Q & A with Field Fellow Julianna

Julianna Joss is one of Profugo’s current field fellows in Wayanad, India. Julianna has been in the field since September 2019 and will be staying for another year. She’s passionate about sustainable development and grassroots community building. Prior to journeying to Wayanad, Julianna told our team she wanted to go to Wayanad because “meaningfully contributing” in regards to sustainability and social justice in “a place like Wayanad would be a dream come true.” She hoped

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Corner Groups & Leadership

Profugo actively engages women members of the Wayanad region through many programs, one of which promotes female leadership and autonomy. Corner groups are an important part of Profugo’s social initiatives because it fosters community and avenues for dialogue and feedback. Corner groups allow for families to connect in a way that creates social bonds. These groups are highly decentralized to allow for maximum participation and ensures that change starts from the bottom-up. Furthermore, the decentralization

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Food Insecurity & Sustainable Agriculture

Food security goes beyond just access to food. The idea of food security also needs to take into account the availability of adequate and nutritious food. It is crucial to ensure that current and future generations not only have enough food, but enough healthy food. Sustainable agriculture can play a key role in solving some issues associated with food insecurity. There is a complex relationship between agricultural practices and human health.  Food insecurity can arise

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Plant-Based Diets Throughout Time

Vegetarianism is defined as “the theory or practice of living solely upon vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, and nuts—with or without the addition of milk products and eggs” as well as the barring of meat and often seafood in one’s diet, says the Encyclopedia Britannica. Veganism is similar but a more strict version of vegetarianism: one is not allowed to eat, or sometimes even buy, any product that comes from an animal. Vegetarianism and veganism, or

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Community Member Spotlight: Sunitha Chandran

Every day, Sunitha Chandran wakes up at 5:00 am to begin the day’s cooking and cleaning.  At 8:00 am, she heads out for a full day of farming activities.  By 5:30 pm, she returns home to finish her household duties, look after her two children, Abhinav and Anadhu, and spend time with her husband. Like many women of Wayanad, Sunitha’s daily routine reflects a staggering work ethic.  But somehow, on top of all of her

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