Congratulations to Friends of ENCA Farms and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer(RPCV) Sherry Manning

Earlier this month, the National Peace Corps Association’s Annual Peace Corps Connect Conference was held in Denver, hosted by the Return Peace Corps Volunteers of Colorado (RPCV). It was an energizing weekend and a great way to bring together the large community of RPCV’s here in Colorado and from around the country.

A new feature of the conference this year was a Social Entrepreneur Competition. All RCPVs were eligible to submit proposals about projects that both exemplify partnership and collaboration with communities, and have a positive impact on our world. Of the 19 proposals submitted, 6 RCPVs were selected to present to a live audience at the competition and the chance to win funding for their idea. Posner Tenant Friends of ENCA Farm, represented by their fearless leader Sherry Manning, walked away from the event as the recipient of the Judge’s Choice Award and the corresponding $3,300 prize.

Sherry, a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines from 2006-2008, presented on the importance of promoting smallholder farmers in the Philippines.  The competition award will go towards the start-up phase of Friend of ENCA’s Farm’s newest project, in partnership with the Benguet Association of Seed Savers (BASS): a social-enterprise organic seed business in the Philippines. By ensuring that smallholder farmers have access to locally produced, regionally adapted organic seeds by launching a sustainable, farmer, led, owned, and operated business, the project is an intelligent solution to a complex issue.

To learn more about Friends of ENCA Farm and learn how you can get involved with their seed-saving work in the Philippines, head over to their website and to continue to stay up-to-date with Posner Tenants & Members continue checking out our blog!