.”   Why do this?  Nancy says that women’s health issues have been overlooked, not only in this country but all over the developing world.    Internationally, women’s health initiatives are usually the last to get funding or even attention.  That needs to change!  So, she figures a 6 hour ride to raise money for something so important is 6 hours well spent!