Every once in a while, the best of two worlds collide. In this case, the harvesting of the very best mangoes and calamansis’ for vomFASS fruit vinegars dovetails beautifully with the extraordinarily good works of Father Shay Cullen in the Philippines. 
Father Shay Cullen (r), founder of PREDA Foundation Father Shay Cullen founded the PREDA Foundation in 1974 to promote human rights, justice and peace. Fr. Cullen strives to eliminate child abuse and promote respect for children’s rights. For his tireless work on behalf of PREDA, Fr. Cullen has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three times as well as numerous other Human Rights awards. PREDA stands for People’s Recovery, Empowerment Development Assistance Foundation. PREDA’S Mission statement:
- To work for just laws and their implementation that will empower the poor, and protect their rights.
- To protect the weak and the defenseless, especially children and women, exploited in demeaning labor, especially prostitution.
- To come to the assistance of the sexually abused and develop Fair Trade programs that will help alleviate poverty and exploitation.
PREDA products are safe and healthy. The dried fruit and fruit purees are chemical free and are fairly traded. Adherence to
Fair Trade practices guarantees that the families who make these products benefit directly from them. Customers can be assured that there is no child labor, sweatshop conditions or exploitation of any kind. There are twelve projects under the PREDA umbrella. The goals of these projects are to educate for peace; to free children from brothels and jails, giving them a chance to recover in therapeutic homes. These children are reintegrated and live happier lives free from incarceration; sexual exploitation; trafficking; violence and abusive situations. The PREDA foundation operates protective, therapeutic recovery shelters for the victims. There are currently 89 professional Filipino staff members implementing the 12 projects for PREDA. (visit www.preda.org for more information).
”Fair trade is an organized social movement whose stated goal is to help producers in developing countries achieve better trading conditions and to promote sustainability. Members of the movement advocate the payment of higher prices to exporters, as well as higher social and environmental standards.” W.G.Moseley, 2008 Conscientious adherence to
Fair Trade practices helps and supports local economies. It provides fair pricing and premium payments to producers to improve working and living conditions.
Fair Trade funds projects to save abused and exploited children and women; campaigns for trade justice; human rights and the protection of the environment. A percentage of sales goes towards the planting of as many as 2000 mango trees a year.
Fair Trade also promotes training and supports farmers by providing benefits such as medical insurance.
PREDA’s bustling mango harvest in the Philippines. vomFASS is proud to be associated with PREDA’S humanitarian efforts.
Mango Avocado Vinaigrette
Ingredients: Serves 4
- 1/4 cup vomFASS Mango Balsam
- 1/4 serrano pepper, seeded
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 T. sugar
- 1/2 cup vomFASS Avocado Oil
- 1/4 cup vomFASS Agora Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-
vomFASS Salt and Pepper, to taste
Directions:
- In a blender, add vomFASS Mango Balsam, serrano pepper, garlic, mustard, sugar, and vomFASS Salt and Pepper.
- Pulse and run at lower speed until smooth.
- With blender running at slowest speed, slowly drizzle vomFASS Avocado Oil and vomFASS Agora Extra Virgin Olive Oil into mixture.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
* Note: Use caution with handling the heat content of the serrano pepper.
