The One Week One Hundred Lempira Challenge

After spending part of this past week entering data on income levels and food intake of rural farmers in the area, one particular question caught my attention, ¨How much does your family spend on food each month?¨ I realized that many of the families in the surrounding communities are poor; however, I was surprised to see that the average family of 5 or more, spends around 600 Lempira (an equivalent of $30) on food each month. That averages out to $7.50 per week for food!

I immediately began to wonder if I could live on this amount, and if so, how. Many families reported seeking help from neighbors, but more stated that they often just did without. These thoughts, paired with the enthusiastic motivation of my good P.C. friend Miguel, lead to the creation of the One Week on One Hundred Lempira Challenge. The purpose of the challenge is to better understand what it is like to live on a small food budget by keeping all food purchases under 100 Lempira for the week. In addition to eating less grease and sugar, we hope to cultivate a greater appreciation for those we work with and serve. We are starting TODAY!
The Plan:

• Each of us will be able to spend 100 Lempira, the equivalent of $5, during the course of the week to purchase food.
• In addition to 100 Lempira, we are able to eat whatever produce we grow in our backyards. (Many Hondurans have small gardens.
• We are able to accept 3 meals and 2 snacks from neighbors or co-workers during the week. (Many of the people interviewed said they often received assistance from family or neighbors.)
• Salt and chili sauce are free.

By now you might be wondering, what does $5 worth of food look like?

My week´s food package includes:

• 3 lb bag of corn flour to make tortillas
• 2lb of beans
• 1lb bag of pinol (think soy cream of wheat)
• 1 liter of lactose free milk
• 1/2 lb of tomatoes
• 1/2 lb of sugar
• 1 onion or green pepper

So far so good! I am excited (and a little nervous) for this week. Stay tuned!