The Santiago Partnership is now harvesting and selling their first roses and alstroemerias from their Forever Flowers farm in Cayambe, Ecuador. They are currently selling the flowers domestically but are increasing their production and are aiming to start exporting by the month of November.
As a nonprofit, the Santiago Partnership wants to be able to "get out of the way" and allow local industry to sustain the projects in Ecuador. "We are creating a ministry that is locally run, will eventually be fully self-sustained, and can be used as a model for other locations."
The project was officially launched in 2014, and they decided to set up the farming project with a funding campaign in 2020. After 20 days of building, the greenhouse construction was completed in December 2021, and the first plants were planted in September 2022.
So, at Forever Flowers, they are cultivating and selling roses and alstroemerias from Cayambe, Ecuador, as a Social Enterprise for the purpose of providing the self-sustaining revenue for the ministries of the Santiago Partnership, which include a Home for At Risk Children, a Medical Clinic for the medically underprivileged, Community Based ministries that serve the vulnerable of the surrounding area and a Women's Artisan Studio that supports women coming out of situations of domestic violence.
One of their latest investments is the construction of their Forever Flowers Business Center. "If you remember from our "Forever Flowers 2 - Extending into the Community" campaign, we raised funds for constructing a business center that will store the roses after harvest and be used to prepare them for the sale and distribution. It has taken us a while, but we are finally starting to put that plan into action."
"So, if you are interested in purchasing flowers from a grower who is serving the people of Ecuador with their profits, please reach out to them at the information below."
For more information:
The Santiago Partnership
Email: info@santiagopartnership.org
Forever Flowers
https://www.santiagopartnership.org/forever-flowers