tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4814803223577145972024-02-21T06:47:28.579-08:00Lonny WardThe Stories and Experiences of Lonny WardMelissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.comBlogger233125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-41691876286629975522023-09-17T20:35:00.007-07:002023-09-17T20:46:58.962-07:00Podcast Episodes Featuring Lonny!!<h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large; font-weight: normal;">Exciting news! Lonny has recently been featured on two different podcasts, speaking more about his experiences. Here are the links and some brief descriptions of the episodes.</span></h3><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Give Back: Dream Big!</u></span></h4><p>"It was so wonderful to sit down with Lonny Ward who is the Director of Operations with Choice Humanitarian. We talked about hope and change and by simple things we can make a huge difference in others' lives."</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/5je5b7ZZOXKP1rABtQkaQi?si=UnOk7iMWRraLp5yNp0dwTg">Spotify</a></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/give-back/id1701171209?i=1000628053852">Apple Podcasts</a></p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>ZuLoo Pōōdcast: CHOICE Humanitarian's Lonny Ward (#53)</u></span></h4><p>"On this episode of the ZuLoo Pōōdcast, we learn wisdom at the feet of seasoned humanitarian, family man, and all-around cowboy Lonny Ward! Lonny currently serves as Director of Operations of a philanthropic 501(c)(3) charity that works with and through rural communities to expand their range of options, foster self-reliance, and reduce poverty. Having now impacted over 2,000,000 people for good, CHOICE is proof-positive that for every life touched, there is potential for a better future!"</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Eg9StoX34CfB17xRMp79x">Spotify</a></p><p><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/choice-humanitarians-lonny-ward-53/id1611070685?i=1000598431196">Apple Podcasts</a></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34h6ySM-p1M&ab_channel=TheZuLooP%C5%8D%C5%8Ddcast">YouTube</a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/5je5b7ZZOXKP1rABtQkaQi?si=UnOk7iMWRraLp5yNp0dwTg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><br /></a></div><p></p>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-89753709025299662492022-08-22T16:07:00.000-07:002023-01-04T14:12:00.493-08:00<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhe61ab_pdZVui5qxZP-cdVXoV1k6V_OcOnM4hhTATdrN2VKydbanaxpIgxlJwxUAlOvVZ2rGrZrdGEQjtXGtfj6jTLR4czyeuRnhCKZbwJoV18zdo84qruleSHBoCR32HlSkK95WH0m4ImAXRoZSTdhClgi6aLIuYUA0NnKb4h4JPuWVSNQX8wwrb0rw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1141" data-original-width="1347" height="411" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhe61ab_pdZVui5qxZP-cdVXoV1k6V_OcOnM4hhTATdrN2VKydbanaxpIgxlJwxUAlOvVZ2rGrZrdGEQjtXGtfj6jTLR4czyeuRnhCKZbwJoV18zdo84qruleSHBoCR32HlSkK95WH0m4ImAXRoZSTdhClgi6aLIuYUA0NnKb4h4JPuWVSNQX8wwrb0rw=w485-h411" width="485" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://choicems-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/lward_choicehumanitarian_org/EcZWpdoE1KdNmjd7eu23xC0BwF_Z6Vsexa51DuSJE1k-SA?e=dPtV8P">BYU Education Week FRIDAY.pptx</a></p>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-2862735351730279932022-08-19T11:54:00.000-07:002023-01-04T14:11:52.907-08:00<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGS8Brba_LIhMYEJEcvbUnNRgjjwJ8bO0DivKF4MfbEaCN5Qpm3LQjV_u5U2dpGBd4OCDlwJq1u2c4QXfYDjZHzbY3ieLe-TVsNhBbTonBWimnh3jgSvqKv7gsCn8yFO1Sjg-OPMreZcjjjq0ym8tZz_ww_0YEfrLEuA65XkUbbb66pk-SAsjVUk1GtQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGS8Brba_LIhMYEJEcvbUnNRgjjwJ8bO0DivKF4MfbEaCN5Qpm3LQjV_u5U2dpGBd4OCDlwJq1u2c4QXfYDjZHzbY3ieLe-TVsNhBbTonBWimnh3jgSvqKv7gsCn8yFO1Sjg-OPMreZcjjjq0ym8tZz_ww_0YEfrLEuA65XkUbbb66pk-SAsjVUk1GtQ=w482-h271" width="482" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://choicems-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/lward_choicehumanitarian_org/EYCcpXTTtwpHpgdrevBJLfIBR1tUW-QBBFOqZUZw6jaqgw?e=LAgrDQ">BYU Education Week THURSDAY.pptx</a></p>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-73636177935325154112022-08-18T11:21:00.000-07:002023-01-04T14:11:59.081-08:00<p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">BYU Education Week Wedesday day 2</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0qBk5j2kcOAwKWCYMfxoe5VRl2wzJIQHml151owUXz2HfHHil2vU3dWCCU2zljtLCM-vauMMH3oasdhK3p13012jLshKLzkmt6inmIeZ3e8ZWofQLxwRuPf8vYSxocwnAgWxw3-P2o1bouIVGEQiWUgeY7E_bPPSM2RHhLLcP5yhpbVqPMzw-td0lEg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0qBk5j2kcOAwKWCYMfxoe5VRl2wzJIQHml151owUXz2HfHHil2vU3dWCCU2zljtLCM-vauMMH3oasdhK3p13012jLshKLzkmt6inmIeZ3e8ZWofQLxwRuPf8vYSxocwnAgWxw3-P2o1bouIVGEQiWUgeY7E_bPPSM2RHhLLcP5yhpbVqPMzw-td0lEg=w529-h297" width="529" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://choicems-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/lward_choicehumanitarian_org/EQg5YV-yM0BDhh6MY9dpxwQBCSdui0tecpP68RZf8itL0Q?e=lp5uzt">BYU Education Week WEDNESDAY - How to Fish.pptx</a></p>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-21473729482653746322022-08-17T11:44:00.000-07:002023-01-04T14:11:54.401-08:00<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifzfAF8z0mr5Otvu66SmZgMwXO6ztzetsBbnIvN6Dfjmwl1dc5wThMAjl4WynPrqCIT9k_qylzqYl-Q50OGihyYa1NlUfeLCLcRLojpeFa9WUDKLp9WYmqatE7700b47Ar-9ivmsjYdCSBMjWJVdy0peEPryxYqgmAVwRNhmUknMm25pR8XqddYif3hw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifzfAF8z0mr5Otvu66SmZgMwXO6ztzetsBbnIvN6Dfjmwl1dc5wThMAjl4WynPrqCIT9k_qylzqYl-Q50OGihyYa1NlUfeLCLcRLojpeFa9WUDKLp9WYmqatE7700b47Ar-9ivmsjYdCSBMjWJVdy0peEPryxYqgmAVwRNhmUknMm25pR8XqddYif3hw=w591-h333" width="591" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://choicems-my.sharepoint.com/:p:/g/personal/lward_choicehumanitarian_org/EfEWuh_tFx5OmXvS0kDw7P8Bb2lXg0cqj4FPeCnpVe_mQg?e=JwWVb9">BYU Education Week TUESDAY - Tender Mercies.pptx</a></p>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-22624839339141840472021-07-17T01:12:00.000-07:002023-01-04T14:11:54.529-08:00Reunion with Julius in Chizini - Devastating situation - Harambee!<p> </p><p><br /></p><p>My anticipation increased as we approached Julius's farm bouncing along the dusty roads of rural Kenya. I had not seen him for over 3 years and I was anxious to see the progress that he had made with his farm. I met Julius back in 2014 when my agriculture team took me to meet him. Though a very poor farmer Julius is a man of action and great ambition. He recognized the need for saving water for his farm so he dug a large hole in the ground that would hold water to use for his crops throughout the season. The hole was 14 feet wide and 12 feet deep. You can read a previous post about him. <a href="https://www.lonnyward.com/2014/07/julius-life-changed-by-feed-world.html">https://www.lonnyward.com/2014/07/julius-life-changed-by-feed-world.html</a></p><p>As we got out of the car and headed down the hill towards his farm a feeling of foreboding came over me. I was fairly certain that I knew where his farm was but I was not seeing the green fields that I expected to see. Instead, I was seeing parched soil with nothing growing. Just before reaching his farm I came to the surface dam that the community used for water. Several mothers and young children were filling the jugs from the little bit of water that remained in the bottom of this surface damn. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUzpYrKq-l-sszDQM9tspQgc54oYGdS2fqUcl1_FQ0SkZSUsrjGSNLqYk6qJlaEdzig8OonwxhBuo18FkDLII6Yf_gvyFLfEQhRfPn1SoKEwMFOCmb8MwZ2Uu7lbe4SanEy3d8XbdRDlE/s4032/PXL_20210715_094400092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKUzpYrKq-l-sszDQM9tspQgc54oYGdS2fqUcl1_FQ0SkZSUsrjGSNLqYk6qJlaEdzig8OonwxhBuo18FkDLII6Yf_gvyFLfEQhRfPn1SoKEwMFOCmb8MwZ2Uu7lbe4SanEy3d8XbdRDlE/w503-h377/PXL_20210715_094400092.jpg" width="503" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Worried mothers gather water from their nearly empty source near Chizini </td></tr></tbody></table><p>It was shocking to see how little water was there considering that the rainy season should have just finished a month ago and that the day should have been filled with water. The next rainy season is not until November over 3 months away. The reality of what this means surged over me like a great wave. How will they survive without water?! With that thought coursing through my mind I continue to walk across the barren field to ward Julius's house. I saw group of people gathered in the yard outside his house. From the back of the group I saw a man stand look for a moment and then start towards us. I was about halfway across the field when he came out of the trees and recognized me. He raced over to me and we embraced. It was seeing an old friend after many years. I wish that I could have bottled up the joy and happiness that's spilled out from us as we talked with each other. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward his home. The agriculture extension officers were there doing some training with his community group about improved agriculture practices. Julius introduce me to the group and we chatted awhile about the training.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLIPCFiuF9Fcu-40HjCShK11FX4YTgkKv6BqozIv4WExoJK-DAzsZU9RkwfSOvtIwEn6ZWVamApkJ80LZnvByrg74eM3yXZ6G8l4RHGCHuTPkmbLNTKiTP6rvGtWkeIOLhaDOXYojeeXj/s3264/PXL_20210715_095355339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLIPCFiuF9Fcu-40HjCShK11FX4YTgkKv6BqozIv4WExoJK-DAzsZU9RkwfSOvtIwEn6ZWVamApkJ80LZnvByrg74eM3yXZ6G8l4RHGCHuTPkmbLNTKiTP6rvGtWkeIOLhaDOXYojeeXj/s320/PXL_20210715_095355339.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only time that Julius did not have a big smile on his face</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br />I asked Julius about his farm and he told me that the spring rains never came so he was not able to plant anything this year on his farm. The hole that he had dug to capture water was empty. I was shocked! How can this man take care of his wife and 10 children without growing any food? All of a sudden the challenges and problems that I face in my own life seemed minuscule compared to his challenges. Even so, his contagious smile never left his face while he talked with us. As we questioned him about what he would do he told us that the county government had created another larger surface damn about a mile away from his home and that the community has gathered together and planted a community garden and were using the water from that surface dam to raise crops for this year. They are hopeful that there will be enough food to share amongst themselves and get them to the next season.</p><p>I wanted to do something! What could I do? My resources are so limited. and then thr thought came to me that maybe just giving them some hope would be a start. I was with my colleague Bevington who has a great song about working together or in Swahili, <b>Harambee</b>. I ask Bevington to teach them the song and then lead us in singing it. <a href="https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipPFS0scVymg2cs9npOg4GmIp8P2odu04QiGxaEw"><i><b>Harambee song!</b></i></a></p><p>The cloud of dread lifted and was replaced with rays of hope as we sang. These neighbours will work together and will find a way to get through this crisis. I will talk with our team and determine if there's a way that we can support them in their efforts. These neighbors may not have much when it comes to the necessities of life but they have a unity and camaraderie that would be envied by people around the world. Sometimes it is the difficult challenges of life that let us cut through the unimportant aspect of life and let us get to the root of true happiness.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyr5YrDP-X4HpLS223VUhbX8KY7li3hcIbpeyQz6w_3hS8qoQq9lEV6VXFdiTqDWvRqi0NEqbVR_vRVyfIUv3LZUJTcoVMtout9O7OpBBO8_ujqxvtiobH6gvbIU9zjffvz1yT3Nkhwcmj/s4032/PXL_20210715_101227394.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="413" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyr5YrDP-X4HpLS223VUhbX8KY7li3hcIbpeyQz6w_3hS8qoQq9lEV6VXFdiTqDWvRqi0NEqbVR_vRVyfIUv3LZUJTcoVMtout9O7OpBBO8_ujqxvtiobH6gvbIU9zjffvz1yT3Nkhwcmj/w551-h413/PXL_20210715_101227394.MP.jpg" width="551" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Julius and his neighbors gathered for the training in their classroom under a tree</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br />As I embraced Julius and said goodbye I prayed that the Lord would watch over and protect his family. I walked away with a new appreciation for the important things in life and a resolve to be better myself, focus on the important aspects of life and not get lost in the rat race of getting ahead. If the rest of us, throughout the world, could apply that same principle of <b>Harambee</b> how much better would this world be! I challenge us all to re-evaluate our priorities and focus on what is really important in life so that we can be like Julius and his neighbors and truly have Joy in spite of our surrounding conditions!</p>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-78460096990344693952021-02-21T16:51:00.002-08:002023-01-04T14:59:26.222-08:00"Former Mayor Overcoming Hardship Through Service"<br /><br /> This is hard for me, but I hope that it will help someone out there. I went through a period of several years of underemployment. It was hard on my family. I struggled with feelings of failure and self worth. In the end it paid off and I now have a job that I truly love! Stay strong through the down times of your life. You are of great worth even when you have down times. There are many who could benefit from your service.<br /><br /><div>When I was talking with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/arianne.e.brown?__cft__[0]=AZXGtzCVVnfqcvvugBkeO3EhkajfjvTGbYQx5AkK2iBD4ENyvIigjtVnlgtDUEoylrjH-rlarlGbAfAegwNDonBi1QoPjBkOetUNH3384KZW5QybH3hnz7PUsTrQDxYZ4Co&__tn__=-]K-R">Arianne Brown</a> about my life path she thought that it would make a good story. Here it is:<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://www.servedaily.com/2020/03/06/former-mayor-overcoming-hardship-through-service/?fbclid=IwAR1CEVmxXPmcpsTDfEPSGuEujkjcNKsZWJ1XwV8swDQD1unDzffPvm3JTyI">Former Mayor Overcoming Hardship through Service</a><br /><br /><br /></div>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-88435514620850428652018-05-07T09:15:00.000-07:002023-01-04T14:12:00.429-08:00Muungano - "Coming together" Can Christians and Muslims really live together and get along?<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Muungano</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a Swahili word meaning </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">come together</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">unity.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> In this small village in Kenya, Muungano is more than a word, it is a culture. In Dzugwe the population is predominantly Muslim with the largest minority group practicing Christianity. </span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #fce5cd; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #fce5cd;"><img height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwpAy12MC2E6GyMoQCSd9tFIxhURtuy1-ylMHpHJ69KFm6dbwriAYHbNBl2oE6txTONSt8fD9mUEAQI-GOERyxUPd44nJJdxas9fsYp0oofVqCdJ8l3169l04l-188qWJxftDkD4lxAt8C/w1266-h949-no/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></span></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The Muslim and Christian leaders at the Muungano School. It is not common to smile for pictures in Kenya. They were very happy that day. </i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #fce5cd; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">When a project or idea affects the community, members from all religious denominations join together as a council to discuss and prepare for those changes. </span></div><span style="color: #fce5cd;"><b id="m_-1690451372480944394m_-1557041574998771908gmail-docs-internal-guid-f86d347d-c13a-c1ce-087a-4583cb2e2351" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="im" style="color: #500050;"><span class="im" style="color: #500050;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></span></b></span><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #fce5cd; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At our last meeting with the people of Dzugwe, we saw </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">muungano </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">translate from a nice idea to being a true practice. We held a meeting to discuss the progress of the building of the Muungano school and the development of building a water cistern. Both the local Christian leader and local Muslim leader presided over the meeting. The meeting began with a prayer from the Christian Leader and concluded by a prayer from the Muslim leader. Not once was there an “us versus them” mentality exhibited by either denomination. </span></span></div><span style="color: #fce5cd;"><br /></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbgAvtSbaG-lu5X1itvI4k9n9EuQKPKEHuuA1X0sFqEe9qkm6OqmzCXwdEtNyAyFao3U5E6rd14DfGWVIg19fD5HP3iXO2vHil7CKLsvxvnXOSglS9-0gKetwyQF5vtO_9kZRgB8CC4qg/s1600/WhatsApp+Image+2018-03-31+at+07.58.12.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #fce5cd;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbgAvtSbaG-lu5X1itvI4k9n9EuQKPKEHuuA1X0sFqEe9qkm6OqmzCXwdEtNyAyFao3U5E6rd14DfGWVIg19fD5HP3iXO2vHil7CKLsvxvnXOSglS9-0gKetwyQF5vtO_9kZRgB8CC4qg/s400/WhatsApp+Image+2018-03-31+at+07.58.12.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>A young child watches as his mother carries water to use for mixing the concrete for the new water cistern that his father is building. The community works together so that their children will have drinking water at school.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="color: #fce5cd;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">There was representation of both perspectives but even more than that, there was respect. Unity does not simply imply that everyone is present. No, unity requires an understanding of brotherhood coming together to work side by side towards mutual goals. All perspectives must be heard and understood in order for a group of people to become a community. </span><i style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Written by Nicolle Okoren for Lonny Ward</i></span>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-50635095033985406402016-07-18T15:04:00.000-07:002023-01-04T14:11:56.868-08:00 CHOICE (Center for Humanitarian Outreach and Intercultural Exchange) Humanitarian 2016 Annual Report<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwAYTLEUZORBQkJKOWNxellqMDhmNzZjQkZXWjBEY1BhZEdv/view?usp=sharing" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">CHOICE Humanitarian 2016 Annual Report</span></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwAYTLEUZORBQkJKOWNxellqMDhmNzZjQkZXWjBEY1BhZEdv/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">CHOICE Humanitarian 2016 Annual Report</a></div>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-7077974387365719792016-06-01T12:00:00.000-07:002023-01-04T14:11:53.550-08:00Feeding The Forgotten is Published CHOICE Humanitarian - The Institute for Self Reliant Agriculture<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">In February <a href="http://choicehumanitarian.org/" target="_blank">CHOICE Humanitarian</a> introduced Feeding The Forgotten at the Social Impact of Economic Innovations symposium held in Salt Lake City. This amazing textbook teaches small scale agriculture principles that can be taught to rural farmers in developing countries. I had the privilege of co-writing one of the chapters with my wife Erika.<br /><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This last week, I shared Feeding The Forgotten with our field staff in Nepal. They were very excited to see the simple practical ideas for improving agriculture production. We have seen families lives improve dramatically as they implement these principles. It is common to see their income double as their family's nutrition dramatically increases.</span></span><br /><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHYw4tRYC07Hk2aVa7lbkFhpNyP15jzMlDqxCEpN32MGUzydDESlRQwRjF4tfopvlo6l-LSsKGLRoE0eNpsqf5UwQdNsyWWHRCT0byRUo1bKIgQJ1sJ0qQnzOUf-EIsUJvFyqfWBz6Agg/s1600/Feeeding+The+Forgotten+Cover+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHYw4tRYC07Hk2aVa7lbkFhpNyP15jzMlDqxCEpN32MGUzydDESlRQwRjF4tfopvlo6l-LSsKGLRoE0eNpsqf5UwQdNsyWWHRCT0byRUo1bKIgQJ1sJ0qQnzOUf-EIsUJvFyqfWBz6Agg/s320/Feeeding+The+Forgotten+Cover+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-25708610092127362012016-01-05T08:49:00.000-08:002023-01-04T14:11:54.716-08:00A Practical Implementation of The Small-Scale Agriculture Model in Developing Countries - Part One (Draft)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-right: 11pt; margin-top: 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Based on the Mentoring Program of</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Institute for Self-Reliant Agriculture - </span><a href="http://www.feedtheworld.org/" style="font-family: Georgia; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.38; text-decoration: none; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">www.feedtheworld.org</span></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbMfwp4Pe7_IqXSSp-CuHOtP9plSWLvABwGojU8F_lH4FTNtt3RI93TIzZlrXBKccArGme1WreJh2SRGggxFLK-Se_xjC2Qh5_cJ2_Xi1NfkpHOv6AfEZWXSEmDVjGHJN3JKfrIvtRK1B/s1600/IMG_1428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQbMfwp4Pe7_IqXSSp-CuHOtP9plSWLvABwGojU8F_lH4FTNtt3RI93TIzZlrXBKccArGme1WreJh2SRGggxFLK-Se_xjC2Qh5_cJ2_Xi1NfkpHOv6AfEZWXSEmDVjGHJN3JKfrIvtRK1B/s400/IMG_1428.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Authors - Erika and Lonny Ward</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By Lonny J. Ward, M. S., M. B. A.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 17.333333333333332px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vice-President and Director of Operations, Feed The World SRA</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 22.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">with Erika A. Ward, B. Sc.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Administrative Assistant and Media Writer, Feed The World SRA</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><hr /><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PART ONE:</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">POVERTY CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><hr /><br /><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If there were a simple solution to alleviating hunger and poverty in developing nations, certainly humankind would have implemented it long ago. However, the answers are far from simple, and the problems of extreme poverty and devastating illnesses continue to haunt our modern society. While advances in technology and communication have helped people in all countries to see some improvements in their living conditions in recent decades, most of the world’s rural poor continue to live in circumstances nearly unfathomable in today’s world. </span></div><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This chapter, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Practical Implementation of The Small-Scale Agriculture Model in Developing Countries,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will explain how </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Institute for Self-Reliant Agriculture, or Feed The World</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (hereafter referred to as SRA), has used successful time-tested principles to alleviate hunger, malnutrition, and poverty in rural areas throughout the world. The information and examples in this chapter are intended to serve as a practical outline for university educators, community leaders, and non-government organizations (NGOs) who are seeking to alleviate poverty and help families achieve nutritional self-sufficiency through improved agriculture practices.</span></h1><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SRA’s international program was created using principles based on the Small-Scale Agriculture Model (SSAM) developed at BYU’s Ezra Taft Benson Food and Agriculture Institute. This hands-on approach of mentoring and empowerment provides important life-saving agriculture knowledge and skills to help rural villagers find lasting success, enabling them to escape the bonds of extreme poverty for generations to come. </span></h1><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Basic Principles for Alleviating Poverty</span></h1><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Though there are many complicated reasons that poverty exists in developing countries, in our experience, two reasons stand out from all the rest. We have seen that many of the rural villagers who are living in reasonably safe circumstances, free from war and totalitarian oppression, are faced with poverty for two basic reasons: underdeveloped resources and insufficient education. These problems are compounded when charitable gifts are handed out too freely, and when hasty, impractical solutions are forced upon a community without regard to local circumstances. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Poverty Issue #1: Underdeveloped Resources</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Those who have not studied the humanitarian field for long may assume that poverty-stricken nations struggle for basic necessities because they have little or no access to potential resources. However, in our experience, the daily reality for most rural villagers is that they have at least some access to natural resources that could meet many of their needs if they knew how to utilize them. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One example of a country that has abundant natural resources is Ethiopia. In fact, despite being the focus of numberless international charity efforts, many first time visitors to this country discover that the climate is not as desolate and dry as they were expecting. But because of international attention following natural disasters, droughts, and crop failures, most of the images that the public sees of villagers in Ethiopia are of starving, desperate people, who need emergency relief. It is easy to see why the general public believes that the solution to poverty in these areas is to simply send the people more resources. A much better approach, however, is to help the people learn to develop the resources they already have. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[INSERT PHOTO #01: Ethiopia Alfalfa]</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Caption:]</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> This beautiful crop of alfalfa grew well in the fertile fields near Shashamane Ethiopia.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even though Ethiopia has large desert areas that have little rainfall and long periods of hot, dry weather, there are also many places in the country with lush, green and fertile land. In fact, some have compared the Rift Valley in Ethiopia to the San Joaquin Valley in California in its agronomic potential. The biggest difference between the expansive desert lands of Ethiopia and the blossoming western United States is the well-organized water-delivery systems that efficiently bring moisture to otherwise dry fields and neighborhoods. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ethiopia is just one example of a developing country struggling with poverty because their resources are underdeveloped or completely unused. In fact, in the countries where SRA team members have worked, most of the struggling villages are located in areas with surprisingly fertile land, adequate natural sources of water, and an ideal climate for growing food. What’s missing is the knowledge and skills to develop these resources into usable commodities.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Create Lasting Change by Developing Local Resources</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many well-meaning charities selflessly give away resources to solve poverty issues, and this type of giving has its place in dire situations. However, once emergency needs are addressed, lasting change can only be achieved by empowering the people with the knowledge and skills they need to develop their own local resources. By focusing on the growth of the people, an organization develops human capital that is inherently sustainable over the long term. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In addition, by encouraging the people to discover and implement their own solutions, they are able to feel a sense of ownership over the projects and resources that are helping their community. This approach helps to build confidence among the people as they realize that they can make a difference in their own families and communities without waiting for help from outside resources that may or may not come.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To accomplish this, charity organizations and educational institutions should encourage international community development by helping the rural poor create their own businesses, farms, and co-ops. In this way, the local economy will be strengthened, providing a much better support to the community than simply dumping excess resources into an already fragile economy. A program designed to build and empower people while supporting the local economy may be rare among NGOs because it is not necessarily the easiest approach. However, as they begin to understand the sustainable nature of this model, donors will see that their dollars will be more effectively spent by ensuring that philanthropic efforts support the development of the people for long term success.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">School of Agriculture for Family Independence</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mtalimanja Village is home to the School of Agriculture for Family Independence (SAFI), a donor-supported institution that is focused on helping the rural people of Malawi learn to provide for themselves using improved agricultural techniques. This village houses 30 to 40 families who live on the campus for one full year to take training courses in nutrition, sustainable farming, animal husbandry, fish farming, drip irrigation, forest conservation, tree farming, and other subjects. Husbands and wives attend classes together and their children are enrolled in primary school on the property. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once they complete the first year of intensive training, the families return to their villages to implement what they’ve learned on their own land. During this second year of participation, they continue to receive mentoring and support through an extension program. After completing the training, farmer crop yields have increased by an average of 700 percent. As the villagers implement their new skills back home, they are encouraged to teach these principles to their neighbors, helping to lift the entire community. Graduates of this successful instruction receive diplomas at a celebratory ceremony each year. As of the first printing of this book, over 180 people have been educated at SAFI and returned to their villages to teach others. To read more about this successful agriculture school, visit </span><a href="https://www.forceforgood.org/ffg/en/projects/school_of_agricultureforfamilyindependencesafi.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">forceforgood.org</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moyenda and Masiye - Working Towards a Brighter Future </span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moyenda and Masiye Milazi began their participation in the program because they felt that they did not have a clear knowledge about farming and wanted to find out how to give their children a better future. They both graduated from SAFI school in 2014, and danced their way down the graduation aisle, gripping their diplomas proudly, with their young son riding in a sling on Masiye’s back. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moyenda tells their story this way: “Before I came to school at SAFI, each year, on 1 acre of land, I was harvesting 20 and sometimes 25 bags of corn. After we learned more farming skills, now our harvest, on the same amount of land, is no less than 60 bags of corn! Some of the skills we have learned at SAFI include: livestock, beekeeping, crops, nutrition, and raising mushrooms. This training will help so much because, in the village I came from, many families do not know modern farming techniques. Now I am teaching them the skills that I learned, so they can also improve their harvest.”</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Masiye says, “As a wife, this training has assisted us because we have enough food which we didn’t have in the past, and now our future is bright. My kids will now be healthier because we have enough food. My message to other women in my village is to do farming, especially in sequential gardens, to supply enough nutrition to their family.”</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[INSERT PHOTO #02: Milazi family]</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Caption]:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The Milazi family proudly displays their graduation certificates. It is important to recognize the achievements of each participant and provide follow-up mentoring.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Poverty Issue #2: Insufficient Education</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Without the knowledge of how to develop their own natural resources, rural villagers are often left on the verge of starvation, even whilst living in the midst of resources that could save the lives of their families and neighbors. This leaves the people in a vicious cycle of poverty that is nearly impossible to escape without education in practical life-saving skills.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even though helpful organizations may come in and build schools to teach village children, the subjects are often limited to reading, writing, and arithmetic. While these are critically important topics to learn, they generally do not address the immediate needs of the family such as how to to make sure they have enough to eat through the end of the day. Without a practical knowledge about raising food and feeding themselves, many children continue to suffer malnutrition, making it nearly impossible to finish their education and find a permanent path out of extreme poverty.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In fact, some may argue that educating these villagers without giving them a way to get out of their situation, can worsen the problem of hopelessness. As the villagers learn about the way people live in rest of the world, it may feel like they are being brought out into the daylight for the first time in their lives, discovering a whole new world that they didn’t realize existed. But without a way to change their own situation, it is like they are being shoved back into a dark hole of despair, with no way to obtain this better life that they are learning about. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Sustainable Solution: Teach Life Skills to Help People Thrive</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Graduates of our program have been taught and mentored in implementing important principles of self-reliance combined with dedication and hard work. These new skills give them the foundation they need to meet their own nutritional and financial needs, to create permanent change in their families, and to make a lasting impact on their communities.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After completing SRA’s self-reliance training, many individuals gain the confidence and motivation to further expand their knowledge. Some of them find success in other areas of their life such as advanced education, business ownership, and new career opportunities.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Instead of spending every moment wondering where their next meal is coming from, villagers who have completed our training have the knowledge to take care of their own needs for years to come. They have the self-confidence and education to teach and mentor those around them, and they are prepared to create an improved and enlightened life for themselves and their families for generations to come.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kevin Chocho: An Example of Teaching Life Skills in Schools</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kevin David Chocho Guandinango is a 12 year old boy who attends Nazacota Puento school in the small community of San Pedro, in the Cotacachi region of Ecuador. Before learning about nutrition and gardening at his school, Kevin lived on a meager diet that was lacking in nutrients. Kevin lives in a home with his mother, two elderly uncles, and grandparents. As the sole breadwinner for the family, Kevin’s mother worked hard all day long, making and selling handicrafts, and growing a cash crop of corn that she grew in the small plot of land next to their home. Despite her best efforts, Kevin and his 3 younger siblings were unable to eat breakfast before school, and were suffering from symptoms of malnutrition, including undergrowth and slower academic performance.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[INSERT PHOTO #03: Kevin Chocho]</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Caption:]</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Kevin Chocho writing a letter of appreciation to SRA donors for their support of the school gardening program at Nazacota Puento School in San Pedro Ecuador. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kevin, along with his classmates and their families, have been beneficiaries of the training provided at the school farm and at a larger demo farm built through the cooperation of UNORCAC and SRA. Along with his classmates, Kevin has worked on these farms to receive hands-on training to learn how to plant, care for, and harvest a variety of nutritious vegetables. The students and their teachers have applied what they have learned by working with our staff. Many of them have also planted a garden at home. The children are able to work in the gardens during part of their school day, and the school staff has been taught how to incorporate these vegetables into the school lunch program. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This addition of a variety of nutritious foods has given the students a much improved diet, packed with important vitamins and nutrients. As students eat the vegetables that they have grown themselves, they are given a feeling of accomplishment, and the knowledge that they can change their situation through their hard work. We have found though our research in Kenya that an improved diet will significantly help the children to perform better in school, thus providing them with a good education, critical to future success in a changing world. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To involve the children's parents, the staff invites them to visit the school gardens and help with building structures, as well as planting, weeding, and harvesting the produce. Parents and siblings are given training along with the students, learning the nutrient value of various foods, and gaining an understanding of how to incorporate these foods into their diets. Many families become quite excited about what they have been taught and begin to grow gardens at their own homes. The technicians help them by providing seeds and mentoring them as they deal with the challenges of starting their new home gardens. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another part of the program being implemented at Nazacota Puento school is the preparation of an area for breeding and raising guinea pigs, as well as teaching them how to plant alfalfa to use as animal feed. This portion of their instruction gives additional skills the students, as well as providing extra protein to their diets. As they learn how to take care of themselves nutritionally and financially through school gardening, crop production skills, and raising small animals, they are gaining important skills that will help them the rest of their lives. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In addition, Kevin’s classmates and their families have experienced a reduction in illness, disease, and malnutrition, helping them to grow properly, develop cognitively, and learn important job skills for the future. As the program participants teach their friends and neighbors, the entire community is lifted, creating a lasting impact on the surrounding communities in the Cotacachi region. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is no better way to understand the benefit provided to the school than hearing directly from one of the children. Following is the translated text from a letter that Kevin wrote to SRA donors with his own pen: “My name is Kevin, my mother’s name is Ana Maria. I have three siblings, Yarina, Emily and Kilan. I study in Nazacota Puento School. I am happy with the help of the foundation SRA that is implementing the school gardens and the housing for guinea pigs. This will help to improve the nutrition of all my classmates and improve our school performance. I hope that you continue to help us to grow healthy and learn better. ~ Thank you, Kevin.”</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These examples demonstrate the success created when an organization combines training and motivation with the knowledge of how to use local renewable resources. Either one, without the other, creates frustration and waste. By implementing a program of sound training and proper motivation with the addition of a minimum bundle of resources, the people are enabled to succeed permanently.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[INSERT PHOTO 04: Kevin’s Letter]</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Caption:]</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is a letter that was hand-written by Kevin Chocho to thank SRA donors for the education and training he and his classmates have received.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Unintended Consequences of Inexperienced Philanthropy</span></h1><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unfortunately, many well-meaning organizations may inadvertently make poverty situations worse by simply giving things to the people instead of helping them learn how to develop the resources they already have. Giving away items for free may solve short-term emergencies, but it does nothing to solve the long-term problem of the vicious poverty cycle. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The old saying, "Give a man a fish, and you have fed him once, but teach him how to fish and you have fed him for a lifetime," applies perfectly in these situations. While it is honorable to collect donated resources to give to a poor community in an underdeveloped country, it is also important to think about the long-term consequences of the gift. Here are a few that we have personally experienced through our work in developing countries.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unintended Consequence #1 - Damage to the Local Economy</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many people running charitable relief organizations want to give because they have seen the shocking level of poverty and want to do something — anything — to make a difference in the lives of these people who are lacking so much. However, when resources are handed out for free, though immediate emergencies may be alleviated, lasting damage to the local economy can be one unintended consequence. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For example, in 2001, thanks to support and development projects, Ethiopian farmers were able to produce bumper crops and make a significant profit for the first time in many years. These families were able to send their children to school, and feed and clothe them better than they ever had. The farmers were so excited about their success that they re-invested most of their profits into supplies and preparation for the next year’s crop planting, eager to change their lives for good. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unfortunately, in 2002, because such a large number of these farmers over-planted, there was too much grain available on the market, and it could not all be sold. Insufficient transportation and undeveloped markets left farmers without a buyer for their grain. Some of the excess was stored in the few storage facilities around the country. However, because of this huge loss of income, many of the farmers could no longer provide for their families, or buy supplies for the next year’s planting.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then in 2003, Ethiopia had its worst famine in 20 years. Due to lack of rain and lack of financial resources, very few plants grew, and there was a terrible crop failure. Despite the famine, the good news for the people was that since there were some stored crops from the year before, there was a little to go around and the higher price would help the farming industry rebound. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Soon, news of the terrible famine in Ethiopia got out to the international philanthropic community, and they banded together to help. In this charitable effort, millions of tons of grain bags were shipped into the country from outside sources. While this effort did save many from starvation, it completely destroyed the grain market for the Ethiopian farmers who had worked so hard to develop their farms. In many cases, leftover grain was simply dumped at the side of the road by farmers who could not sell it in the local market, because everyone could get it for free. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This huge grain donation, though intended to help, left the farmers bereft of income, with no money to invest in crops the following year. Many of them lost everything, including their livelihood, and the grain market was destroyed for several more years. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Had the international community fully understood what was going on, they could have better helped to solve the problem by assisting the Ethiopians to improve transportation and communication to deliver the stored crops to the famished areas of the country without destroying the value of the local grain. This would have helped the people who were starving, and given a boost to the economy instead of devastating it. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unintended Consequence #2 - People Robbed of Work Incentive</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When resources are continually given away without requiring any effort on the part of those who are being helped, it may diminish their incentive to work. This is especially true when the people have not been able to observe models of success or have personal experiences where hard work has paid off. People can become satisfied with a marginal standard of living resulting from continual assistance, not realizing that with education and hard work, they could rise above their circumstances and become truly prosperous. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many rural villagers have only experienced the short term view of how they are going to fill their bellies today, and don’t have the means or knowledge to get ahead. This creates a vicious cycle where generations become stuck in a life of extreme never-ending poverty. Giving away free food, clothes, infrastructure, and supplies may help with emergency needs, but it does nothing to help the people out of their situation permanently.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mentor and Empower for Lasting Impact</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A better approach is to mentor the villagers as they learn to develop their locally available resources into products that will help them change their lives and circumstances long term. Once this knowledge is imparted to the people, it is theirs forever, giving them the potential to get out of their situation for good. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Instruction based on empowerment towards self-reliance helps to preserve the sense of honor and integrity that these people have, helping them to learn from the experience of others, develop their own solutions, and create their own success. With each progressive step through the program, they gain important life-sustaining skills, and develop a buffer between themselves and starvation. This new lifestyle is the key to freedom from poverty for a lifetime, which in turn creates lasting change for generations to come. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Learning how to take care of their families, receiving the tools to achieve success, and working hard to get there, gives people a feeling of self-worth and empowerment. They begin to see their own potential and their ability to change their lives for the better. This personal growth gives participants the confidence to succeed, and in some cases, our graduates go on to advanced education, finding new areas of talent in which they can contribute to the community in a meaningful way. For more information on how to improve teaching for more effective application and retention, see the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Teaching Strategies” chapter by Joel Black</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the Appendix.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dolores and Felicita - Mentoring in Monte Castillo</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dolores More Villegas and Felicita Flores Ancajima are graduates of SRA’s mentoring program in Monte Castillo, Peru. They are the parents of five growing children who range in age from 6 to 14 years old. As their family completed the training, they learned how to improve their nutrition by growing a variety of vegetables in their sequential garden. They also worked hard to start a guinea pig facility that provides at least two animals per week to supplement their diets, and consume additional protein by eating chicken, eggs, and fish. Their family has had considerable success growing peanuts and soybeans, which had not been planted in their community previous to the training. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After being a farmer for some time, and encouraged by his success in the program, Dolores went back to school for an advanced degree, and now supplements his income by teaching math to students in nearby Piura. Felicita enjoys working at the local health center, helping to teach people how to stay healthy with the principles she has learned. Together, Dolores and Felicita have improved not only the nutrition of their own family, but they have worked tirelessly to help many other community members change from a situation of severe or moderate malnutrition to one of good health. They have helped organize their neighbors and continue to have an extraordinary impact on their community. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dolores and Felicita have a goal to make sure their children have a more successful life than they had before the SSAM training. With the education and skills the family has mastered, their children are well on their way to a healthy and prosperous future. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[INSERT PHOTO #05: DOLORES & FELICITA</span><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">]</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Caption:]</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The Villegas showing off their bumper crop of sweet potatoes.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unintended Consequence #3 - Lack of Ownership Fosters Indifference</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When inexperienced NGOs simply give resources away to a community without letting the local people gain a feeling of ownership, many of these “gifts” will not be fully embraced or understood by the community, and may become unused after only a short time. For example, when an organization comes into a village and installs a well, the locals may view the well as belonging to that organization, rather than belonging to their community. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is much the same as in a fully developed country when the water in the neighborhood goes out unexpectedly. Residents will view the water problem as the water company’s problem, not theirs. Instead of going out to solve the problem themselves, they simply call the water company. The problem for the rural communities in these developing countries is that there is likely no “water company” to call, because the people who installed the well live thousands of miles away. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once the NGO volunteers leave the area, there will likely not be anyone local who knows how to fix the well when something inevitably goes wrong. In fact, it may not even occur to the villagers that they can or should try to fix the problem themselves. In this case, they will usually revert back to their old ways, perhaps walking for miles to get to a stream to haul unclean water back to their homes. In the meantime, there is a broken well in the middle of the town, and though the NGO got its fundraising and video opportunity, no one benefits in the long run.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Better Approach: Foster Dignity through Ownership</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the early 1980’s, international development specialist James B. Mayfield was hired to gather information and file an audit report of all projects planned and paid for by the World Bank and USAID. What he found was that an astounding 83% of all the charity projects had failed, and the results were broken wells, unused hospitals, and abandoned schools. (For more information see Elizabeth Stuart, Deseret News, “It Takes a Village: Humanitarian projects better sustained with local leadership,” 8 Oct 2011.)</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When looking at one particular broken well, Jim asked one of the villagers why it was not functioning. The man said, “Mr. Mayfield, we are waiting for the Americans to come back and fix their water pumps.” As the situation dawned on him, Jim realized that the villagers did not feel ownership over the resources that had been given to their communities. In addition, they did not have the parts, knowledge, or confidence to fix the wells themselves. Notice that this man thought of the pumps as belonging to “the Americans” rather than belonging to his village. This story highlights the problem of giving gifts without letting the local people lead the way. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After this experience, Mayfield began encouraging charities to focus on the important principle of ownership when helping a new village. For example, when building a new well for a community, charities could require the people to fulfill some basic requirements first. For example, CHOICE Humanitarian requires their target communities to pay for some of the investment cost of the well, and to create a water board comprised of local villagers who will be in charge of it. The individuals on the water board are trained on how to fix simple problems with the water pumps, and other aspects of well maintenance. Villagers pay a small fee to use the water, and everyone works together to keep it running. With stipulations that are aimed at creating ownership over the project, the people will have the dignity of self-ownership and responsibility, and the project is much more likely to have lasting impact on the community. For more information on sustainable village programs, visit </span><a href="http://www.choicehumanitarian.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">www.choicehumanitarian.org</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unintended Consequence #4 - Monuments to Philanthropic Ignorance</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many well-meaning charities and development agencies go into the rural villages, tell the people what their problems are, and offer a quick solution that may or may not make sense for that particular village. In effect, this method of “helping” inadvertently tells the villagers “You are not capable of resolving your own problems, so you have to rely on us, or someone else from the outside world, to help you solve your problems.” </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This unintended message is not only false, but holds the people back, because they are not able to develop their own abilities to creatively solve community problems themselves. Handing out solutions freely, without taking the time to fully understand the problem, has the added danger of possibly prescribing an idea that is completely wrong for that particular village. In addition, this approach leads to wasted philanthropic dollars as organizations inadvertently create abandoned “monuments” of projects that were never fully implemented or embraced by the community, and which were eventually abandoned.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When traveling through Africa and other developing areas of the world, it is all too common to see the remnants of projects started by well meaning organizations that are now abandoned and unusable. They are physical evidence of the unintended consequences of uninformed charitable giving based on trying to solve needs without fully understanding the long-term consequences of the gift. Following are just a few examples of the many monuments to philanthropic ignorance and abandonment scattered throughout the world.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dangerous Water Cistern in Malawi Orphanage:</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Malawi, one philanthropic group spent thousands of dollars to make a large open concrete water collection reservoir in the middle of an orphanage. This pit is very deep, with no easy way to get the water out, and no way to rotate and filter the water, making it totally unusable. Unfortunately, because no one working at the orphanage knows how to fix the problem, or has the money to do it, this cistern has become a large breeding ground for malaria-infected mosquitoes, and a dangerous trap for the children to fall into. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is very likely that when this reservoir was originally constructed, those who helped to fund and build it thought they were doing something very noble for this community. But because of philanthropic abandonment, there is no longer any use for this water cistern, and another NGO has come in and built a well and water pump nearby. In the meantime, the pit just sits there breeding mosquitos and posing a threat to the safety of the children.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[INSERT PHOTO #06: Malawi Orphanage Cistern]</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Caption:]</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> A huge, unused water cistern at a Malawi Orphanage shows the heartbreak of monuments to philanthropic ignorance and abandonment.</span><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Abandoned Facilities and Useless Equipment:</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In another case, a secondary school in Ethiopia was given a state-of-the-art dairy processing facility and agricultural equipment by a charitable organization. Things went well for a few years, and the school children had milk, butter, and cheese to supplement their diets with protein. Unfortunately, as time went on, the only person who was trained on operating the facility got a job in another area and moved away. Since no one else knew how to run the place, they just locked it up, and there it sits, useless. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although keeping the facility open would have been relatively easy with a fully-trained staff, it has become another monument to philanthropic ignorance, and the school children are no longer able to have the important nutrients from dairy products in their diets. It would be so easy to fix this problem for someone with resources and connections. But the villagers running the orphanage don’t know how to find someone else to run the dairy facility, nor do they have the funds to hire someone to train them. So it sits there abandoned and useless.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Additionally, members of our team have visited university laboratories in developing countries that are cluttered with expensive equipment that has never been used. Though donated by well-meaning charity organizations, it appeared that no one had considered making sure that the people were trained and mentored on how to use the equipment. Since the local people cannot afford to pay experts to teach them, this high-tech medical and laboratory equipment sits unused because no one knows how to use it. This is an example of what happens when a philanthropic organization simply donates supplies and equipment with no thought of making sure their gifts are actually useable by the people. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[INSERT PHOTO #07: Abandoned Baler</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Caption:]</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> This farm baler sits abandoned in Ethiopia, apparently having never been used. Now parts have been robbed from it making it useless.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Sustainable Solution: Use Appropriate Technology</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These “monuments to philanthropic ignorance” show the importance of evaluating each charitable giving opportunity carefully to avoid the wasted resources that are a result of failing to do this. Educators will need to adjust their thinking to carefully evaluate the unique needs of the target community before jumping in with an “obvious” solution to the problem. Project leaders should ask the local people what their needs are, and help them determine for themselves what the best solution is, based on local resources and technologies unique to each cultural situation.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Remember that what works for the farmers back home may not be practical to use in rural, underdeveloped regions of the world. Before you recommend a change, first ask the local residents why they are doing things the way they do them. There may be an important reason why they do things that way, and your ideas could cause more problems. Observe carefully and work as a team with the locals to come up with a solution together rather than just telling them to do it your way. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is critical for students, educators, and international developers to go into each village with an open mind and a listening ear, rather than with their minds already made up. Once there, it is imperative to work closely with the people, helping them discover the best sustainable solutions. With this approach, the villagers will be empowered to solve many of their own problems while maintaining their pride and dignity. For more information on applying the SSAM properly in a variety of circumstances, see the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Appropriate Technologies” chapter by Richard Brimhall</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div><br /><br /></div>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-85877004959506612822016-01-04T08:49:00.000-08:002023-01-04T14:11:59.721-08:00A Practical Implementation of The Small-Scale Agriculture Model in Developing Countries - Part Two (Draft)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PART TWO: TEACHING THE </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SMALL-SCALE AGRICULTURE PROGRAM</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><hr /><br /><b id="docs-internal-guid-ff5c4b48-0d1d-9575-226a-970afcabc3db" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Part Two reviews the heart and soul of our poverty elimination strategy: a series of hands-on training courses based on our five-part model adapted from the Small-Scale Agriculture Model (SSAM). The five modules that we have identified as having significant impact on eliminating extreme poverty are: (1) Nutrition and Hygiene, (2) Sequential Gardens, (3) Field Crops, (4) Small Animals, and (5) Economic Independence. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In this section of the chapter, we will explain in detail the knowledge and skills that are taught to our participants as we mentor and guide them to become nutritionally self-sufficient. This information is meant to serve as a pragmatic framework for both educators and NGOs as they seek to eliminate extreme poverty using the principles of the small-scale agriculture model.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Getting Started in a New Area</span></h1><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When beginning work in a new area, it is important to realize that there is no “one solution” for relieving poverty. In fact, the exact application of the SSAM will vary depending on the location, the available land and resources, the cultural practices and education level of the local villagers, and the political climate. It is therefore important that students and project leaders learn sound principles of implementation, and be adept at varying their application according to the needs of the target population. Here are five steps that SRA uses as we begin a SSAM-based program in a new area.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Step One: Assess Resources and Build Relationships</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first step in getting started with SSAM training is to take stock of all the potential resources available, including land, water, seeds, and animals. In order to start a successful agricultural program, it’s also important to have supportive leadership and enthusiastic families. Local leaders may include traditional, or tribal leaders, as well as government officials and religious figures. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meeting with the local leadership to assess community compatibility with the training will help the organization develop a positive relationship of trust that will greatly impact the success of the program. A series of informal visits with local leadership, followed by formal meetings with potential participants are important for explaining how the training can help their village. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Keep in mind that in order to keep the trust of the people, those representing the organization must be prepared to actually do what they say they are going to do when they first approach the village leaders. It’s important at these early meetings not to offer unrealistic hopes that the organization may not be able to deliver. If the program fails to meet local expectations, the people will lose faith in that organization.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tsuma - Entrepreneurial Leadership in Gona</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tsuma is a sub-chief in the village of Gona, Kenya, where most of the people live in small homes with walls made from sticks and mud, and roofs made of dried grass bundles. These people have no bathroom facilities, no running water, and very little in the way of material possessions. Despite the difficult circumstances, the villagers in the Gona area have been blessed by the self-reliance lessons, and have learned to maximize the resources available to them. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h4 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Community Garden and Beekeeping:</span></h4><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As part of the program, SRA staff members have helped the villagers of Gona to create a community demo garden that is providing for the dietary needs of those who work in it. The garden serves as a training ground to help teach better techniques for growing and harvesting food. Besides gardening, the staff has also taught the people how to raise animals properly by creating safe housing structures and growing nutritious animal feed to increase animal productivity.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From the moment Tsuma began learning, he has embraced the principles he was taught, and began making them an important part of his life. With education, mentoring, and a lot of hard work, Tsuma has created a beekeeping business with homemade beehives made from hollow logs. With the success he has found selling the honey, he was able to purchase some higher quality beehives, and grown his operation to 32 hives to become the best entrepreneur in the area. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> But he doesn’t just keep this prosperity to himself. Tsuma is a remarkable example of a community leader who has used the knowledge he received to make a difference for his entire community. He regularly mentors others in his village, helping them to grow and harvest bountiful crops of kale, spinach, tomatoes, okra, corn, and other vegetables. By learning to grow such a wide variety of nutritious food, the families in Tsuma’s village have been able to eat well, many of them for the first time in their lives, and they have had extra produce to sell in the local marketplace. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The villagers have gone the extra mile by applying food storage techniques such as drying kale for later use. This has given them the ability to make double the profit by selling kale during the dry season when it is usually not available. The proceeds from the sale of produce have helped many of them to afford school fees for their children, and set up a group bank account. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[INSERT PHOTO #08: TSUMA BEEHIVES]</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Caption:]</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> With the proceeds from his homemade beehives Tsuma was able to buy better manufactured beehives. He now has over 30. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h4 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Precious Gift of Gratitude:</span></h4><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When Lonny Ward was serving as Feed The World SRA’s Director of Operations, he visited Kenya and met with Tsuma to see the incredible work he was doing. In an effort to show gratitude for the prosperity brought to their village through the training program, Tsuma offered Lonny the gift of a chicken. Though this may appear to be a small token, Lonny recognized that giving up a chicken is a huge sacrifice for anyone living in this rural village. He remarked, “To give one of their chickens is a fortune, and I felt very honored that he appreciated our teaching so much.”</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Knowing that he could not take a chicken back to the United States on the plane, Lonny suggested that Tsuma give the chicken to someone else in his place, and train that person on the proper care and breeding of the chicken. He requested that when he visited Kenya again in a few months, he would like to meet the person who had received the chicken to see how his or her life had changed as a result of this priceless gift. Tsuma eagerly accepted this suggestion to “pay it forward,” and was able to introduce Lonny to the lucky recipient on his next visit to the country. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With his hardworking mindset, his generous spirit, and his entrepreneurial talent, Tsuma is an example of a person who is willing to take chances, improve his life, and make a difference in his entire community. Because of his enthusiasm to learn and share with others, countless lives will be touched by sub-chief Tsuma of Gona, Kenya. This is just one example of how empowering individuals with knowledge and confidence can make a lasting change for an entire community.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Step Two: Decide on Program Level</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once resources have been identified in the new area, and relationships have been nurtured, the next step is to decide what level of training should be started. All program levels teach five modules based on the SSAM: (1) Nutrition and Hygiene, (2) Sequential Gardens, (3) Field Crops, (4) Small Animals, and (5) Economic Independence. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, there are three basic program levels that define how much direct involvement SRA staff members will have with the participating families. Deciding which program level is appropriate will be based on the local needs, community resources, partnering organizations, and the level of enthusiasm from the leadership and influential families in the area. Following is a brief description of each level to explain the differences between the different types of training and involvement.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Level One Program</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A level one program is an intense and in-depth implementation of the SSAM, taught by SRA staff directly to participants. Traditionally based on full implementation of the original Benson model, the goal of a level one program is total nutritional self-sufficiency for the family, without need for outside resources. Those involved in the original level one program were required to have access to at least one hectare (2.5 ac.) of land, which would provide them with enough room for planting gardens and housing animals, plus adequate crop space to produce food for animal and human consumption. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In recent years, due to our work in areas where people are unable to access large amounts of land, individuals with less than 2.5 acres have been able to participate in a modified version of the level one program. Even with land restrictions, these participants are able to significantly increase their self-reliance and economic independence. The main feature of all level one programs is a one-on-one, in-depth, long term approach, taking a family from two to five years to complete. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SRA currently operates a level one training program in northern Ecuador in which our staff technicians directly teach our participants improved agricultural techniques. This program, based primarily in the Imbabura Province, is operated by staff members who live and work there, in their native country of Ecuador, with the assistance of the U.S. executive team. Our Ecuador training is the beneficiary of a unique cooperative arrangement between several organizations, including the Ecuadorian federal government and the regional government. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The federal government provides specific funding for community development, but with a stipulation that the local leadership must spend 10% of the grant money on agriculture training. In the local areas, the officials elected to run these development programs must report back to the federal government about the use of funds. The partnership with SRA provides officials with an accurate measurement of results to use in their reports. Our staff administers the baseline surveys and runs the technical training, making it easy for the government officials to show progress among the people and continue to receive their federal funding.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The drawback of a level one program is that the organization will spend a tremendous amount of resources, money, staff time, and effort on a relatively small number of people. That said, the biggest advantage of a level one program is that those who finish the training are fully able to take care of themselves for the rest of their lives - an achievement of astonishing and lasting impact. Many of these graduates go on to teach and mentor others in their communities, extending the impact further. Any organization implementing a level one program will be able to fully and accurately measure a dramatic change in the abilities, education, and nutrition level of each individual who completes the instruction. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Using the level one model, hundreds of families have graduated from SRA’s training, based on the principles of the SSAM. Participants are qualified to graduate when they have grown and stored one year’s supply of food, and two year’s supply of seeds for planting. They have demonstrated comprehension and utilization of important nutrition and hygiene principles. They have shown proficiency in maintaining a sequential garden, and know how to supplement their diets by raising small animals for protein. They have been taught how to manage their household income and prepare for the future. These parents are truly prepared to care for their families for years to come, and their children are prepared to carry on the legacy for generations. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Level Two Program</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Due to the impressive measurable success achieved with participants in the level one program, SRA leadership desired to find a way to expand the reach of the SSAM training principles. Recognizing that thousands of people need to be taught these fundamental agriculture skills which can provide lasting freedom from poverty and hunger, a level two program, otherwise known as “Train the Trainers” was developed. This makes it possible to have a positive influence on many more villages, using trained government extension workers and an abbreviated version of the SSAM-based training. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For example, in the Piura Peru area, we piloted a level two program in which our staff teaches the SSAM to native individuals who already have college level education in agriculture-related field. These non-staff trainers are paid by the regional government, expanding our reach to new villages, so we can help more families. By implementing this “Train the Trainers” program, we have been able to impact many more people, which is one of the biggest benefits of a level two program. In fact, last February there were an impressive 148 families that completed the training, and a joyful celebration was held in the capital city to recognize what they had accomplished. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our training in Peru is run through a cooperative arrangement with local government and educational institutions. The University provides garden seeds as well as animals for those participating in our courses. The regional government of Piura helps our staff select technicians to be trained, and pays their salaries. The local government pays for the fuel, transportation, meals, and housing of SRA staff who are training the new technicians in the villages. With this kind of local support, our level two program is expanding, making it possible to teach 10 to 20 times more people for a greatly reduced cost per participant. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a level two program, attendees receive a thorough but shorter training on each module: (1) Nutrition and Hygiene, (2) Sequential Gardens, (3) Field Crops, (4) Small Animals, and (5) Economic Independence. The hired technicians are given incentives when their apprenticed families succeed, helping them feel ownership over the results. It is important to provide recognition to those who have completed the course, and continue to provide follow-up support until they are able to succeed on their own. For this reason, the technicians should spend approximately one to two years visiting, mentoring, and guiding each participating village, helping participants to fully implement the new agriculture skills into their lives. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After completing the program, graduates have learned how to grow and store much of the food they need to feed their families, and will have a supply of two plantings-worth of seeds to protect against crop failure. These villagers will have been taught how to form co-ops and make trades with their neighbors for additional resources that they need. They will also have been introduced to methods for marketing their surplus products to generate income for school fees, clothing, and other needed resources.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Level Three Program</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The level three program was developed to fill the needs of organizations who are interested in implementing SSAM training in an area where we do not currently operate. In a level three program, the five modules of the SRA model are taught to the organization requesting assistance, but will be implemented primarily on their own, with some guidance and support from us.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are numerous reasons why a level three program is the best fit for some situations. One of the most common problems that NGOs may have with implementing a full program in a new area is a lack of funds and resources to support expansion. Expenses incurred would include hiring an in-country staff, procuring training facilities, paying for U.S. staff to visit and supervise the new staff, plus accounting and administration costs. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Other challenges may include an inhospitable political climate, saturation of other NGOs in the area causing the government to limit access to new organizations, or cultural situations that are unfriendly to foreign involvement. Sometimes the group requesting the training already has a successful charity program in place, and they just need SSAM training to take it to the next level. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whatever the reason, level three programs generally begin when an organization requests training after seeing or hearing about the lasting impact of the SSAM-based model. Upon request, an SRA staff member will consult with the organization to determine what level of participation is desired and feasible. Representatives of the requesting organization will be trained in an overview of the program, preferably on-site at a level one or level two project location. The outside organization pays all costs for travel, training and educational materials. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once the training is completed, the requesting organization has the responsibility to implement the program primarily on their own. A SRA staff member is available to consult with them remotely using internet and phone. This type of cooperation between two organizations with similar goals results in a desirable situation where the successful principles of the SSAM can be taught and spread widely to regions of the world that might not otherwise be reached. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[INSERT PHOTO #09: MALI WOMEN’S GROUP]</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Caption:]</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Lonny meets with a women’s garden group in Mali to teach them some of the basic principles of the SRA model. This area has begun a level three program with the support of the Ouelessebougou Alliance.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Step Three: Hire and Train Program Staff</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once a decision has been made about which program level will be implemented, it is important to send in a team to oversee the hiring and training of the local staff. This hiring team may include organization leadership, paid consultants, and knowledgeable volunteers who can travel to the country to assess the local situation and help the new staff learn everything they need to know about running the program. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The hiring team should be chosen carefully from among those who understand work in developing countries, and include experts in all five modules of the SRA model, namely: (1) Nutrition and Hygiene, (2) Sequential Gardens, (3) Field Crops, (4) Small Animals, and (5) Economic Independence. It is helpful to include people on this team who understand best practices in education methods, as well as individuals who are already familiar with the target country and its cultural uniqueness. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the training team interviews potential staff members, they should be looking for individuals who are already well-trained technicians with a good work history. Preferably these staff members will be natives of the country in which the program is being developed. Where such individuals cannot be found, experts from developed countries can be brought in, but they will have the additional challenge of learning how to thoroughly understand the community and become fully accepted by the people.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The competence of an organization’s in-country staff is extremely important because they are the “boots on the ground” who will be running the program daily. Those native individuals who have already succeeded in a difficult environment can become role models to show participants that it is possible to rise above their circumstances and find success. By minimizing needless regulations on the staff, they will be enabled to respond to individual needs and have the power to respond quickly to emergency situations when needed.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Though the new staff will already be educated in their field of expertise, they will need to be taught the specifics of the SRA model by the hiring team. Once in-country staff is properly trained, the real magic begins as participants are identified and instructed, and lives start changing. As each outstanding individual achieves success, neighbors will see what is happening, and long to participate. This creates a chain reaction as villagers they begin teaching one another, changing their community, one individual, and one family at a time. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[INSERT PHOTO #10: SRA Staff Peru]</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Caption:]</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Our Feed The World team with the local trainers in Frias, Peru.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Step Four: Recruit Participant Families</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The next step is to start meeting with local villagers to find those who are most likely to implement and benefit from participation in our program.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These new participants are selected based on their nutritional and financial needs, their physical and mental ability to follow the training, their available space, and their enthusiasm for learning. Since our team will have already established a good relationship with the local leaders, they can be a good resource for recommendations, since they know their own people better than we do.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In every community, there are people whose behaviors make them more likely to find solutions than their peers, even in a situation with similar challenges and without extra resources. As a presentation about the SRA program is given to the local families in a new area, it quickly becomes clear which individuals stand out in the community. By working primarily with these individuals first, we are able to get a fast start in the community by teaching those who are the most enthusiastic about our ideas and will be more likely to pass on the skills to others, with or without outside encouragement. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We have found that helping those individuals who can succeed faster creates a model of leadership and enthusiasm, lifting the community faster than if we were to target primarily those in greatest need who might not have the ability to learn and apply the principles as quickly or thoroughly. This approach is different than those which focus on the people with the greatest need first. We have found that over time, working with the most enthusiastic families first will make a faster and longer lasting impact on the community for years to come.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fabiola: A Shining Example of Community Leadership</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the northern part of Ecuador, there is a village called Cochas-La Merced where an exceptional woman named Maria Fabiola Churuchumbi Sandoval lives and works. She is one of the leaders and mentors in our Ecuador program, having taken the training to heart and expanded her own learning beyond what was taught to her by our staff. Fabiola cares for her aging parents and helps support her extended family with what she can produce on a small plot of inherited land that has been passed down for generations. Many of the villagers in her community live in small adobe houses, which they share in multiple-family arrangements. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When Fabiola first found out about the training in her hometown of Cochas through local community leaders, she was skeptical. Her village had never had such an opportunity, and the principles being introduced were unfamiliar to her. Fabiola described her situation this way:</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Before I was introduced to the program, I cultivated my plot in a rudimentary way. I lived with my animals inside the house. I used to get sick more frequently. I was not aware I should have the house clean, and wash hands before eating. I did not have any idea of how to eat varied food, and I did not know about vitamins, protein, or fiber. I did not know how to store food for my family.”</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h4 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Family Impact:</span></h4><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Fabiola’s condition changed dramatically after her participation in SRA’s program. She eagerly absorbed everything she was taught about the importance of nutrition and found fulfillment in discovering how to provide nutritious food to her loved ones on a daily basis. Rather than growing only corn, wheat and barley, and selling most of it to try and make a living, Fabiola’s garden now has additional vegetables such as carrots, onions, chard, cabbages, spinach, and much more. This thriving sequential garden provides essential nutrients for her family’s diet throughout the year. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As she learned about proper hygiene practices, Fabiola worked hard to make her home as clean and functional as possible. In fact, after visiting her home for the first time, Lonny noted that her personal external bathroom and shower area was cleaner, neater and more functional than all the other restrooms he had experienced anywhere else in the country, including restaurants, tourist attractions, and service stations.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fabiola has also developed a successful guinea pig breeding program to provide important protein in her family’s diet. Through her resourcefulness, she was able to figure out a solution to a problem she had with the male guinea pigs fighting each other. She discovered that castration was a practice that would help the males get along better. But rather than waiting for a technician to come do this for her, she learned how to do it herself and took the initiative to fix all of her male guinea pigs, so she now has much less fighting among the males. This is just one example of how a motivated person, with just a little bit of focused education, can move beyond the basics that she has been taught.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fabiola described the change in her own words: “I was blessed with this program. Now we are very happy; I have knowledge of a different reality. I now know how to cultivate a variety of crops of different nutritional values for use in feeding my family. I have learned how to raise small animals in a better way. I know how to save food for future consumption, and I store the food I harvest from my plot, to mix with vegetables that I grow in my own garden. I never ate so many vegetables as I do now.”</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[INSERT PHOTO #11: Fabiola and Lonny]</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Caption:]</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Fabiola Churuchumbi showing her abundant crops to Lonny on his visit to Cocahs Peru.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h4 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Community Impact:</span></h4><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">More villagers from Cochas are becoming involved in the program after seeing the positive results in Fabiola’s household. They are becoming aware of their ability and responsibility to feed their families nutritious foods, and the benefits they will receive from improving their diets. The villagers have seen difference in the homes, gardens, and health of those participating, and they are very excited with the results. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Through participation in SRA’s instruction, Fabiola has gained incredible confidence in her own abilities, and was able to discover her natural talent for leadership. She is looked up to by her peers, and has become a community leader in her village. Because of Fabiola’s help, our staff was able to move quickly as she helped organize her people so SRA technicians could teach more efficiently. One of Fabiola’s most impactful projects was to develop a cooperative agreement with her neighbors to take their produce to the larger community markets so they can get a higher price for them. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When asked about the impact on her village, Fabiola said, “The program has influenced the community in a very good way, and I recommend it to the families that are not involved. The families that are not part of the program have seen the change in our participants’ crops, animals, and the knowledge of nutrition for our families. More people are now involved in the program and are aware of the responsibility they have to feed their families well. We are very excited.”</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[INSERT PHOTO #12: Cochas Women]</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Caption:]</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Cochas women prepare their surplus harvest for the market.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h4 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">International Impact:</span></h4><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of our donating partners, Thriving Nations, was so impressed with Fabiola’s success, that they flew her to the United States to participate in their 2013 convention. She had never left Ecuador, had never been on an airplane, and had never seen snow, turned on a shower, or ridden an escalator. It was quite the experience for her, and she stole the show during her speech. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fabiola stood courageously in front of a large auditorium of people and shared her story, then concluded by saying, “I really want to thank all the people that work with us, from the technicians we see every week, to the people in other countries that we have not yet met. Thanks to each one of you for all the efforts you make to help us. Thank you, thank you, thank you, and may God bless you always.”</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The audience erupted into applause, and as Fabiola received a standing ovation, many tears were shed. It was obvious to those who had contributed in a small way to her success, that the program they were participating in was making a real difference in people’s lives because it had the potential to create lasting change for generations.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Step Five: Administer Baseline Questionnaire</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before starting the training, it is important to administer questionnaires and gather baseline statistics about the current nutritional and economic status of each family participating in the program. This includes physical measurements such as height and weight of each person to assess wasting and stunting. The survey should also gather information about current crops being grown in the area, how much land is available for cultivation, possible water sources nearby, and organic matter availability. The format for the baseline survey we use was developed using the “Basic Human Needs Assessment Tool” created by the Benson Institute. Information on this tool can be found in the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Appropriate Technologies” chapter by Richard Brimhall</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the past, SRA staff members directly administered these extensive questionnaires. Since most participants are not able to read or write, all questions had to be asked verbally, so gathering all of the needed information took several hours per family. As the level two program of “Train the Trainers” was implemented, many more people became involved, and it was soon evident that the survey process needed to be streamlined. To meet this need, the questionnaires were simplified to decrease the number of questions, without compromising the quality of the information received. In addition, educated individuals from local universities and the community were trained on how to administer the baseline questionnaires and evaluations. A copy of the questionnaires used by SRA can be found </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in the Appendix</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Likewise, when there are extremely large numbers in a village or community who are participating in the training, it may be advisable to take a statistically significant sampling of those chosen for the program, rather than administering questionnaires to every single family. This gives a good baseline overview of the entire population and provides a recorded measure of the starting point of the target community, which is critical for showing results as the training progresses. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The baseline survey and follow-up questionnaires produce data that is critical to helping organization donors see how their financial contributions are making a difference in the lives of the people. This data assists administrators in determining the areas where the most help is needed. As further questionnaires are administered over the course of the program, the staff and management are able to see where adjustments should be made to improve results. By having an accurate measure of the starting point and progress of each family, the entire program is more effective and change is easier to measure. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once these four steps have been completed, SRA begins our hands-on courses in the five parts of our model: (1) Nutrition and Hygiene, (2) Sequential Gardens, (3) Field Crops, (4) Small Animals, and (5) Economic Independence. We will now describe each of these modules in detail, with a goal to provide students, academicians, and NGO leadership with a practical example to assist them in the development of their own programs.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Module One: Nutrition and Hygiene</span></h1><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In many developing countries, malnutrition and poor hygiene are two of the main causes of sickness and death among rural families, particularly affecting the growth and development of children. By teaching the importance of proper nutrition and good hygiene practices, many illnesses can be decreased, enabling children to enjoy better growth and educational performance. Once parents understand how critical proper hygiene and good nutrition are for their children, many of them will concentrate their efforts on following the program outlined for them. A high rate of compliance improves not only the life of each family member, but makes a large impact on a community. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teaching Nutritional Self-Sufficiency</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By focusing on nutrition first, program teachers emphasize how critical it is that participants go to the extra effort of raising a variety of vegetables for their daily food consumption. Each individual is taught the importance of eating a complete and balanced diet rather than planting and consuming only one crop. Farmers who monocrop generally eat a meager diet and sell their extra harvest to purchase expensive produce in the marketplace with their limited cash funds. As they learn how to use their own gardens to feed themselves a variety of food from the different food groups, it is possible, often for the first time in their lives, for the entire family to eat a variety of nutritious foods every day.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Designing a Nutrition Plan</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With the data from the baseline questionnaire, a healthy diet is designed for each family to teach them what foods they need in their daily meals. They will be taught about the importance of eating a variety of foods each day, and how to prepare a weekly menu that addresses complete nutrition needs, adding greater variety and quantity of foods than they have been used to eating previously. The family members will strive for complete nourishment as they begin to understand how a proper diet impacts their growth, learning, and health.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The process of helping each participant improve their nutrition involves detailed planning to help them identify and gather the resources to plant and grow the right foods. Providing adequate sustenance for each member of the family includes increasing their awareness of the varying nutritional needs of fathers, mothers, youth, children, and babies. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By partnering with university professors and students, such as BYU’s “International Nutrition” class, we have been able to properly design menus based on the foods that grow well in each area. Once each household diet is planned, staff members help the participants learn how to grow, prepare, and consume the foods based on their individualized plan. For more information on principles of nutrition in developing countries, see the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Nutrition” chapter by Paul Johnston</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Food Preparation</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is important to employ a full time in-country nutritionist who can teach the class members how to prepare and consume the proper amounts of vegetables to meet their dietary requirements. They should also be taught how to prepare the food safely, avoiding unsanitary cultural practices that could put family members at risk. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One challenge is helping everyone to enjoy the foods that are unfamiliar to them in the beginning. To assist them with this transition, the nutritionist helps those responsible for cooking to learn appealing ways to combine the new foods into culturally common dishes using delicious recipes and familiar spices.They are encouraged to add a few new foods at a time, helping them become accustomed to the new food until they develop a taste for it. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the class members are taught how to make simple recipes, a hands-on demonstration helps them learn how to prepare the food properly so they can duplicate the recipes at home. One assignment given to the participants is to make one new dish every day at home, and report on how well their family liked it. The nutritionist can use this information to help them find other recipes and foods that they will like. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Using the information from the customized nutrition plan, the staff designs a sequential garden plan for each home, teaching them to grow the vegetables most needed to improve their diet. (For more information on gardening techniques, see the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Sequential Gardening” chapter by Alan Silva</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.) In most areas there are some wild plants that the families consume. The technicians analyze the nutrient content of these native plants and incorporate them into the meal plans. The key is to identify and use all available resources to increase the level of nutrition.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kitchen Cleanliness </span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In conjunction with learning about food preparation, program participants are taught the basic fact that a healthy kitchen equals healthy food. No matter how nutritious the food, it needs to be properly prepared in an orderly and clean kitchen in order to assure its healthfulness. Family members are taught about the importance of washing hands before and after handling food, and are helped to provide a place for washing in their home kitchens. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They are assisted with creating a better cooking arrangement, and making sure that smoke from a cooking area is diverted to the outside instead of smoking up the inside of the home. Clearing the kitchen of smoke creates a dramatic change for these families. In fact, in a presentation to donors in 2014, James Mayfield referenced a study which reported a longer life expectancy for women simply from helping them to install brick ovens that vented to the outside of their homes. Without such an intervention, many rural women in developing countries will spend much of their day working inside a smoke-filled kitchen, dramatically reducing their health and life expectancy.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After being taught about cleanliness and order in their kitchens, individuals are taught best practices in food preparation, including the habits of protecting, covering and saving food properly. They are also taught the correct way to wash dishes and immediately after every meal to eliminate bacterial growth. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Food Preservation and Storage</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Learning to preserve and store food is a critical skill because it provides villagers with a way to achieve nutritional security year-round. With sufficient stored provisions, program graduates will be better prepared for emergencies, crop failures, and other life challenges. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Staff teachers explain which types of foodstuff are appropriate to store, and the proper storage methods for each. Class attendees are taught the conditions needed for proper food preservation, including storage basics such as maintaining ideal temperature, improving security against rodents, using the right types of containers, dealing with humidity issues, and observing cleanliness habits.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In rural areas, most households do not have access to refrigeration, so this is not an option for food preservation. Even with this limitation, families can learn to store by drying, or dehydrating, their harvest. Simple solar dryers are one way to achieve this, and can usually be constructed using locally available materials. The key with drying food is to expose the vegetables to the heat from the sun without allowing insects to contaminate it.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Salt is another product that can be used for food preservation. When applied to vegetables, salt causes the water to evaporate out of the cells, leaving a cured product that will store for long periods of time. The downside of this technique, of course, is that the food is very salty. Therefore, the use of salt for preservation varies based on the local tastes of the target population. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once food is preserved, it is important to find a good place for storage to protect it from contamination, pests, and theft. Food storage mentoring should include teaching methods for building appropriate facilities, whether in the home or in a separate building. Appropriate assignments for each household include gathering construction materials, assembling containers, and building home pantries. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Water is critically important to prepare and store in preparation against drought and other emergencies. Participants are taught what steps they need to take to obtain clean water and how to store it in containers, either inside the home, or in the soil. They are mentored in learning proper procedures for storing water, how much water they need over time, and how to select a good storage location. For more information on international water needs, see the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Water” chapter by Jack and Andrew A. Keller</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yohan and Agnes - Living a Happy Life</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yohan and Agness Gideon, along with their 5 young children, graduated from SAFI school in 2011, and have seen dramatic changes in their lives since completing SSAM training. They share their gratitude for their improved way of life, saying that the model should be taught to many others in Malawi, because “people should live happy lives.” </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yohan shares his story this way: “The education I received from SAFI has helped me improve my family’s hygiene and standard of living. I learned how to improve our diet that we eat as a family. I also learned how to manage my land and add value to my produce so that, like a business, I can sell my produce to earn income for my family. There is a great improvement in my crops since I went to SAFI. Before, I would get about 18-20 bags (50kg or 110 lbs) of food from a quarter hector (.62 acre) of land. Now, after attending SAFI, I get about 80 bags from the same plot of land! That is a big change. We will save enough food to last a year, and then I will sell the extra to buy clothes for my family.”</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Agness shares what she was taught and says, “I am thankful for the knowledge I gained from SAFI. It has helped a lot because now our children are eating well, they go to school, and have a brighter future.”</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teaching Proper Hygiene Habits</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In developing countries, many rural villagers do not have adequate toilet facilities, and in some cases they have none at all. They are often not aware of the importance of good personal hygiene habits such as washing their hands, nor are they aware of the dangers of uncleanliness and how it affects life and health. Consequently, many contagious illnesses such as diarrhea and parasite infestation, which are quickly addressed in developed parts of the world, can quickly become fatal in an impoverished area. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sickness and disease may be greatly reduced in rural villages by teaching a series of basic lessons on hygiene, helping individuals understand the importance of it, and training the entire community on the proper disposal of waste. Hygiene classes should include the following topics that will help individuals take better physical care of themselves and their environment.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Personal Hygiene</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first part of hygiene training is to help the villagers understand that personal cleanliness leads to better health. Teaching basic principles such as the definition of cleanliness, and the diseases associated with filth, helps them see the benefits of keeping themselves and their surroundings cleaner. These basic practices are quite different than how many of them have traditionally lived, with common behaviors such as drinking from the same water hole where clothing is washed, and where animals and people bathe and defecate.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">During the hygiene module, participants are taught to keep drinking water sources separate from those used for bathing and washing their clothing. They also learn about the benefits of oral health and how to keep their teeth and gums clean daily. As class members are taught about the habit of washing their hands throughout the day, they are encouraged to keep a record of how often these various activities occur for at least a week. A written record helps the people and the teachers to see where improvements can be made and what to teach next. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Human and Animal Waste</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A proper hygiene program will include teaching about the components of human and animal waste and the health complications of accidental consumption, including illness, disease, and parasites. People should be taught the importance of limiting their exposure to waste, and keeping living areas clean. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In one situation, village children in Malawi were eating a more nutritious diet, but the technicians were not seeing improvements in their health as they had expected. When they investigated, they realized that the small children were in the habit of picking up and eating the chicken feces. This toxic material was ingested, which damaged their intestinal papillae and counterbalanced the improved nutrition, so the children’s growth was hindered. When the problem was discovered, animals were given proper housing and the villagers were taught to keep their children away from the feces. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As communities are taught the critical importance of disposing properly of human waste, they are also given instruction on building a latrine and a washing station for the villagers to use. They are also taught how to handle waste when there is no latrine available, such as when they are away from home, or when there are not yet materials available for building one. All of these lessons help them make their living surroundings much cleaner and habitable, benefiting the entire community. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maintaining Health and Safety</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After teaching them about the importance of cleanliness, it is important that participants learn other habits to help them stay healthy. This includes teaching about proper child growth and development, keeping records, having a balanced lifestyle, getting proper amounts of sleep, and keeping up on appropriate immunizations. Individuals are encouraged to begin applying a new healthy habit and to report back to the teacher on their progress. They are mentored in persevering at their new habit until it becomes part of their lifestyle.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another important aspect of teaching about health is safety training. Villagers are taught how to recognize and avoid dangerous places and risky attitudes. They are also taught basic first aid skills, and how to treat common injuries in the field and the home. They are given basic lessons on diagnosing common injuries and how to treat them when they occur, as well as how to create a basic first aid kit to keep in their homes. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Keeping the House Clean</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Along with the rest of the teaching about hygiene, participants are taught about the benefits of keeping their dwellings clean for better health and safety. Before this training, it is not uncommon for villagers to allow farm animals to wander freely inside their homes, making it nearly impossible to keep their surroundings germ-free. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As they learn about the diseases associated with unclean living conditions, and the benefits of better hygiene, these people become enthusiastic about cleaning their surroundings. This excitement is fueled with hands-on lessons about keeping their house clean, clearing away waste and garbage from the yard, keeping food items off kitchen floors, and creating separate living quarters for their animals. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For an assignment, each family is asked to keep a record of their home cleaning, and how well they are able to keep it clean with the lessons they have been taught. One of the favorite jobs of staff is to take before and after pictures of participant homes and kitchens to show their remarkable progress in these areas. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[INSERT PHOTO #13: Clean Kitchen]</span><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Caption</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: A program graduate enjoys cooking nutritious food in her clean and orderly kitchen.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Theo and Juana: Improving Health with Nutrition and Hygiene</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Theophilus and Juana Santos Briceno live with their family in a small community in the Piura Region of northern Peru. They work hard to financially support their grandmother and their 3 children: Gonzalo, Jordi, and Mileidy, ages 17, 11, and 6, respectively. Before starting the program, their two youngest children had been diagnosed with chronic malnutrition. Thanks to their participation and application of sustainable agricultural practices, their children now eat a nutritious diet and are enjoying good health. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One thing that helped the Santos Briceno family the most was learning how to keep animals out of their home. They explain this change in their own words: “</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We did not know that there must be a division between the kitchen and the animal corral. Now we have built a bamboo wall to create more order in the house, have also made tables to lift the pots that used to sit on the ground.” Simple changes like having a private space for their animals has contributed to keeping the kitchen clean and sanitary, and helped the family members to stay healthy.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Theo and Juana have been taught how to take care of their animals better, creating separate pens for chickens, ducks, and pigs. They also learned how to give deworming treatments to help the animals stay healthier and provide better food for the household. Thanks to these simple changes, th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">e entire family is enjoying a much better quality of life.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Theo has worked hard in his field to implement multi-cropping instead of just planting one or two cash crops. This has given him better financial stability against drought and market price swings, because he is not placing all of his hopes on selling only one crop. With this knowledge, Theo has begun growing a variety of food such as legumes, grains, root crops, and forages for his animals, as well as fresh vegetables for his household’s diet.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Theophilus is extremely enthusiastic, and eager to participate in all of the training classes that </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">are</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> provided. He is currently learning how to make his own compost to help his crops and garden become more productive and successful. This family is well on its way to a self-sufficient and more fulfilling life. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Module Two: Sequential Gardens</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></h1><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A sequential garden refers to a garden that uses the technique of planting different vegetables in a rotational sequence, spacing the plantings to provide a continual harvest. This technique helps maximize the productivity of a small garden space, and prevent soil depletion and plant disease. By teaching participants to plant and care for sequential gardens, most of the vitamins and minerals that they need for their diets are provided. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The ability of a family to build a sequential garden will vary depending on the space available, the climate of the region, and other cultural factors. These variables should be evaluated by agronomy experts to make sure that the type of garden and vegetables suggested are a good fit for the area. Ideally, a demo garden will be started nearby, to provide a place where villagers can be trained and various crops can be experimented with until the team feels confident with the plan. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Planning and Building the Gardens</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Program participants are taught how to create raised beds for their gardens, which keeps the soil and plants protected from foot traffic and pests. They are taught how to plant a variety of healthy foods with staggered planting times, providing a continual supply of fresh vegetables throughout the year. As each food is harvested, class members are taught to replenish the soil with nutrients and immediately re-plant that section of the garden with a different vegetable, helping the soil to remain healthy for growing.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SRA staff helps the families to plan their gardens in such a way that they can enjoy fresh vegetables all year round, based on what grows best in each particular season, foods common to their culture, and what foods they need to fill their dietary requirements. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One important thing to teach the farmers is the value of organic material in providing rich nutrients for their gardens. Before understanding the value of these waste products, many farmers simply discarded or burned them. We teach them to dig a hole in which to put all plant material, including leftover crop stalks, weeds, kitchen scraps, and unusable parts of vegetables from the garden. In this natural process, the organic material is piled and processed over a period of several months to turn it into a very powerful natural fertilizer. The compost is tilled into the garden bed, providing a rich soil in which to grow vegetables successfully.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finished compost can also be processed by soaking it in water, then leaving it to “steep” for several minutes or hours, depending on the concentration desired. The run-off liquid is a powerful liquid fertilizer called “compost tea” that contains a concentrated mixture of compost nutrients. It can be applied to the soil or sprinkled on plants to help them grow and prosper. For more information on the entire process of making and using compost, read the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Composting” chapter by Allen C. Christensen</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Challenges to sequential gardening may include obtaining sufficient water for successful growth, finding adequate available space for planting, keeping gardens protected from stray animals and theft, and political conditions that may limit the amount and type of vegetables that can be grown. Each of these challenges should be met with the full input of the villagers, letting them lead the way to effective solutions, and mentoring them on problem solving so they will be able to succeed on their own when outside support is no longer present. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[INSERT PHOTO #14: Sequential Gardens]</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Caption:]</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> A lead farmer in Malawi works with his children in the thriving sequential garden they have planted together.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fostering Self-Reliance</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When we teach participants about sequential gardening, we focus on sustainable principles of self-reliance. Our overall goal is to encourage the people to work for everything they are given, creating a net gain for the community and our organization. Additionally, we ask our graduates to “pay it forward” to others in the community by teaching and mentoring their neighbors and extended families. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For example, as program participants prepare to plant their sequential gardens, we provide seeds to them in exchange for certain required participation tasks. They must first fence off a garden area, and build raised garden beds for easier weeding and walking between plants. They are taught how to fill the beds with a good combination of organic matter, compost, and soil to produce the best yield possible, and are expected to have this all completed before they are given the seeds. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Helping a family achieve optimum nutrition with the food they grow themselves is the basis for the entire SRA program of self-reliance. By learning basic gardening techniques, participants can significantly improve the nutrition of their entire household. As their health and cognitive thinking improves, they will increase their chances of obtaining a good education, and be prepared for new opportunities in the future. For a thorough explanation of how to design and implement a gardening course, please see the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Sequential Gardening” chapter by Alan Silva</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Module Three: Field Crops</span></h1><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The field crops module includes learning how to successfully plant, cultivate and harvest grains, legumes, and forages. Grains include maize (corn), quinoa, wheat, barley, oats, and rice. Legumes include many varieties of beans and peas. Forages for animal feed include native grasses, alfalfa, and crop residue (stems and leaves).</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Field crops are critically important to the rural villager because grains provide life-sustaining nutrients for people and animals. The main practice of most farmers before completing our program is to monocrop, depending on a successful harvest of only one or two plants to create income. Unfortunately, monocropping does not provide farmers with protection against crop failure or market saturation, both of which are all too common in the developing world. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is important to teach farmers to diversify their crops, just as one would diversify any other investment. This way, if one crop fares poorly, other crops are there to make up the difference. When crops grow well, the household is provided with a variety of foods, increasing the sustentative content of their diets. Following are some topics that are taught to participating farmers to help improve their crop variety and yield. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Land Preparation and Crop Cultivation:</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For the most part, the tilling of the soil in is still done by hand or with a wooden plow pulled by draft oxen. Our farmers are encouraged to till the soil to at least 30 cm deep (12 in.), depending on the type of soil. This kills weeds and loosens the soil so that roots can travel easily to find nutrients. Every couple of weeks during the growing season, the farmers are encouraged to go through the fields and lightly till the spaces between the rows about 3-5 cm deep (1-2 in.).</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are careful to teach participants the principle of minimum tillage, in which the land is disturbed only enough for the plants to grow well, without any extreme disruption. By keeping the ground intact, soil erosion is decreased and a healthy biosphere of microorganisms is maintained. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Conservation Agriculture:</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Conservation agriculture involves teaching families how to grow their field crops efficiently, while utilizing all the resources on the land in the best way possible, and keeping a long term view in mind. In many areas, the land has been farmed for years without consideration for land conservation. For example, the traditional practice is to burn the crop residue after harvesting is over, which depletes the land of valuable nutrients provided by organic matter sources. Teaching rural landholders how to recycle crop residue and other organic materials is an important part of agriculture training.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Proper water management is another important part of land cultivation and conservation. For example, rows of soil mounds and ditches are used to direct water away from the plants during the rainy season, and preserve water during the drier times. Also, combinations of plants and trees can be used in a symbiotic relationship either to increase soil fertility or to protect from pests. For example, marigolds planted around the edge of the garden or field deters insects from attacking the plants. Some species of trees shed leaves that enrich the soil. There are many simple techniques to improve crop yield that also help conserve the land and its natural resources.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Planting and Spacing Issues: </span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The improper planting of seeds is one of the major problems in many parts of the developing world. A typical way of planting crops in some regions is for the farmer to dump five to ten seeds in one hole, and to space these holes one meter (3.2 ft.) apart throughout the whole field. One possible reason for this unusual cultural practice may have developed when farmers only had access to poor quality seeds that did not have a high rate of germination. Overplanting like this may have evolved to compensate for low germination, ensuring that at least one plant would grow in each hole. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today things have changed considerably, and most farmers, even in underdeveloped areas, can access high quality seeds with germination rates of 80-100%. The result of combining old practices with new seeds is that instead of having one or two plants grow in each hole, they end up with four to eight plants growing there. This creates unhealthy competition between the crops, leading to stunted plant growth and poor yield, as well as an inefficient use of land and water.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Farmers in participating in the SRA program are taught by staff to plant only one to two seeds per hole and to space these groups of seeds about 15-25 cm (6-10 in.) apart, arranged in mounded rows that are spaced 60-75 cm (24-27 in.) apart. The closer plant spacing keeps the seeds far enough apart that they won’t compete for nutrients and water, but close enough that the land is efficiently utilized. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The wider row spacing allows plenty of room for easy hand weeding, and helps with plant growth by allowing excess water during the rainy season to be collected in the depressions between the rows. This helps keep moisture in the fields for a longer period of time into the growing season. These simple changes to the crop growing techniques increase crop yield, save water, and protect seeds as they germinate and grow.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When teaching new techniques, it is important to show respect for the farmers and seek to understand the reasons behind their cultural practices. Most of these people are not risk takers, because they depend entirely on their current practices for taking care of their families. Keeping things the way they have always known them feels safe, and it is a scary thing to try something new when everyone they know is doing it the old way. Be sensitive to your participants as you ask them to try new methods, help them understand why the change is being recommended, and encourage them to make small changes over time, patiently supporting them until they succeed.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fertilizer requirements:</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the key elements of our program is teaching the farmers to incorporate the crop residue back into the soil, either by encouraging grazing of animals that process the stalks and leave manure, or by tilling the stalks back into the ground so they can decompose. The organic matter made from stalks and manure acts as a sponge for water, retaining moisture when it rains instead of letting the water wash away the soil as it overflows. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Organic matter also becomes a nutritive environment for a host of micro-organisms and insects which naturally break down non-useable components and aerate the soil, creating pathways for the young roots to stretch out and find more nutrients. As the roots reach further out, the fertilizer provides stability and resources to the plant, greatly increasing the plant’s ability to reach its genetic potential and produce large amounts of seeds.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When the villagers are taught how to plant and harvest sequential gardens, they learn about the value of compost, and the steps in creating rich organic material from readily available scraps and waste products. The compost they have developed during the gardening lessons can also be used on their field crops as a fully-functional natural fertilizer to supplement other organic matter that has been tilled back into the soil. By including both types of organic matter (raw and composted) the plants will be given readily available nutrients, beneficial micro-bacteria, and sponge-like stability. For more information on compost fertilizer, refer to the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Composting” chapter by Allen C. Christensen</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In addition to natural fertilizer, commercial fertilizer may be needed to achieve high production. The most common fertilizer needed is nitrogen, especially if raw organic matter is being reincorporated back into the soil. The most common form of nitrogen fertilizer is urea, which is often readily available to rural farmers through agricultural supply stores in nearby cities. This is an opportunity to help the villagers form a co-op to purchase and transport the commercial fertilizer as a group. By combining efforts and travel, the farmers in the entire area can benefit for a lower cost. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Depending on the soil nutrients in the area, phosphorus and sulfur may also be recommended. In this case, ammonium phosphate (NH</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 9.6px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: sub; white-space: pre-wrap;">4</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 9.6px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: sub; white-space: pre-wrap;">3</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">PO</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 9.6px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: sub; white-space: pre-wrap;">4</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and ammonium sulfate (NH</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 9.6px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: sub; white-space: pre-wrap;">4</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 9.6px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: sub; white-space: pre-wrap;">2</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SO</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 9.6px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: sub; white-space: pre-wrap;">4</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are fertilizers that provide both the nitrogen and minerals needed. It is critical to have a competent crop technician on staff who can assist the participants in evaluating their fertilizer needs and finding a source to purchase commercial fertilizer if needed. For more information on fertilizer requirements, see </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Plant Production” by James H. Thomas</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Irrigation Solutions</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Water is the most critical element for the proper growth and development of crops. In the United States and other developed countries, elaborate systems have been built for distributing the water at the right time for the optimum growth and production of grains, cereals, and forages. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the rural villages of developing countries, there is rarely a good system of irrigation, so crop planting is centered around the rainy season. This cultural practice backfires when there is an extra-heavy rainy season that proves to be destructively wet, causing fields to become waterlogged and useless. Seeds that remain wet for an extended period of time may rot in the ground rather than germinating properly, reducing or even destroying an entire crop. Additionally, heavy rainstorms often wash away seeds, destroying crop germination and yield.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To combat this problem, we teach the farmers to create mounds of soil in rows and to plant their seeds in these mounds. Between the rows we teach them to dig shallow ditches to direct water away from the plants. In case of a heavy downpour, excess water is diverted to the edge of the field. These mounded rows trap the water during the rainy days and hold it for the plant’s use later on in the season. This helps ensure that seeds receive adequate moisture for germination without becoming waterlogged. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Kenya, partnerships with Koins for Kenya and Thriving Nations have enabled us to help the villagers in the community of Peku to dig large surface dams for the farmers to use for irrigation. The families were also instructed on how to dig smaller water-holding ponds close to their homes, providing water for their sequential gardens and home use. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With the water from these two nearby resources, and valuable training in irrigation techniques with hoses and trenches, the water from the large surface dams has increased their crop yields. For more information on water and irrigation, see the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Water” chapter by Jack and Andrew A. Keller</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[INSERT PHOTO #15: Peku Dam]</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Caption:]</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> These children watch the final construction of the Peku dam and anxiously await the time when it will be full of clean water. This installation will save them hours of walking to collect water.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Harvesting Techniques</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most harvesting in developing countries is done by hand and the farmers generally have adequate experience gathering their harvest without outside assistance. Staff technicians can teach farmers new harvesting methods when unfamiliar crops have been introduced to the community, and also help them improve harvest efficiency and yield. For example, in Ecuador, instead of the farm workers shelling the corn by hand as they have done traditionally, we have helped them learn how to use a simple corn harvesting tool that helps them to more efficiently pull the corn off the cobs. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When introducing new techniques, keep in mind that farmers in rural areas may not have access to fuel and spare parts, so encouraging the use of automated harvesting equipment is not generally practical. Instead, observe local traditions, and recommend appropriate technologies that make sense for the culture of the people you are working with.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Grain Storage</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Program technicians help the farmers calculate how much grain, cereal and forages they will need for their household and animals for the entire year. In order to make sure the harvested supply lasts all year long, the villagers will need to be taught proper storage methods for each type of crop. In the rural areas of these countries, finding a good way to store harvested crops can be a challenge.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since electricity and refrigeration are rare, the primary way to store grain is by drying and storing it in a secure place away from pests. Since the crop harvest generally occurs during the dry season, many farmers will leave the grain in the fields to dry before gathering it, or they may gather the stalks first and lay them out on woven mats to let the sun dry them. However, sometimes rodent damage becomes a problem in both of these situations, since there is no extra protection for the finished grain. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Ecuador, villagers have learned to avoid this problem by placing harvested maize cobs up inside the rafters of the ceiling inside their homes. The smoke from the cooking fires helps to dry the seed and also discourages pests from getting into the maize. However, the smoke from an unvented indoor fire can cause health problems by contaminating the lungs of the family. An alternate idea would be to help them create a vent to direct the smoke out of the living area and into a separate storage area where the stalks can be dried.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once grain seeds are dried, they are gathered into large sacks and stored inside a secure building, which is often the home of the farmer. Teachers encourage the course attendees to set aside double the seeds they will need for next year’s planting. These seeds are to be saved instead of being consumed or sold. Having these seeds available for the following season ensures they will be prepared for planting at the beginning of the next rainy season, and that they will have an extra set of seeds to be used in case of crop failure. This helps the villagers to see beyond their immediate needs, and think about self-reliance for long-term success. For more information on Field Crops, refer to the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Plant Production” chapter by James H. Thomas</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[INSERT PHOTO 16: Food Storage]</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Caption:]</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> A recent graduate shows her food storage to the Feed The World staff. Notice the blue plastic on the ceiling protecting carefully stored grain.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Module Four: Small Livestock</span></h1><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To supplement the nutrition provided to each person by sequential vegetable gardens and field crops, an effective self-reliance curriculum will include teaching the families how to start a small livestock program on their property. It is critical to make sure that the organization employs an in-country animal technician who can help each family select appropriate small animals to raise as part of their nutrition project. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The selection of the right animals to recommend as a protein source will be based on the data collected during the baseline survey. This information helps the animal scientist identify how much room is available for raising animals, and which types of livestock will best meet the dietary needs of the family. The technician will also consider important factors such as local customs in regards to meat consumption, as well as availability of livestock in the surrounding areas. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Large Livestock Challenges</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For the majority of our rural villagers, large animals such as cattle and swine are not practical for a variety of reasons. First, large animals consume huge amounts of feed that can be costly to a family just learning the basics of improving crop yields. This one fact means that the majority of small-scale farmers are not prepared financially or logistically to feed a large animal for an entire season.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another problem with recommending large livestock for rural villagers with no access to refrigeration is the sheer volume of meat produced by a large animal such as a cow or pig when it is slaughtered. All at once, as much as 50-200 kg (100-500 lb.) of meat will be suddenly available to consume, which is far too much for one family to eat before it goes bad. All of the extra meat would need to be salted, cured, or sold for extra income. Most of the villagers getting started with animal production are not prepared for dealing with such a large amount of meat at once, so large animals are only recommended when an entire village can purchase and share the animal together as a group. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Small Animals as a Protein Source</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Small livestock is ideal for rural farmers because they are comparatively easy to raise, and when they are slaughtered, the amount of meat harvested is perfect for one family to consume within a day. By learning to raise small animals, they will be able to supplement their diet with protein, and can raise offspring to sell or trade with neighbors. Here are some good options for small animals that usually work well for our participants:</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chickens</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The chicken is the most commonly available animal that works well for the majority of small landholders in developing countries. Chickens have the dual benefit of providing both eggs and meat to supplement the diet with readily digestible protein. A more advanced step would be to raise two different breeds of chickens - one for laying eggs and one for meat, which makes them more productive. Keep in mind that it is important to teach one step at a time so the villagers don’t become discouraged with a complicated setup. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chickens are simple to take care of, needing primarily grain for sustenance. This feed can be easily planned for and raised by the family during the field crops portion of the program. One potential issue with feeding chickens is that if there were suddenly a grain shortage, the people would probably eat it themselves, causing chicken productivity to suffer. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Guinea Pigs</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In South America, the guinea pig is an appropriate cultural choice for a small animal protein source, and is very easy for the farmers to learn how to raise and consume. Guinea pigs are a common food in many South American countries, and their selection as a protein source is ideal because they are easy to slaughter, easy to prepare, and can be consumed by a family in one meal without the need for refrigeration or storage. The advantage that guinea pigs have over chickens is that they thrive on a diet of alfalfa and grasses instead of grain, thus raising guinea pigs eliminates competition for food between the animals and the humans.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbits</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbits are a common food in many countries, and are another good choice for raising as a protein source because they are small, which makes them ideal for families to eat in one day without the need of refrigeration. They have the added benefit of consuming alfalfa and grasses like guinea pigs so they do not compete for human food. One potential problem with raising rabbits for a protein source is that the women and children tend to become attached to them and begin to think of them as pets rather than a much-needed protein source. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is one reason why it is so critical that participants are educated on the importance of protein in their diets, so they will understand the necessity of slaughtering their animals when the time has come. With all small animals, families should be encouraged to think of the animals from the very beginning as a food source, not as a pet. A good practice is to teach them not to name the animals, which will help them to see the animals as nourishment critical to their diet.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goats</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The two main nutritional purposes for raising goats are milk and meat, both of which provide important protein to their diet. The main advantage goats have over other animals is that they can survive when eating almost anything, so careful animal management is not as critical. Throughout the developing world, the majority of goats are used for meat, which provides the animal protein necessary for proper human growth and development. Meat goats also have a high tolerance for getting by on very little food, so they survive well in areas where people’s dietary needs are nearly always placed over animal’s dietary needs. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Milk has been called nature’s most perfect food because it provides protein, fat, vitamins, and important minerals such as calcium. However, because milking goats require more careful management than meat goats, they are not as common in areas where the people are less educated. Due to the subpar management style that is so common in these areas, milk goats typically have low milk production or dry up completely. If a goat is giving milk without proper nutrition, she will usually do so at the expense of her own body condition, and end up starving to death. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Despite these challenges, female milk goats can work very well for farmers who are taught proper management practices. Male offspring are useful for breeding, and can also be slaughtered for meat. Goat milk provides a valuable source of protein, as well as nutrient-rich hydration that is especially helpful to pregnant and lactating women. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Depending on the breed of goat, the forages being consumed, and the supplementation they are given, a single milk goat in one of these areas can produce at least one liter (1.06 qt.) of milk per day. It’s helpful to teach the farmers that if they take care to feed their goats a controlled diet, they will have better tasting milk. Grain supplements may not be readily available in rural areas, so maximum milk production may not be able to be reached. However, under good management practices, a household with a milk goat will have enough milk to see a measurable difference in the family’s health, especially in the growth, cognitive abilities, and development of their children.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sheep</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Depending on the local customs and environment, sheep may be a possible choice for rural farmers to raise. They consume grass and plant forages, so they don’t generally compete for human food. Though sheep are larger than some of the other animals we have discussed, they are usually small enough that most of the meat can be consumed within a short period of time by the family and their neighbors, or cured and stored. In some cultures, sheep are milked for a highly nutritious protein source, though sheep do not give large amounts of milk. Additionally, sheep wool is useful for making clothing, blankets, and rugs, or it can be sold in the marketplace for profit. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Animal Housing</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As part of the small livestock portion of the SSAM, villagers are given hands-on training in building a solid protective structure to house their animals. Besides keeping the animals close for caretaking, animal housing is also important for safety, cleanliness, and good production. Appropriate housing will keep animals safe from attack by wild animals and prevents theft by others in and around the village. Good animal housing also protects livestock from mingling with stray neighborhood animals that may be carriers of disease or parasites. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One critical reason for teaching families to build appropriate animal housing is to help prevent them from keeping the animals in their own homes. It is not uncommon for villagers who recognize the value of their animals to bring them into their own homes at night to keep them safe from wild animals, cold weather, and theft. Unfortunately, having animals wandering freely in and out of the dwelling leads to unsanitary conditions, causing illness and disease. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Animals thrive when placed in better conditions, which promotes increased production of eggs, milk, and offspring, which in turn means more nutrition available for the family diet. An animal shelter protects animals from the elements, provides some protection from illness, and makes it possible to maintain an ideal temperature inside the housing, which lowers mortality rates among young and weak animals. The shelter also makes it easier to provide clean food and clean water to drink, so animals fed inside the shelter receive better nourishment.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The rural poor in developing countries have very few financial resources, and rarely have the ability to travel far to purchase anything, so it is critical for the sustainability of the program that animal shelters be constructed out of locally available material. For example, if a farmer is taught to build an animal shelter with a tin roof, but he has to walk an hour away and spend from his extremely limited cash to buy it, the shelter may never be built. This type of situation causes participants to become discouraged with the instruction and see it as something they cannot achieve. So even if tin is a better alternative than using another material that is available locally, tin would be an impractical choice for that area. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Part of the small-scale agriculture program that is important to long term success in a community is encouraging neighbors to duplicate what they see our participants doing. By building with locally available materials, anyone in the village can copy what their neighbors are doing, which helps them improve their own yards and farms. Besides being more convenient and easy to duplicate, using locally available materials provides benefits the local community and offers opportunities for others who have an entrepreneurial spirit to benefit by providing materials others. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[INSERT PHOTO #17: Livestock Housing]</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Caption:]</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> This young man has learned the importance of having proper housing for his chickens, protecting them from potential loss or danger.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Animal Health and Nutrition</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A nutritional analysis is conducted by the technical staff to see which local animal feed resources will best meet the nutrient needs of the recommended livestock. The choice of animal feed needs to be based on what is easy to raise on the family’s land, because this tends to be the most economical source of feed for the animal. If feed needs to be purchased, participants will be much less likely to feed the animal appropriately because their money resources are very tight. This means that animals with complicated feeding regimens may end up undernourished. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If there is not adequate wild feed for the animal nearby, the technicians will help each person develop a plan for planting new types of forages that will thrive in the area. Ideas for good feeds can be gathered by observing the types of feed that are being raised in neighboring communities, as well as information obtained during the baseline survey.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In developing countries, animals often get sick or die from diseases that are easily preventable with the right resources. The animal scientist teaches the farmers where to obtain the appropriate vaccines to eliminate harmful diseases, as well as how and when to administer them. The technician teaches the farmers about available animal medicines for treating disease, and helps them learn which medications are appropriate for each type of illness. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many animals can reproduce and give birth on their own without much human assistance. However, there are times when problems arise, and the young will need human intervention to survive. An animal technician teaches and mentors them in the basics of assisting animals during birth of offspring and how to care for the young animals until they are sufficiently strong to survive alone. Farmers will also be encouraged to create a breeding program designed to improve the quality of the livestock they have. As part of this training, the participants will learn where and how to purchase more productive animals for use in their small livestock herd.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Harvesting Food from Animals</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Food from animals comes from one of two sources: the products they create, such as milk and eggs, and the meat from the animal itself. SRA staff teaches participating families improved ways of handling the animals to help them become healthier and more productive. They are also taught how to properly care for the animal products so that the food maintains its high quality when consumed. This instruction includes use of proper hygienic techniques when handling the animal products, as well as teaching them appropriate slaughtering techniques, and methods to prepare and preserve the meat. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As with the other modules, the livestock education portion of the program includes lessons from a nutritionist to help the family members to learn delicious ways to prepare and cook the animal food, with recipes that combine animal products with the vegetables and grains grown by the family in their gardens and fields. For more information on implementing a livestock program, see the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Animal Production” chapter by Allen C. Christensen</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Module Five: Economic Independence</span></h1><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first step in helping an individual reach economic independence is ensuring their ability to meet their sustentative needs on a daily basis. This concept is taught, mentored, and reinforced throughout the first four modules of the program that we have covered so far. As participants follow the principles they have been taught, their households will begin to thrive, and their improved nutrition and self-reliance becomes a stepping-stone to true economic independence. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Financial Benefits of Program Participation</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As discussed in the field crops section, before going through our SSAM training, most rural farmers raise only one or two different cereal grains, so their families have not been regularly provided with good variety of nutrients. This situation is risky, because if their crops fail, not only do the farmers lose potential profits, but their wife and children go hungry. Even when their few crops grow successfully, eating only a few basic foods day in and day out does not provide sufficient nutrition for healthy development. Most are not even aware that this is a problem, and if they are, they must spend meager resources to purchase additional expensive food in the marketplace.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As villagers are taught how to grow a variety of vegetables and crops to meet their nutritional needs, they begin to experience an immediate financial advantage. They no longer need to purchase additional expensive food, because they are growing nearly everything they need. By saving the money that they would have spent in the marketplace, there begins to be a significant economic advantage for the families who participate in the program. Perhaps for the first time, there is money to send children to school, and means to purchase much needed clothing and household items. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Food Security for A Year</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In all our projects, we encourage our participants to grow and store enough food and seeds to meet their needs for a year in the event of poor growing conditions and other economic challenges. This kind of preparation mitigates the potential devastating effect of poor weather conditions in their area.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As has been emphasized throughout the chapter, nutrition is the building block of the program and helps the entire family experience more energy, which gives them the ability to become more productive in their daily work. Children benefit by increasing their mental capacity, which gives them more potential to succeed in their educational endeavors. This increased health, energy, and education contributes to a positive momentum that can break the cycle of poverty across generations. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nutrition technicians on staff with the organization can help calculate how much food each household will need to eat nutritiously for a full year. These calculations help guide them as they learn how much of each harvest to eat, how much to store away, and how much they have in excess that can be sold in the marketplace for additional income. For more information on how SRA partners with University students, see the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Nutrition” chapter by Paul N. Johnston</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Identify and Market Surplus Products</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the SRA staff works with the families to set aside their year’s supply of food and two years’ supply of seeds, they help them identify areas where they may have more of a particular vegetable, crop, or animal product than they need. As these surplus products are identified, the staff technicians assist the farmers by helping them find opportunities for profitable sale of their products. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In some cases, the produce from several neighboring farmers can be bundled together and taken to larger markets where a higher price can be achieved. By selling their products in a group, they are able to receive a higher price without each of the farmers incurring the cost, time and expense of traveling to the larger market areas themselves. These farm co-ops may also able to negotiate with purchasers in the market to get a contract for their produce, giving them a constant market for their products at a good price.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h3 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Financial Benefits of Selling Off-Season Crops</span></h3><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a normal part of supply and demand, the market price of a crop is generally lowest at harvest time when everyone is selling. Conversely, the price of each crop increases during the dry season when there is less of it on the market. Preserving crops and vegetables can also be a good strategy for marketing surplus produce. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once the household’s nutritional needs have been met, surplus production can be sold or traded during the off-season for a better price. For example, if the corn harvest takes place in October, its price may be $5/bushel at that time. But in May, when most of the corn in the area has been eaten, the price may go up to as much as $9/bushel. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Families who have learned how to grow and store corn in preparation for the off-season find themselves in a situation of financial benefit. First, they don’t need to purchase any corn for at the expensive price because they have plenty. And second, they have the opportunity to sell their excess storage for a nice profit in the marketplace. Thus having a crop available in the off-season becomes a very valuable source of income that can add to a family’s financial security.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h2 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Responsible Financial Management</span></h2><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">During the process of helping our participants achieve economic independence, in-country staff members teach them basic principles of good financial management. The families and community leaders are shown how proper reinvestment of surplus funds can increase their productivity by giving them additional revenue for future plantings. Each person is also taught the importance of saving money for emergencies as well as larger expenses such as home and farm improvement projects. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By helping the farmers become more productive, they are able to lift themselves to a higher financial level. As they begin to thrive economically, they should be mentored on how to handle these additional financial resources. It’s imperative to discourage less-responsible individuals from wasting extra money on alcohol, drugs, or other damaging habits. High priority financial needs for a family in a developing country include clothing, school tuition, improvements to the home and farm, and savings for times of financial hardship. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In some areas, community cooperatives have been set up where the farmers are able to pool their money in village savings accounts. This money can be used by co-op members for larger farm investments and purchases. As community leaders get on board with this economic training, they are an important source to lead the people in pooling together surplus money to fund community development projects. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Community Co-Op, Gardens and Tilapia Ponds in Guro, Kenya</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> One good example of economic development through a community co-op is in a small village near Guro, Kenya, where villagers banded together their own money, along with government grant money, to create a fish farming enterprise. Near their town was a reservoir that SRA staff recognized as the perfect place for a community garden, since it was right next to a water source. Villagers were enthusiastic, and 19 families were chosen to participate in the project. Our staff helped them set up a co-op with official government recognition, with rules and bylaws to help them stay organized. As a group, they meet each week to discuss plans for the co-op, and attendance is taken at these meetings. Individuals who miss the meeting are charged 10 shillings off their account, and those who are late are charged 5 shillings. This encourages prompt and regular attendance. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SRA staff helped them set up a large garden area with separate plots of land for each of the families. The purpose of giving each family their own section of land was to help them develop a feeling of ownership over the portion of the garden that they were responsible to tend. Produce from each section of the community garden is donated to the group, and sold to neighbors, local schools, and the marketplaces in the larger cities. Though sold cooperatively, each family gets credit for the portion of goods they donated and their sale price. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In addition to the vegetable gardens, a large area for field crops was set up nearby, and a variety of crops were planted. This area provided an ideal location for teaching improved agricultural and irrigation techniques, and added to the villagers’ production of animal food and cash crops. Additionally, the co-op members were mentored as they built gardens near each of their homes, helping them achieve a balanced diet. These home and community gardens provide a number of benefits to the villagers, including improved nutrition, improved economic status, and the opportunity to pool their money for additional investments. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With government recognition, the village co-op was able to access government funds through grants. They used this opportunity to request assistance in building fish ponds near their homes to supplement their diets with protein and provide additional income for their families. The government accepted their grant application, and agreed to pay for tilapia and fish food if the organization could build the ponds with their own funds. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All nineteen families worked together and built fish ponds next to each of their homes. They purchased cement with their joint co-op fund, and worked together to extract sand and gravel from a nearby river. To make the gravel, they had to pound the rocks into smaller pieces. They had to haul the materials, pour the cement, and complete all 19 ponds. Their hard work paid off, and the government donated the tilapia as promised, so each family now has a thriving fish pond next to their home. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The fish is a wonderful addition to their diets, and they sell the extra fish for income to neighboring communities and markets. Through their training and education, plus a healthy dose of entrepreneurial spirit and cooperation, these families in Guro, Kenya have changed their lives dramatically. They benefitted by developing leadership skills, learning how to work with the government, and achieving independence as they developed beyond what the SRA team initially taught them. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In effect, this kind of mentorship helps lift the entire community to a higher level of productivity and economic independence. As a community moves toward economic independence, it is a signal of the true sustainability of the program. For more information on financial independence, see the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: blue; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Economics” chapter by DeeVon Bailey and Ruby Ward</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[INSERT PHOTO #18: Guro Community]</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Caption:]</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Members of the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Guro Community group proudly show off one of the tilapia ponds that they built to provide them with important dietary protein.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><hr /><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">CONCLUSION: ADAPT AND TEACH </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">THE SSAM THROUGHOUT THE WORLD</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><hr /><br /><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This chapter has explained how the core agriculture principles of the Small-Scale Agriculture Model (SSAM) are currently applied in SRA’s training program for rural farm families in developing countries. We teach and mentor in five areas of self-reliance: (1) Nutrition and Hygiene, (2) Sequential Gardens, (3) Field Crops, (4) Small Animals, and (5) Economic Independence. Our model is adapted from the time-tested principles of the SSAM which was developed at BYU’s Ezra Taft Benson Food and Agriculture Institute. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are grateful to the many educators, humanitarians, donors, technicians, and farmers who contributed to this body of knowledge for over four decades. The invaluable studies and experiences of these many individuals and organizations have laid a sure foundation, and made it possible for SRA to help individuals, families and communities to create a better future for themselves.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The SSAM can be adapted for use by any philanthropic organization that wants to make a lasting difference at the grassroots level in the communities where they are working. Though the model was developed over decades of experience and study, its foundation is based on basic principles that can be quickly learned by willing leadership, staff, and volunteers who desire to implement the program. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As this model is adopted and implemented by organizations throughout the world, the incidence of philanthropic ignorance and philanthropic abandonment can be minimized, replaced instead by programs based on self-reliance, sustainable agriculture, and lasting impact.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We encourage other philanthropic and educational organizations to use time-tested principles of sustainable agriculture to help the rural poor of impoverished nations to change their futures for good — one individual and one village at a time. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[INSERT PHOTO #19: Five Areas of the SSAM</span><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">]</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: lime; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Caption:]</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The Five Modules of the SRA training program, based on the Small-Scale Agriculture Model (SSAM)</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><hr /><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chapter Addendum:</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">THE FOUNDATIONAL HISTORY OF SRA</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></div><hr /><br /><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Institute for Self-Reliant Agriculture (SRA), also known as Feed The World, was founded by Michael Bumstead in 2009 with a mission to adapt and apply the principles developed by Brigham Young University’s Ezra Taft Benson Food and Agriculture Institute. Over several decades of work, the Benson Institute had established itself as a leader in solving agricultural problems throughout the world by participating in active research, scholarship, and hands-on experience in many countries. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The founders of the Benson Institute developed a unique small-scale agriculture model (SSAM) that has been successfully applied in a number of developing countries. When SRA was founded, several of the individuals who had been involved with the original Benson Institute joined our organization, with a hope to continue spreading SSAM principles throughout the world. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since its inception, SRA has worked hard to help the rural small landholder to attain nutritional and economic independence. Though the original SSAM has been adapted to accommodate a variety of situations where the full model cannot be implemented, the goal of self-reliance is still the basis of everything we do. Our long-term goal is to spread knowledge of small-scale agriculture principles to many more families throughout the world by sharing our program knowledge and experience with educators and philanthropists who share our passion for finding a lasting solution to hunger and poverty. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Founders, Board, Executive Leadership, and Staff</span></h1><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SRA’s founders, executive team, board of directors, advisory committees, and U.S. staff have included highly respected heads of corporations, top executives from numerous organizations, widely respected agriculture experts, published university professors, and international experts in animal science, meat science, agronomy, microbiology, soil science, nutrition, and animal reproduction. Our team has also benefitted from the participation of experienced professionals in international government, microfranchising, community development, accounting, business, law, linguistics, administration, and technology, all who work hard to help to keep the program running. Many of our team members volunteer their time, with a hope to help make the world a better place.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">SRA’s international staff includes educated professionals who are native to the developing countries where they work and live. Our extraordinary in-country leaders have advanced credentials including master’s degrees and bachelor's degrees, and our in-country staff members include highly skilled, professionally trained technicians. We also employ highly motivated indigenous individuals who form an important link to the community, offering insight and understanding between our organization and participating villages. These qualifications provide our organization with respect and credibility with government agencies and universities in the countries where we work. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18.666666666666664px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Partnerships with Experienced Organizations</span></h1><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Throughout our history, SRA has thrived by partnering with like-minded private, educational, and government organizations to help expand the reach of the successful SSAM. By cooperating and collaborating with our partners and volunteers, we have had access to a large breadth of knowledge and experience with poverty problems and solutions all over the world. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This textbook is the evidence of our emphasis on collaboration. The authors and contributors of this volume have a wide variety of education and knowledge, as well as decades of combined experience understanding and solving agricultural programs in many countries all over the world. By working together with the combined expertise of many such people, this textbook provides a knowledgeable overview to educators and philanthropists. Rather than starting from scratch, those who learn to use the tools and techniques taught in this textbook will be able to more quickly and successfully make a lasting impact on world hunger. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In 2015, a merger was initiated between Feed The World SRA and CHOICE Humanitarian, to bring together the success of our SSAM-based program and their community and leadership development model. As the merger is formalized, The Institute for Self-Reliant Agriculture (now known as ISRA) is transitioning to be an independent research arm under the umbrella of CHOICE programs. Through this new symbiotic partnership, the SRA model training will be expanded to a total of seven countries: Bolivia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, and Peru. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Institute for Self-Reliant Agriculture is excited to continue researching and applying the sustainable principles of the Small-Scale Agriculture Model as we partner with educators, researchers, volunteers, and philanthropic organizations throughout the world. For more information on our programs and materials, or to volunteer time or means, please visit us online at </span><a href="http://www.feedtheworld.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">www.feedtheworld.org</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or contact Lonny and Erika Ward through our personal blog dedicated to our humanitarian work at </span><a href="http://www.ethiopiancowboy.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">www.ethiopiancowboy.com</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div><br /></div>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-12807611552766384782015-01-30T08:17:00.000-08:002023-01-04T14:11:53.870-08:00Ouelessebougou, Mali Wonderful people! This is a report that I prepared for the Ouelessebougou Alliance after visiting their program.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Report prepared for the Ouelessebougou Alliance</span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="56268c0f-3ec2-4b6a-8cb8-db3cf84b5981" id="408d2792-6f2d-4af4-a051-16117771bfd5"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="8840dc53-04d2-4370-96b0-2f263e5e40ea" id="8cddeb77-1f2b-4e35-b71a-2420788b0b80">by</span></span> Lonny Ward, Vice President & Director of Operations, </span><a href="http://feedtheworld.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Feed The World</span></a><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">In my position as Director of Operations for </span><a href="http://feedtheworld.org/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Feed The World</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">, I visited the </span><a href="http://sistercommunity.org/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Ouelessebougou Alliance</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"> project in Mali to evaluate the project and make recommendations for improving the food security of the people in the area. This was a very brief visit, so my observations and recommendations are based on that small snapshot of time. Further study and evaluation should be conducted before full-scale implementation occurs. </span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><a href="http://feedtheworld.org/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Feed The World</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"> has developed very successful programs for teaching and mentoring poor rural farmers, giving them the tools they need to provide for their own nutritional needs and improve their economic situation. This report reviews my observations and recommendations on how the</span><a href="http://sistercommunity.org/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"> Ouelessebougou Alliance</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"> can use some of </span><a href="http://feedtheworld.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Feed The World</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">’s techniques and materials to improve the lives of the poor in Mali.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihF020snNA8TLedGvTckLKaBqp4cB8xCnkPXpovMSdgibuAihZxEOwnuc5XrAk12t6wt8UUBjOxvtUNRkgiWSuiMIFPPiWhdbxxh0VOvryioG0ZP_-UxyI5zYXSEFuAxPVR4appcJbX5P7/s1600/SAM_1118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihF020snNA8TLedGvTckLKaBqp4cB8xCnkPXpovMSdgibuAihZxEOwnuc5XrAk12t6wt8UUBjOxvtUNRkgiWSuiMIFPPiWhdbxxh0VOvryioG0ZP_-UxyI5zYXSEFuAxPVR4appcJbX5P7/s1600/SAM_1118.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the Ouelessebougou Team and Lonny</td></tr></tbody></table><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Observations:</span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">The </span><a href="http://sistercommunity.org/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Ouelessebougou Alliance</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"> <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="7d86728a-df8f-473c-a231-4bf093a39f16" id="f3cc38e8-9bc6-42d2-97e5-8fb54973b711">has been blessing</span> the lives of the people in Mali <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="3ee77103-c232-47a4-bd2a-aada90f8a4fe" id="9451fa85-a0f7-4a32-88d8-fabb30e7887f">for over 20 years</span>. Currently they work in 25 villages, but they have worked with over 50 other villages where they still have connections. They have developed strong relationships in the communities and garnered the trust of the people in the villages where they work. This relationship of trust gives them the ability to teach the villagers efficient farming practices that will drastically improve their nutrition and economic situation. </span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Farming can be a risky business, so changes to long-standing traditions can be very difficult. Because the local farmers trust the </span><a href="http://sistercommunity.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Ouelessebougou Alliance</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">, they are more likely to implement these new techniques that will drastically improve their production. As these principles spread throughout the community, the whole community and eventually the entire country, will benefit.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Religion and Political Stability: </span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">The country of Mali is approximately 95% Muslim. Overall, there is a sense of helping each other among the people. The government is stable, and has a peaceful transition to new leaders every five years. Even though the main political offices change, that doesn’t necessarily mean that all positions change. In fact, most of the lower level government positions are stable and stay consistent in personnel and policy. Mali has a huge range of political parties, but that seems to work well for the country.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">On the local level, Mayors are elected by the constituents, but in the villages, the position of Chief is passed on from father to son. It appears that there is little interaction between the chiefs and the elected government officials. To implement a successful project, the approval of both the chiefs and the elected officials is very important. Before beginning a project, both should be educated on the purpose and scope of the project.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">The Mali government does have agriculture extension officers, and there is agriculture research being done. However, most of this support and information <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="196d95d7-f5ed-4f73-a593-ab8464c723c3" id="ec47e047-ed32-4fbc-abeb-3f5b22981482"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="b0f688ea-c303-4e97-8496-c293dca554da" id="27a94a5f-0ee1-4105-8e26-318d79618594">does not trickle</span></span> down to the villages. Often what <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="26f7e1a7-6fa6-4616-a2f3-2cf49f66472c" id="05196c26-fc1e-4da4-ae22-3ed9eda17331">the extension wo</span>rkers are instructed to teach is too complex for the village farmers. The extension workers feel that they are wasting their time going to the villages, and the village farmers don’t see a lot of benefit in what the government people have to say. If the extension workers are trained on teaching a simple model <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="9f37543a-610c-44ba-a946-fb3892cc3ad9" id="8af8af88-05bd-4bd0-9d2f-771b64fbf2fd"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="60881321-bbc8-4b2b-ab2c-53acffd199e1" id="2bd644f5-a7d1-49c8-b145-ff8c590e5c45">to</span></span> the village farmers, they will see quick result<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="764be2b1-b453-472e-850b-94d973b668f6" id="bb74919b-bacd-4ca9-a124-74c6bc740769">s </span>and gain respect in the eyes of the villagers. The villagers can implement the simple training and have success.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7459786959986292427" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVxSdH9nGYeEDSo3R7tTDCTic2RZQul_QaEXgYeArmRE9ULFwGMZS_qWOyh7JWS-MQMI4JsDOGMMkHZ-Phl7cQd5CozV-Qi_esUfivLZQ4PF62zbenRRXehupSKsp6wbDotQ7jiXS4bGmF/s1600/SAM_1209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVxSdH9nGYeEDSo3R7tTDCTic2RZQul_QaEXgYeArmRE9ULFwGMZS_qWOyh7JWS-MQMI4JsDOGMMkHZ-Phl7cQd5CozV-Qi_esUfivLZQ4PF62zbenRRXehupSKsp6wbDotQ7jiXS4bGmF/s1600/SAM_1209.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0d0e00; font-size: 15px;">An example of the research being done in Mali</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="MsoCaption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7459786959986292427" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7459786959986292427" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">There is </span><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="2c685b7f-71e4-46e1-9ca0-00a1004d3a2d" id="b915ccdc-e7ed-4ca1-9bda-f6b4e38926cc" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">little</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;"> terrorism in Mali except to the far north. Thi</span><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="16484843-f02a-4b16-bfe9-1063e2a70b98" id="0c875b86-0d9c-4733-9ed9-bcebe74112da" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">s stab</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">le environment provides a rich base where progressive change can be implemented. It is critical that the rural </span><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="38c0ef67-c7e0-4e1c-805e-6915690b0c7e" id="746ef2b0-4c41-40b7-b7e6-4c8038f257ae" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">villages</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;"> improve their nutritional situation and econ</span><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="d177767d-01eb-4215-9f07-56652a82badf" id="db1ca3f9-a35d-4ecd-9128-79ae4c5ac932" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">omic sta</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: left;">tus so that they do not fall prey to terrorist organizations that promise prosperity in exchange for loyalty. By teaching these simple yet life changing principles, the country becomes more secure and stable.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">In summary, the conditions are good for an agricultural program to be implemented in Mali. The political climate is stable and the systems are in place that could quickly take the </span><a href="http://feedtheworld.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Feed The World</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"> model forward. Implementing an agricultural program would require acceptance from the leaders and cooperation in the villages.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Current Cultural Practices in Agriculture: </span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Nutrition:</span></u><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">The diet of the rural Malians is very poor and consists mainly of millet, maize, and okra. In some cases, only one or two meals per day are eaten. There is very little or no milk, eggs, meat, or other sources of protein eaten on a regular basis. A few villagers grow gardens with a small range of vegetables. Consequently, the typical Mali diet is deficient in several key ingredients for proper growth and development. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_3" o:spid="_x0000_i1035" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:263.25pt;height:197.25pt; visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Lonny\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image005.jpg" o:title=""/></v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img border="0" height="263" src="file:///C:/Users/Lonny/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image006.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_3" width="351" /><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoCaption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 11.0pt;">Young family with twin babies: Good nutrition for the mother and babies is critical<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Dr. Paul Johnston and his students have studied similar diets in Africa and South America and have developed very good training materials for schools and communities. His work is the basis for the </span><a href="http://feedtheworld.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Feed The World</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"> nutrition component. Dr. Johnston is anxious to help in these developing countries, and looks for opportunities for his students to learn with real world situations. </span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Crops:</span></u><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">In most of the areas that we visited, the farmers raised only a few staple crops. These were usually rice, maize, or millet. The crops are the basis for their diets, and proceeds from these crops are occasionally used to purchase vegetables and fruits to supplement their diets. The prices that they are <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="d016d930-969e-4216-95ab-40a9b6f7f426" id="6715cf30-0cd5-40ee-bd48-1c45a6db2afc">paid</span> for the crops are usually low because of the large <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="08bef295-afcc-4397-a1b7-787d5d30fd5b" id="822b48b0-f5ea-4394-b4d5-7598ed8b3cb5">supp</span>ly that is grown and the fact that most people sell at the same time. The price <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="c11efb84-529c-4cd3-9b66-085e8bcbf49b" id="52b1bf44-1554-4730-8e37-718ee164c970">for</span>vegetables and fruits, on the other hand, is high be<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="dcbadb68-cbcd-4505-ba13-2d9a2f7d40fc" id="3a58e8ea-f5df-403b-b067-d182ddd18332">cau</span>se of a low supply and high demand. By raising their own vegetables in local gardens, the farmers would gain a double benefit. They don’t have to buy vegetables in the marketplace, and any surplus they had could be sold for good prices.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">In the lowlands by the river, rice is grown because of the availability of water by flood irrigation. The Malians have about 14 varieties of rice available to them. The farmer that we talked with uses three of those varieties. The rice is harvested and left resting in bundles on top of the rice stalks for several days to dry. Portable rice processing machines travel around the area pulled by donkeys. Small gas engines power the small machines that thresh the rice from the rest of the plant. The rice is bagged up and sent to be dried, hulled and sold. The rice stalks are often burned near the edge of the field, and the ones that are not burned are used as animal feed. Feeding the stalks to the animals and using the manure as fertilizer is the best way to use the stalks. The animals’ digestive systems break down the fibrous stalks into readily available nutrients for the plants. Stalks that are not needed for animal feed should be <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="1f765906-be49-45dc-a6ae-51e62600b0db" id="7f223242-f2a6-41e2-b54a-29fe8afbe39e">reincorporated</span> back into the soil as composted organic m<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="536fea94-4ca3-4606-92ba-ae2ec70ac15a" id="a460f69f-3a7f-494c-b2a4-7488ec0b48b5">atter, rather </span>than being burned. <o:p></o:p></span></div><table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td height="0" width="0"></td> <td width="262"></td> <td width="54"></td> <td width="279"></td> </tr><tr> <td height="193"></td> <td align="left" rowspan="2" valign="top"><img height="195" src="file:///C:/Users/Lonny/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image009.gif" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_4 Text_x0020_Box_x0020_6" width="262" /></td> <td></td> <td align="left" valign="top"><img height="193" 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cellspacing=0 width="100%"><tr> <td><![endif]> <div> <p class=MsoCaption align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:windowtext'>Gas powered threshing machine<span style='mso-no-proof:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><![if !mso]></td> </tr></table><![endif]></v:textbox> <w:wrap type="topAndBottom"/> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--> <!--[endif]--><!--[if gte vml 1]></o:wrapblock><![endif]--><br /><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Maize (corn) and millet are grown further away from the river because they do not require as much water. They, along with rice, are the basis of the Malian diet. The maize and millet stalks are treated much like the rice stalks, with many of them being burned. This is a waste of nutrients and is harmful to the environment. However, it is apparent why the farmers do this, since burning the stalks is much easier than plowing them back into the field. Without the understanding of how valuable this organic matter is to the soil health, the farmers do not see the need to go to the extra work of plowing it back into the soil. Here again, feeding the stalks to the animals is an even better alternative because they are quickly turned into valuable nutrients. In some cases, farmers allow pastors to bring their animals <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="bdddb5b5-7466-48dd-9583-4bf9e936d0bd" id="81942de1-73e1-47e8-993c-c21de03e14c9">into</span> the fields and graze after the crops have been harvested. This is a very desirable practice, adding value to the soil.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_8" o:spid="_x0000_i1034" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:243pt;height:182.25pt; visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Lonny\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image011.jpg" o:title=""/></v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img border="0" height="243" src="file:///C:/Users/Lonny/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image012.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_8" width="324" /><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoCaption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 11.0pt;">Maize (corn) fields<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Vegetables:</span></u><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Most vegetables can be grown very easily in Mali. The soil is good in most places, and the cli<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="9ddd12fc-2b98-4d4e-8e7b-d4ee68723899" id="c429e621-b249-4026-bcc7-97329c426529">mate</span> is favorable. Outside of the community garden and Anounou’s garden, I did not see many vegetable gardens being grown. Teaching and encouraging the local people to grow vegetable gardens can very quickly improve their level of nutrition and <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="9b67d8aa-9ba7-47c3-97ee-ed2aadaebf88" id="2d771280-33b1-4ba0-9f04-03c5a97b862b">surplus harvest</span> could provide an additional source of income that can be used for school fees, clothing, medicines, etc. The community garden would be a good place to start this training.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_10" o:spid="_x0000_i1033" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:271.5pt;height:204pt; visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Lonny\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image013.jpg" o:title=""/></v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img border="0" height="272" src="file:///C:/Users/Lonny/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image014.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_10" width="362" /><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoCaption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 11.0pt;">Community Garden<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">The community garden in Ouelessebougou was doi<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="74a017a1-8179-4b9a-bab9-d8a61c0a20ae" id="d1dda2d3-910a-4ffe-ba25-1da9c08bc551">ng very well. T</span>here was a wide variety of vegetables being grown and sold to people from the surrounding area. Several deep wells in the garden area provide a near constant supply of water so that the vegetables could be grown year round. The women that were working in these gardens should be encouraged to plant similar gardens near their homes, and teach their neighbors how to grow vegetables.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_9" o:spid="_x0000_i1032" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:288.75pt;height:216.75pt; visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Lonny\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image015.jpg" o:title=""/></v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img border="0" height="289" src="file:///C:/Users/Lonny/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image016.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_9" width="385" /><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoCaption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 11.0pt;">Participating families at the community gardens<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">To improve the program, I would recommend that raised beds be built in each person’s assigned area, and that better soil preparation and planting techniques be used to increase the quality and quantity of the vegetables harvested. As the raised beds are built, organic matter such as stalks, leaves, and manure should be mixed into the soil to increase its fertility. The organic matter also acts as a sponge to help retain water so that it is more readily available for the vegetables.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Fruit:</span></u><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">There are a large variety of fruits available in Mali, and some of them are cultivated, while others grow wild. I am familiar with some of the fruits such as mango, papaya, and banana, but others I have not heard of or tasted before. Here are some of the new fruits I was able to experience:</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">●<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Zebon is about the size of a lemon, and very sour. The outer shell is cut open to reveal fruit resembling a brain, with fruit surrounding large pits. To eat it, villagers suck the fruit off of the pits and spit them out. 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src="file:///C:/Users/Lonny/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image021.gif" v:shapes="Text_x0020_Box_x0020_13" width="301" /><!--[endif]--><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 11.0pt;">Tongue fruit<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">●<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Tongue is a small round yellow fruit, about the size of a bing cherry. It grows on bushes in the wild. There is a large pit inside and the fruit is somewhat sour.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">●<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Shea is a medium-sized fruit that looks like a small light green pepper. Inside the fruit is a large nut <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="17658130-175b-41e0-af43-b765f503f26b" id="872968fe-df86-409f-b03c-3d678f1ecf61">that </span>is a little smaller than a pecan. The nut can be <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="270cb024-0351-4c23-84f2-bc19c0c5039b" id="8d552147-2864-43c6-ae94-c0fe99fad3b9">hulled</span> or peeled and the meat has a sticky milky substance. The oil is used in lotions, and the nuts can be roasted and eaten. The fruit was not ripe, so I could not tell what it would taste like. It was like a very young green apple.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Text_x0020_Box_x0020_17" o:spid="_x0000_s1034" type="#_x0000_t202" style='position:absolute;left:0;text-align:left;margin-left:28.45pt; margin-top:136.7pt;width:161.95pt;height:23.25pt;z-index:251672576; visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt; mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute; mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative:text;v-text-anchor:top' o:gfxdata="UEsDBBQABgAIAAAAIQC75UiUBQEAAB4CAAATAAAAW0NvbnRlbnRfVHlwZXNdLnhtbKSRvU7DMBSF dyTewfKKEqcMCKEmHfgZgaE8wMW+SSwc27JvS/v23KTJgkoXFsu+P+c7Ol5vDoMTe0zZBl/LVVlJ gV4HY31Xy4/tS3EvRSbwBlzwWMsjZrlprq/W22PELHjb51r2RPFBqax7HCCXIaLnThvSAMTP1KkI +gs6VLdVdad08ISeCho1ZLN+whZ2jsTzgcsnJwldluLxNDiyagkxOquB2Knae/OLUsyEkjenmdzb 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gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_15" o:spid="_x0000_s1030" type="#_x0000_t75" style='position:absolute; margin-left:275.25pt;margin-top:8in;width:163pt;height:122.25pt;z-index:251670528; visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt; mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute; mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative:page'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Lonny\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image027.jpg" o:title=""/> <w:wrap type="square" anchory="page"/></v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img align="left" height="163" hspace="12" src="file:///C:/Users/Lonny/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image028.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_15" width="217" /><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: right;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">●<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Cashew is a funny-looking fruit about the size of a green pepper with the cash<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="dfadcb6b-714f-41ef-93f5-54bca8ae98ec" id="79791b2d-e75b-4039-9c58-48bee5989ddb">ew nut</span>stuck to the end of it. The fruit itself is bright yellow and very fibrous. It is extremely juicy and drips all over you as you eat it. The cashew nut has an acid inside that can burn the skin. The nut has to be roasted before it can be consumed. (Side note: Before Anounou told me about the acid, I tried to bite open the <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="c2a303f2-a8da-4b39-8a29-666a850d40b2" id="8e731ceb-aeb7-41e6-bfd7-7b29e56db92a">cashew</span> to see the nut inside. After he told me about the acid that can burn your hands if you are not careful, I went and washed my mouth out several times. About half an hour <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="428b4e59-4ee4-43a4-8170-507d1508a573" id="5074adbb-0d7d-4da9-b55f-d5d6331407db">later my</span> lips began to burn. I rinsed them several more times. Later that evening they felt numb and were a little sensitive when I touched them. The feeling was similar to the feeling that I feel when the deadening agent that the dentist uses is wearing off.)</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">All of these fruits should be analyzed and possibly integrated into a nutritional prog<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="4b5b5335-b14e-4f2e-8b9c-ccfe9ebad335" id="e7abdcc2-54cf-4c9a-a9c3-b2dd2b7a4737">ram. W</span>orking with nutritionists like Dr. Paul Johnston, diets and recipes could be developed that would meet the needs of the rural families.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Chickens and other livestock:</span></u><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Some <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="bcb31898-27fc-43a0-a1e3-6a0945975d95" id="5afb1cbc-3a4b-401b-936e-c1421455935d">of the M</span>alians have chickens that they raise for eggs or meat. Most of these chickens are just left to run free during the day and stay either close to the home or <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="3a47fd7e-8271-4c4f-8a5c-d069d06eccd7" id="8a4738ca-4a2e-4060-a257-05dbc8138a8b">inside</span> the home at night. They are fed scraps or just left to fend for themselves. Some chickens are occasionally fed <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="a34cf31c-fac0-471c-af4b-5d25a409adb9" id="2d8d8a28-3c7c-4577-9f55-ac8a8a2629ab">maize</span>, and they are allowed to clean up if any grain is spilled. Consequently, these chickens are much less productive and are more susceptible to diseases than they could be if their diet was watched more closely. Because they roam freely, they can be a carrier <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="c399a6f5-02b2-49d7-8745-8278c0f73b8c" id="ae22ef12-229f-4635-b6bd-1cf42511d665">for</span> passing diseases around the community. Proper care, housing, feeding, and vaccination of the chickens would greatly increase their product<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="777acc3f-8c10-4a03-bcc1-bb360cd4dd20" id="d04e9476-d168-4777-8e06-846c14722823">ivity </span>and would decrease the morbidity in both the chickens and the families. 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AAAAAAAAAAAADQwAAGNsaXBib2FyZC9kcmF3aW5ncy9fcmVscy9kcmF3aW5nMS54bWwucmVsc1BL BQYAAAAABQAFAGcBAAAQDQAAAAA= " stroked="f"> <v:textbox style='mso-fit-shape-to-text:t' inset="0,0,0,0"> <![if !mso]> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width="100%"><tr> <td><![endif]> <div> <p class=MsoCaption align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:windowtext'>Free range chickens<span style='mso-no-proof:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><![if !mso]></td> </tr></table><![endif]></v:textbox> <w:wrap type="square" anchorx="margin"/></v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img align="left" alt="Text Box: Free range chickens" height="35" hspace="12" src="file:///C:/Users/Lonny/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image033.gif" v:shapes="Text_x0020_Box_x0020_21" width="291" /><!--[endif]--><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 11.0pt;">Oxen for plowing<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">There are other species of livestock that are used for meat, work, and a financial savings device. I will not spend a lot of time discussing them in this repor<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="feca85db-01a6-4e93-bcc1-e5cd8012845f" id="820fe49a-91dd-4be1-9cb7-630493477a09">t. </span>There are significantly fewer people that have these other animals, and the cost <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="969515fd-3cc8-4ac2-b23f-45ab84680efa" id="35ed617b-4586-4825-8225-203351a38261">for</span> intervention is greater. In the </span><a href="http://feedtheworld.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Feed The World</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">program, working with animals is usually left until later in the program, and we prefer to use the animals readily accessible and accepted by the community.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Marketplace</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">:</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="102818df-4a2c-4546-847c-e5bc1266dcb8" id="d1304799-81fa-4d0e-8fd0-8460bc5fa0d6">Ouelessebougou</span> has a large open air market every Friday. We went to <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="c2ed5341-8c01-48b0-b482-4b7acecaae5a" id="dfee53b1-5640-4a65-ac50-77cd17c0656c">Selingue</span> which has a large open air market on Saturday. It is similar to the other markets that I have seen in developing countries. This one had small shops with all sorts of food items both prepared and raw. These markets would provide a good place for the villagers <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="1a7ba98b-d7f2-4005-b479-fa03666748b1" id="aebde6d4-42ed-442f-bfe6-8ca616a8b504">to sell</span> their surplus vegetables. If many<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="7a92b1ad-d212-4b4f-934a-94c1b37fb785" id="2d81140f-a67f-45c4-9c5b-ada7a599d6e1"> of</span> the villagers grew vegetables, the supply may exceed demand. In this case, cooperatives could be formed to transport the surplus vegetables to other markets. Another option would be to use the vegetables in food items <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="14dc51df-0e61-45fa-8fe3-41143637234d" id="11cd9258-d51c-48e2-81ad-9e398b26a0d7">sold to the pe</span>ople visiting and working in the market.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_22" o:spid="_x0000_i1029" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:337.5pt;height:253.5pt; visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Lonny\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image034.jpg" o:title=""/></v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img border="0" height="338" src="file:///C:/Users/Lonny/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image035.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_22" width="450" /><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoCaption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 11.0pt;"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="0eab06d3-1f00-4c95-a447-2079f378f752" id="45904f05-8f83-4d8f-93f6-55d9d9559649">Chofufu</span> at th<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="dc42e0c5-e1d4-4a17-824a-d6fb81235462" id="f3c233d1-a0be-4d5b-b2a9-ec991fee6198">e market</span> place<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">We purchased <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="b49e9859-9738-404c-8aa4-4964d651a214" id="a8f22c3f-3228-4447-94f3-1cdfabb0bbd3">chofufu</span>, which were small deep fried balls of soybean dough. They were very tasty. The little <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="62c53808-7c1f-4b60-94e8-fd56062103c4" id="379af81f-c411-411a-b1ad-7e878ec8267b">chofufu</span> balls were made with a little “tail” so that you could pick them up and eat them easily, and throw the tail away so that your hands never t<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="a51fd0d9-d5b6-4981-8c3d-15c418b78946" id="0e257034-5914-44e1-8423-f2f01d8cd5b0">ouched </span>the food that you ate. In the shops that sold food in the marketplace, they often had ways of washing your hands before eating. </span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">In addition to all of the local products there were many vendors of clothing, sunglasses, jewelry, CDs, and other imported items. The market was quite dirty, and very crowded, but peopl<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="a72fe8c5-bb88-4f45-9e40-37c0eaf8f447" id="6f793bbb-b412-458e-8410-76b34042ca2e">e were </span>used to it. Transportation to and <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="bbc0ff7e-bfef-4264-a13b-51ccec8f0d78" id="67c75be6-bd52-49af-9841-802b37f7b1d8">from th</span>e market could be a challenge and should be considered. Several neighbors could work to<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="aef55058-51fe-4a85-b8d3-161e0e376723" id="aeed84ee-72c8-42aa-bfcb-36d80dbc9f67">gether </span>and take turns carrying the produce to market. </span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Education and support of primary schools:</span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">The </span><a href="http://sistercommunity.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Ouelessebougou Alliance</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"> supports 11 primary schools, about 75% of the students that start <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="ae469a84-c323-4cb2-804b-8c48ed1d39b4" id="1466242c-2755-48a4-a170-987dba9c963f">finish</span> all the way through 6<sup><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="2ceef48e-301c-407e-bcc5-af8eea321dfa" id="c5774723-5cc8-4d69-a147-3771edb5321e">th</span></sup> <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="62f2cbf9-bf5a-48ea-a7fe-895906df8381" id="f058f7cf-e6f9-4d24-a47d-46698d05caa8">grade</span>. There are secondary schools in the area that have a similar completion rate of about 75%. These schools could implement agricultural training programs and plant sequential vegetable gardens that would be able to educate the children and provide additional nutrients to their diets. I visited the Tamala School, and will use it as a model for my recommendations on what could be done <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="2cae6686-bfac-463d-bc92-d4ad0a1fd352" id="e6f5fd7d-7256-46d7-bff7-d1bad710dcaf">at</span> the other primary schools.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Tamala school:</span></u><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">We visited the Tamala school to investigate the possibility of setting up an agricultural training program that would include a garden ar<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="fa18087b-6e3f-47e0-8d52-d0e924b3a52e" id="2fcaaee8-5901-40a7-a7ea-87b9ea157c79">ea and</span>classes in nutrition <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="bc0dff62-e550-4370-b0cd-5f1b80337df7" id="7ac22415-fa07-4cbb-834c-fceba1ffa580">an</span>d<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="219d202f-d2f5-4f19-a221-9c0fa657d116" id="49fd6b40-603e-4c38-84ce-9c1aa55fbba7"> gard</span>ening. This is a very desirable program because it infuses the students with a very practical education that will help them throughout their lives and also give them skills that they can teach to their families. </span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_23" o:spid="_x0000_i1028" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:336pt;height:252pt; visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Lonny\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image036.jpg" o:title=""/></v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img border="0" height="336" src="file:///C:/Users/Lonny/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image037.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_23" width="448" /><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoCaption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 11.0pt;">Open area between buildings at the Tamala School<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">There is adequate area around the school to plant a garden. Setting up the garden would require several steps. The more the<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="865f885c-07dd-4775-a58c-5858965e1fcb" id="616214fc-0889-45d8-bbf8-64f4d9548a86"> s</span>tudents and parents are involved, the more successful the project will be. They should feel ownership of the school agriculture program, giving them more incentive to participate and learn from it. </span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">The first step is to select an area for the garden. Right between the schools might be the best place for it. If everyone <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="56f21ff1-0cf5-4f3d-941d-53bf7afc5b85" id="7d8a2442-3083-4d71-8a51-b9a2408834ea">is constantly seeing</span> it, the garden will get better care and it will become a source of pride for the school. There could be a friendly competition set up between classes. If other schools are involved, a friendly contest could be set up between schools.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">The selected area needs to be fenced off, and strict rules should be enforced as to who can enter. Many trampling feet, and/or hungry animals can quickly destroy a garden. The community can decide what kind of fence they want, and how they will go about putting it in place. We have found that our projects are more successful if some sort of wor<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="25a88249-891e-44d9-a5d3-c3c094e432bf" id="422d0e64-ee87-4e9a-8e53-9b0d42bcddb0">k is required before</span> we start the training. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">I would recommend that a water storage tank, fed by gutters from the school roofs, be constructed. The school session does not correspond with the rainy season, so the garden will have to be continually watered. (This is actually very good because they will learn that they can grow food even during the dry season if they develop their water resources.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">The soil is very deficient in organic matter. The students should be recruited to bring leaves, grass, manure, and any other organic matter that they can find to be mixed into the soil. Without <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="c4487e98-41c5-4c44-9a67-6c0b43663ccc" id="403d5151-9d19-4942-9cd3-cb211ef6f2e2">added</span> organic matter, the soil does not <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="c4487e98-41c5-4c44-9a67-6c0b43663ccc" id="50424f92-46ae-4239-ae13-25dc0e864359">have sponge</span> activity, and the water that is put on the soil either leaches through or runs off. Bringing organic matter with them to school is a great way for the children to gain ownership and to learn about composting.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Raised beds should be constructed with wood, rocks, or bricks. They should be about 30 cm high and be 1.5 meters by 3 meters. The leaves, grass, manure, and any other organic matter should be mixed with soil about 50/50 to create a fertile environment for the seeds. This is also a great opportunity for the students and <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="21ce4704-6ea4-470c-8d47-c47d929b8d74" id="8cc7628d-8246-4f31-8f09-07ef025a8e3d">parents</span> involvement</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">6.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Training for the students and tea<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="482a57e5-780f-4c7f-84d5-1b1d595671f7" id="f44c118e-b873-4032-b13d-ef63c8de040a">chers that </span>will be working in the garden will then be carried out so that they can start the project. Expectations should be set and explained, and a plan for follow up should be set up.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">The other part of the program that is critical is teaching nutrition classes in the school. The students need to understand the importance of eating the vegetables that they are growing. Acquiring a taste for some of the vegetables may take some focused encouragement and good recipes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_24" o:spid="_x0000_i1027" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:319.5pt;height:240pt; visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Lonny\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image038.jpg" o:title=""/></v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img border="0" height="320" src="file:///C:/Users/Lonny/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image039.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_24" width="426" /><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoCaption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 11.0pt;">The next generation of Mali<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">The first step in the nutrition program <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="0cd9bf58-7d9a-44f2-a339-8b8062a5fa9c" id="fe320c0f-2a9e-4302-98c2-8b74d68dc8a0">is to d</span>o a 24 hour recall study with a significant group of the students. This method includes the students telling us what they have eaten in the last 24 hours. With this data, we can work with Dr. Paul Johnston at BYU to determine the nutrient deficiencies in their diets and put together a plan for increasing their level of nutrition.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">It is highly recommended that when the recall study is done, we take height and weight measurements, and find a way to document the scholastic performance of the children. This type of data will help parents and teachers to be convinced that the gardening and nutrition program is helping their children at school, and will help their children at home also.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">With the help of Dr. Johnston and his students at BYU, we can develop lesson plans for the teacher that will be specific for their needs. The lesson plans need to be translated into Bambara for the teacher to present them to the students.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">It is always helpful if the parents are included in the learning process. Classes could be set up after school or in the evenings for parents to attend so that the teachings are reinforced to both parents and students.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">To encourage the families to learn and implement the lessons that they are taught, a home garden program with a contest and prizes could be implemented. A successful garden requires a lot of work. An added incentive or competition can make the work more desirable.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">In summary, the Tamala school could greatly benefit from a nutrition and gardening program. It would take work, but has the potential to yield great results. Growing and consuming vegetables is not difficult, but it does take education, effort, and a desire to have a better life.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">NGO Resources Available</span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) are also working in Mali to improve the malnutrition problem. One of these organizations, </span><a href="http://www.btcctb.org/fr/countries/mali"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">CTB Mali</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">, has a large project outside of Bamako that is teaching single mothers, widows, and orphans how to raise their own food. They have garden plots set up with water available at each site. There are experts on hand to teach classes, answer questions, and encourage these struggling individuals. Networking with other NGOs can extend your reach and increase your success.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="right" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: right;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_25" o:spid="_x0000_s1027" type="#_x0000_t75" style='position:absolute; left:0;text-align:left;margin-left:0;margin-top:.75pt;width:228pt;height:171pt; z-index:251678720;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square; mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt; mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt; mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:left; mso-position-horizontal-relative:margin;mso-position-vertical:absolute; mso-position-vertical-relative:text;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0; mso-width-relative:margin;mso-height-relative:margin'> <v:imagedata 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style='mso-fit-shape-to-text:t' inset="0,0,0,0"> <![if !mso]> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width="100%"><tr> <td><![endif]> <div> <p class=MsoCaption align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;color:windowtext'>Young mother next to her garden plot<span style='mso-no-proof:yes'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p></div><![if !mso]></td> </tr></table><![endif]></v:textbox> <w:wrap type="square"/></v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img align="left" alt="Text Box: Young mother next to her garden plot" height="35" hspace="12" src="file:///C:/Users/Lonny/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image042.gif" v:shapes="Text_x0020_Box_x0020_27" width="304" /><!--[endif]--><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_26" o:spid="_x0000_i1026" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:228.75pt; height:171.75pt;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Lonny\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image043.jpg" o:title=""/></v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img border="0" height="229" src="file:///C:/Users/Lonny/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image044.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_26" width="305" /><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div><div align="center" class="MsoCaption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 11.0pt;">Water stations for the garden plots<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Research and University Support:</span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">There are many additional resources for information in Mali. The Capital City, Bamako, has university programs that teach agriculture, and there is a large research station that includes farms, gardens, laboratories, and conference rooms. The researchers communicate and coordinate with other West African countries, and have ties with Europe and the United States. These organizations can be a good source of information as the programs are implemented.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">We have found that partnering with the government’s agricultural extension agents is a great way to improve the success of the training. We teach the agents our simple model, and then encourage them to use it in the communities where we work. Even though it is a simple model, it drastically changes the villagers’ lives for the better. The agents get the credit, and have more fulfillment in their jobs.</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Recommendations:</span></b><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="h.2iv1c6x88vmg"></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">This has been a great opportunity for me to see the work that you are doing in Mali at the </span><a href="http://sistercommunity.org/"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Ouelessebougou Alliance</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">. Many lives have been blessed by your service. Thank you for allowing me to visit your operation in Ouelessebougou. </span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">There are <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="1542b964-3f8a-46a1-8294-114ac30261ea" id="30727415-88d7-48a2-a8ea-4bec704acc4e">more great</span> opportunities to bless the lives of others with education and help them lift themselves out of poverty and malnutrition. Here are my further recommendations:</span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Have <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="becfd8fd-05f6-4ac9-b5a8-04b91c606a97" id="db922259-4552-43dd-b3c4-696ccf6c1b67">Anounou</span> go to the </span><a href="http://www.forceforgood.org/content/ffg/en/news/economic_opportunity/congratulations-to-our-safi-graduates.html"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">School of Agriculture for Family Independence<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="becfd8fd-05f6-4ac9-b5a8-04b91c606a97" id="7dc7cc3c-c02a-48ec-aa76-a241daa9af21">(</span>SAFI)</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"> in Malawi. This is a school that teaches the <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="4e2ff399-5c82-43d7-9938-01c53e3169bb" id="67d76e9b-4aa9-4424-b14d-9a094dcb6ba2">agriculture</span> model to farm families and government extension workers. It is funded by NuSkin’s </span><a href="http://www.forceforgood.org/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Force for Good Foundation</span></a><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Prepare a plan for how you would like to implement these ideas. I would be glad to meet with your board to answer any questions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Choose a school and a village to be the pilot program. Present the idea to several of them and let them compete for the privilege of being the first one<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="6e29a417-9e9b-4284-a457-f3600c762407" id="8514a182-460b-4c1d-9436-98d1a581b832">. (<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="63d2f923-1db2-4b60-916a-9a730bd9e11c" id="9df2b1c3-25c0-4b72-9f15-d7f2f8921638">i.e.</span> Th</span>e first school to have their planter boxes completed is the one that will be the pilot.) The more committed the people are <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="63d2f923-1db2-4b60-916a-9a730bd9e11c" id="0bf27599-e052-4c34-b846-6290dbfb4855">to</span> the program, the better <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="63d2f923-1db2-4b60-916a-9a730bd9e11c" id="19f177a8-190f-4ac2-819a-ca76c10b3f56">it’s</span>chances of grea<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="a8a96df7-7c30-488e-96a2-9472caed050c" id="8201410b-311d-4d13-ac83-b94781388c42">t succe</span>ss.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Develop a simple system of rewards for good per<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="a8a96df7-7c30-488e-96a2-9472caed050c" id="3990d62d-595f-4383-94c2-731cef6dbf94">f</span>ormance.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Evaluate the results of the pilot pro<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="7a587fd2-08b6-4ea2-89d3-0fcd83cdcd0d" id="cd176654-214c-4eda-9cba-3293090a55aa">gram, and m</span>odify the program as needed. Implement the new program in other villages and schools. Have representatives from the village and school do the teaching with a mentor assisting them.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: -17.95pt;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">6.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">Celebrate your successes, learn from your failures, and keep moving forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_28" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:231.75pt;height:174pt; visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Lonny\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image045.jpg" o:title=""/></v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><img border="0" height="232" src="file:///C:/Users/Lonny/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image046.jpg" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_28" width="309" /><!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div><br /><div align="center" class="MsoCaption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 11.0pt;">The winning team at the Ouelessebougou Alliance in Mali<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-86241922557826524842015-01-29T07:54:00.000-08:002023-01-04T14:12:00.352-08:00CHOICE - Amazing success in Las Russias, Mexico<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">"People actually live here." I thought as we pulled off the main road along side a scattering of small buildings. Juan backed up near the small church that was humble, but newly painted and showed a sense of community pride. Juan had honked the horn a few times as we came down the highway and soon village women came running with big smiles and a welcoming hand shake. It was obvious that they loved and respected Juan.<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxsq7knpMUsWtci938UjdZcfEhGl3ayzkz6VCyUVdaRFeteXBxEPXWEQDhyYPLPVaTGAeB9IfqW6VfCV1zLRCrzsCGar7b2GZqkw4EHLGjCLcmMoGActVdh4o1mv6hTFSKGCGdnVCpI6a/s1600/SAM_2430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkxsq7knpMUsWtci938UjdZcfEhGl3ayzkz6VCyUVdaRFeteXBxEPXWEQDhyYPLPVaTGAeB9IfqW6VfCV1zLRCrzsCGar7b2GZqkw4EHLGjCLcmMoGActVdh4o1mv6hTFSKGCGdnVCpI6a/s1600/SAM_2430.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">Some of the savings group gather to learn from Juan</td></tr></tbody></table>A year and a half earlier this village was selected to be part of a <a href="http://choicehumanitarian.org/" target="_blank">CHOICE Humanitarian</a> project. When Juan and his wife, Analy first arrived and presented their program there was general distrust from the villagers. "What is in it for you?" "Why are you coming from so far away just to help us?"<br /><br />Juan patiently helped them to understand CHOICE's mission to help poverty stricken people lift themselves from poverty. He explained their community savings plan and their self developing village program. The villagers were hesitant yet hopeful, so they agreed to participate.<br /><br />Bernadina was elected the president of the group in Las Russias and began to hold weekly meetings where each member was encouraged to put money in their own savings envelope that was kept in a locked box by the treasurer. At these weekly meetings Juan and his team taught them of ways to improve their lives. As a group they decided that having a water cistern outside each home would greatly improve their lives. They elected a committee to oversee the cistern project and set up an order of which family would be first, second, etc. The families were expected to come up with what they could, for example sand and gravel. Juan helped them bring in the mesh wire that formed the skeleton of the cistern. They could use their savings for supplies and were even given small loans by the group.<br /><br />Week after week they worked as a team building cisterns. If the family was not prepared when it was their turn, they went on to the next family and the unprepared family dropped to the last one on the list.<br /><br />Juan also organized mini expeditions with people from the city that were interested in helping the rural poor. These volunteers came and camped out in the community for a couple of days and helped with the construction.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJP_2ElPVc42GpteEIKtTVfxg6nYHyyRRXBm5Tig7v8wjHTzUuFSfNqAlYipEgc9MUMQjkuBu5MBjsXsZCYxi4of0mhThNp-vZocbNjQaepZ-OL80x2X2SJRGQDhSbjPld9NaPq5XSaQc/s1600/SAM_2408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJP_2ElPVc42GpteEIKtTVfxg6nYHyyRRXBm5Tig7v8wjHTzUuFSfNqAlYipEgc9MUMQjkuBu5MBjsXsZCYxi4of0mhThNp-vZocbNjQaepZ-OL80x2X2SJRGQDhSbjPld9NaPq5XSaQc/s1600/SAM_2408.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the villagers show off one of their water cisterns</td></tr></tbody></table>Now all of the participants have cisterns and other useful assets such as ovens, latrines, smokeless cooking stoves, chicken houses, and pig pens. The amazing part is that each of these families has organized and supervised the work themselves with the CHOICE staff acting as mentors. I could see the excitement in their eyes as the talked about additional projects that could be done.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYMiTQEDoBk3zOotsKFpHhLrCaFFBZl6lz8mJjXARmpq-Jj6lQL9VF9qywJ1EqLPmCqFaSjagtZs9hchKnGUHtlZbvRY6XzxKTOn2oaCNCWu6u5ePe0ffDefvJhP24ohfhcPluo6tM03kH/s1600/SAM_2406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYMiTQEDoBk3zOotsKFpHhLrCaFFBZl6lz8mJjXARmpq-Jj6lQL9VF9qywJ1EqLPmCqFaSjagtZs9hchKnGUHtlZbvRY6XzxKTOn2oaCNCWu6u5ePe0ffDefvJhP24ohfhcPluo6tM03kH/s1600/SAM_2406.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bernadina showing off her new oven. Every home has one now.</td></tr></tbody></table>As we left, it was apparent that these villagers loved Juan and he loved them. He had helped them see a new and better way of living and had helped them to make the changes themselves. They are now a united village that has pride in themselves. It was evident from the newly painted church that this village has a bright future as they continue to work together to improve their lives.</div>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-19038344541251751752015-01-05T06:18:00.000-08:002023-01-04T14:11:54.271-08:00Writing a textbook Chapter (Began project on 8-20-14) <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Writing has always been difficult for me. It was my most challenging subject in school and writing my masters thesis just about killed me. I was asked to write a chapter for the new textbook that The Institute for Self Reliant Agriculture - Feed The World is publishing. It is entitled <u>Feeding The Forgotten.</u> Forntunatley for me my wife, Erika is a great writer and has a talent for taking my thoughts and putting them in an organized and readable format. Below is the preface to our chapter.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If there were a simple solution to alleviating hunger and poverty in developing nations, certainly third-world deprivation would have been solved long ago. But the answers are far from simple, and the problems of extreme poverty and devastating illnesses continue to haunt our modern society. While advances in technology and communication have helped developing countries to see improvements in their living conditions in recent decades, most of the world’s rural poor continue to live in circumstances nearly unfathomable in this modern world. </span></div><h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This chapter, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Practical Implementation of The Small-Scale Agriculture Model in Developing Countries,</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will explain how </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Institute for Self Reliant Agriculture, or Feed The World (hereafter referred to as SRA/FTW), </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">uses successful time-tested principles to alleviate hunger, malnutrition, and poverty in rural areas throughout the developing world. This chapter is intended to serve as a practical outline for university educators, community leaders, and non-government organizations (NGOs) who are seeking to alleviate poverty and help families achieve nutritional self-sufficiency by teaching and implementing the small-scale agriculture model (SSAM). </span></h1><span id="docs-internal-guid-d9448666-12d4-8947-834b-e82c48ef0658"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Using a unique program focused on teaching nutritional and economic self-reliance through hands-on mentoring, SRA/FTW’s program imparts important life-saving agriculture knowledge and skills adapted from principles of the SSAM developed by BYU’s Benson Institute. This approach helps rural farm families to achieve lasting self-reliance, empowering themselves to truly succeed for a lifetime. </span></span></div>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-51929732723420690162014-11-21T10:05:00.000-08:002023-01-04T14:11:57.000-08:00An Indian Businessman in Ethiopia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div>An Indian Businessman in Ethiopia I just recently talked to a business man from Chicago that is looking at doing business in Ethiopia. I love his enthusiasm and plan of action. I look forward to talking more with him in the future. He found me on one of the discussion boards on Linked In. We got connected through mutual friends and were able to talk about his project. I was able to give him some very valuable information and insight about agricultural businesses in Ethiopia. Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-57549589140834617522014-08-06T09:42:00.000-07:002023-01-04T14:11:57.194-08:00Solution for Calcium Deficiency - Egg Shells - It's Catching On<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">As I explained in an earlier post, <a href="http://www.ethiopiancowboy.com/2014/01/calcium-deficiency-in-kenya-what-about.html" target="_blank">Calcium deficiency in Kenya. What About Egg Shells?</a>, calcium deficiency is a major problem in rural Africa. We proposed the idea of using egg shells as a dietary supplement. Introducing new ideas is challenging, even when they make good sense. Most of the people that I work with have been slow to adopt the idea. At the <a href="http://www.forceforgood.org/content/ffg/en/projects/school_of_agricultureforfamilyindependencesafi.html" target="_blank">SAFI school</a> in rural Malawi it is catching on thanks to a good staff and BYU students.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ucmvRsM17FBS05N06ockR6enBaVamJ4mbO9g7eleujyGu6w-WHRFNpQ8LsB7rt-znkPrfLYaCfDvXX3Iwt4TotyE7fhsNgBhOCNbTXrm-LOGvio4HkxxvlrGCQ86eFrtmLWV3cYgvZLt/s1600/SAM_1570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ucmvRsM17FBS05N06ockR6enBaVamJ4mbO9g7eleujyGu6w-WHRFNpQ8LsB7rt-znkPrfLYaCfDvXX3Iwt4TotyE7fhsNgBhOCNbTXrm-LOGvio4HkxxvlrGCQ86eFrtmLWV3cYgvZLt/s1600/SAM_1570.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ester the SAFI nutritionist shows me maize flour with egg shells ground into it.</td></tr></tbody></table>The SAFI school has two flour mills for grinding maize (corn) flour. Ester and the BYU students took some of the egg shells from their breakfast and ground them right into the maize flour. The egg shells have no flavor, so they go undetected as long as they are ground fine enough that there is no gritty texture. I tested the flour myself and found no difference in taste or texture, when compared with regular maize flour.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkVwSbRFh46cfn-pf5RRj9BXTTBKWuthyphenhyphendhOxqKx-9_i_QgQvv86D_uyynejxvK9a2L9uW6Et2BkWcKmIUY8xqp9mTP53Xloz7_kzf30S7op97l7m6u_B21-FeG_zfKe4AgjySUO-W25S/s1600/Alisha's+prj.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOkVwSbRFh46cfn-pf5RRj9BXTTBKWuthyphenhyphendhOxqKx-9_i_QgQvv86D_uyynejxvK9a2L9uW6Et2BkWcKmIUY8xqp9mTP53Xloz7_kzf30S7op97l7m6u_B21-FeG_zfKe4AgjySUO-W25S/s1600/Alisha's+prj.JPG" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alisha, one of the BYU students that helped with the eggshell project.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />One egg shell can provide enough daily calcium for three people. This use of egg shells could be a huge game changer in the lives of the rural African population. The question is, will we be able to change the custom of these rural villagers and convince them to eat egg shells as part of their daily diet.</div>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-74787974141188640862014-07-26T01:39:00.000-07:002023-01-04T14:11:59.205-08:00Children's Brighter Future Initiative in Malawi AMAZING!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I am amazed at what is happening with Children's Brighter Future Initiative (CBFI) in Malawi. Even though I have seen it unfolding, I still have a hard time comprehending the incredible results that they are achieving. This post will hit a few of the highlights of the program and may be one of several posts detailing this program.<br /><br />A little over a year ago, the CBFI staff met with a small group of Agriculture Extension Development Officers (AEDOs) to explain their program and teach them the basic principles that they would teach the farmers in the rural villages. This group met at the <a href="http://www.forceforgood.org/content/ffg/en/projects/school_of_agricultureforfamilyindependencesafi.html" target="_blank">School of Agriculture for Family Independence (SAFI)</a> near Madisi, Malawi. For a week the SAFI staff and the CBFI staff trained the AEDOs <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="c0a7a58f-fd56-419f-8b3f-1f04bdae9021" id="b8040608-8b5f-44cf-bbbd-c48e48836bc8">on</span> basic nutrition and sequential gardens. The training went very well and the AEDOs left with enthusiasm for this new program for teaching and inspiring the farm families in their districts.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCg04V7XO0g6wSSM6DxQYS-aTB34Z1uwoNM8kK2M6X59ukhYGmbdN_NzzfD076X2Yo8QI3GGUeNBQp4Wpm7FlpNbvZImlrsy63aiK-Uy43hcQI0F8M7BAG7bk4z6-ZLEuBmsS5b6fV3CB/s1600/IMG_1362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDCg04V7XO0g6wSSM6DxQYS-aTB34Z1uwoNM8kK2M6X59ukhYGmbdN_NzzfD076X2Yo8QI3GGUeNBQp4Wpm7FlpNbvZImlrsy63aiK-Uy43hcQI0F8M7BAG7bk4z6-ZLEuBmsS5b6fV3CB/s1600/IMG_1362.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alan Silva <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="cba28c0d-4f88-421e-8a64-ed7b00190c09" id="062d9f2f-0bf1-4645-b87a-6cc026e8c507">doing</span> additional training with CBFI and SAFI staff</td></tr></tbody></table>The plan was very simple, each AEDO would select four lead farmers in their district to train. These lead farmers would then select ten follower farmers that they would teach and mentor. The incentive <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="4273c5d4-6de0-4d8a-9a59-808f8bab3ae1" id="1b0c85e0-70b5-4e7c-b3c6-21986a06a352">to</span> this program was that CBFI would provide vegetable seeds to these farmers. The key to the program was that the seeds would only be provided after the farmer families had constructed raised beds with a mixture of mulch, manure, and soil. In addition, these families were expected to pay back with seeds or produce from their harvest and to teach their neighbors what they were learning. In other words, work first and the reward will come later. Most of the farm families approached were excited about the program, but a few of them declined to join the program, citing that other NGOs (non government organizations or charitable organizations) gave to them without requiring work on their part. Requiring work first was a core principle of this program.<br /><br />A few months after the training took place, I had the extreme pleasure of visiting several of these families. I was amazed at their gardens. The farmers were so excited to show off what <b>THEY</b> had accomplished. Their families were now eating vegetables on a regular basis, they had surplus to sell, school fees were able to be paid for their children and they were anxious to learn module two.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggkMEvVhIxTKhOkeCCmTcSJd9MMCimo-mC-9vyjgcT5ywwW-_t6uVjkFTfHzTUiz0LDwlPsjzgtSp2OC-Ct8uoo1GgPYg1EC1b5PvXzP-3rEG29-8z69rQe-Pkc-lppHne3T_f722pQTak/s1600/IMG_2569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggkMEvVhIxTKhOkeCCmTcSJd9MMCimo-mC-9vyjgcT5ywwW-_t6uVjkFTfHzTUiz0LDwlPsjzgtSp2OC-Ct8uoo1GgPYg1EC1b5PvXzP-3rEG29-8z69rQe-Pkc-lppHne3T_f722pQTak/s1600/IMG_2569.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This family enjoys a <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="e12c8467-04ff-4dc1-bc3e-220414d50f76" id="c5b03cff-a913-495f-994d-a91e3129928e">bouteous</span> harvest from <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="e12c8467-04ff-4dc1-bc3e-220414d50f76" id="a74c926f-a14d-4a4f-816c-f189fef4da44">thier</span> garden</td></tr></tbody></table><br />What affect does this have on these farm families? Before the program their families consumed very few vegetables. They didn't understand the importance of eating them and they didn't have money to buy them. The AEDOs estimated that the few vegetables that they did buy would cost the families at least 100 <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="4d46aa94-1ad1-43b7-bd5d-79db7312f223" id="c87c60b5-a7e1-43eb-907a-5da5589969c6">kwacha</span> /per week. A <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="d67d3b0b-3aa4-4f15-820d-e00bc4984436" id="3d92aed5-928d-4a8b-ae6b-f01e44d62652">daily</span> laborer can earn about 300 <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="d67d3b0b-3aa4-4f15-820d-e00bc4984436" id="54b0bf99-a268-47fa-9373-e475de512ff9">kwacha</span>/day when work is available. Malnutrition and sickness were ubiquitous in these families.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkzh_tQtOxFsLv36_N4DlRQrcaTZIGxN7cqofzWYP0gCKTGoSe1O_iHA5iKQ36lTBI34tcB0G8CKBfAy8swO5cGNx6eEiJypXabqpLsSE1yhRkuWZnQmpJhiunJXpwjLJmWm3bhsOhQl7/s1600/SAM_0458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkzh_tQtOxFsLv36_N4DlRQrcaTZIGxN7cqofzWYP0gCKTGoSe1O_iHA5iKQ36lTBI34tcB0G8CKBfAy8swO5cGNx6eEiJypXabqpLsSE1yhRkuWZnQmpJhiunJXpwjLJmWm3bhsOhQl7/s1600/SAM_0458.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Husbands and wives <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="c0dc68f6-d90f-49d5-81f5-2d818da480c9" id="45061652-7a62-4a3e-a22b-31df4e68e968">are taught</span> the basic CBFI program</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The AEDOs reported that the value of vegetables consumed and sold by these families is 200 <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="8feb90a2-86f7-4d0e-bb3a-9d57f93a4369" id="bfb28538-8272-43fb-b7f6-3a47447f7a64">kwacha</span>/day. This changes the families financial position on vegetables from paying 100 <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="d347de56-bc5f-4f4b-b318-8c18152727c6" id="752be82f-f6eb-4cfa-b4b8-a2936209f79e">kwacha</span>/week <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="d347de56-bc5f-4f4b-b318-8c18152727c6" id="612a6d89-633a-4c56-84f3-23ba92d54a8b">to</span> receiving 200 <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="d347de56-bc5f-4f4b-b318-8c18152727c6" id="0d1edbd3-e593-4c45-9c8f-ce193e67c624">kwacha</span>/day. This is a difference of 1500 <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="547ca71f-f7b8-4fb1-b272-7ccdccb2aa3b" id="09f60af3-1539-4dbe-b6ab-acd728a7a565">kwacha</span>/week or 78,000 <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="547ca71f-f7b8-4fb1-b272-7ccdccb2aa3b" id="12f38e77-d102-4c2e-93aa-d0108ab04d71">kwacha</span>/year! The health of their children has improved dramatically having a ripple effect on the community, local clinics, and government medical programs. The community has benefited by having more vegetables available for purchase and consumption. Neighbors are learning how to raise vegetables and receive seeds from the target families. The far reaching effects of this program are impossible to measure, but are extremely significant.<br /><br />Maybe the most important harvest of this program has been the boost in self confidence that these families have developed. They now see themselves as agents to lift themselves out of poverty. They have also developed a trust in the AEDOs and CBFI that has allowed further miracles to happen with modules two and three. </div>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-39230450523939350162014-07-19T22:47:00.000-07:002023-01-04T14:11:56.475-08:00Tsuma Continues to Amaze Me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">You may remember Tsuma, my friend from <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="068afbb6-6ad5-4939-8221-e60b3fcb1d54" id="5f943b2d-472c-440f-b7ad-6deb29ecf8eb">Gona</span> that gave me a chicken in appreciation of me working with him. He <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="80736840-ccf3-43c0-8f21-91c18a6066c4" id="732cd7ef-5cc9-4013-8605-3005a0838f6e">has been</span> extra busy the last couple of months and is the best entrepreneur in the area.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeH3Jw6IjNx10yo8Rsds6kHeEatgpQqEglleOqX5N4DWKyOtaEghdt89TmN779d8BOz3AmJogSB8Qq0atouZViEoWSSFQ1KhPsYknBmcQqgfMEPJG_ljowCq-6bJ1gLIX4Aw8AMjK8N0mS/s1600/SAM_1534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeH3Jw6IjNx10yo8Rsds6kHeEatgpQqEglleOqX5N4DWKyOtaEghdt89TmN779d8BOz3AmJogSB8Qq0atouZViEoWSSFQ1KhPsYknBmcQqgfMEPJG_ljowCq-6bJ1gLIX4Aw8AMjK8N0mS/s1600/SAM_1534.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="6d4e0098-5732-4fac-93ad-6b9464b89868" id="7e0213a9-a26e-4244-839b-b3b212cb2599">Tsuma</span> with three of his now 32 beehives</td></tr></tbody></table>The honey business has done so well that he has increased his number of hives to 32. Some of them are the yellow boxes that you see and some of them are hollow logs with caps put in the end. He lost one of his hives to a colony of ants that built a cancerous looking nest <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="00397c6d-c7b4-4a01-a992-e64bed2baf4d" id="5072c216-e0d9-4838-8c87-5a855d0318b1">on</span> the bottom. I guess in the world of insects, ants win over bees.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1YIxeMfNOUVcoXh1moOwJVqzX9o2RJQIBm8lTzwx1pctTwIViIuDz-qsIF6eYJio-KvHBxGVOC-6cVIeHfD-0wwilS1JRvptrC3DcQQH1qLge6cbaOs3dVIr8P8rdPcVZm_hHWeT6WUt/s1600/SAM_1537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1YIxeMfNOUVcoXh1moOwJVqzX9o2RJQIBm8lTzwx1pctTwIViIuDz-qsIF6eYJio-KvHBxGVOC-6cVIeHfD-0wwilS1JRvptrC3DcQQH1qLge6cbaOs3dVIr8P8rdPcVZm_hHWeT6WUt/s1600/SAM_1537.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ants came in and built their nest on the bottom of this beehive.</td></tr></tbody></table><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="6b3ff50b-90b5-4249-8105-8d4c48724721" id="e9cdc35d-2d5b-4a33-b025-e30a81edefc2">Tsuma</span> has led his group to amazing success. They have been very busy in their vegetable gardens and fields and have a great crop of kale, tomatoes, spinach, okra, and several other vegetables. Their corn is looking much better than any around the area.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzEdPmi19rkI5AcDUzzECZ0snOBRUPlbWhDjYBRdmOhot7ogLOEqXEmD6f-05BnYG3EMX2xQTDfouv-zbO18EhytkgxQnFYOKhTA8JaSVkX5_eVr6XunoNrVlUSOfbI5upS5sYOvv5eez2/s1600/Gona+Garden+Harvest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzEdPmi19rkI5AcDUzzECZ0snOBRUPlbWhDjYBRdmOhot7ogLOEqXEmD6f-05BnYG3EMX2xQTDfouv-zbO18EhytkgxQnFYOKhTA8JaSVkX5_eVr6XunoNrVlUSOfbI5upS5sYOvv5eez2/s1600/Gona+Garden+Harvest.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eddison, <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="143a3c2e-33a9-47c7-86be-7cd22c5b5a48" id="48500b8e-391b-4433-80f2-1dd9f3eace39">Rabecca</span> and I are helping <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="143a3c2e-33a9-47c7-86be-7cd22c5b5a48" id="ae0801d2-2888-4439-8d32-699cc659170a">Tsuma</span> <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="143a3c2e-33a9-47c7-86be-7cd22c5b5a48" id="4c00e7e8-e6b6-4f72-a665-34d1c42f8b3e">harvet</span> his kale</td></tr></tbody></table>They have also learned from <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="53cc20d4-ef76-4948-bba4-8122832f55a9" id="3911eb08-b4ef-4e91-9cfa-bcbb16825146">Rabecca</span> that they can dry their kale and store it for later. They have plenty of vegetables for their own families. They have been able to sell large quantities and use the money for improving their community garden, paying school fees for their children, and setting up a group bank account. They also discovered that if they dry their kale and save it for a couple of months when the dry season comes, they can sell it for twice the price.<br /><br /><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="8fb25647-6173-406e-9933-be74d57e6896" id="de0123eb-cc23-4449-be67-62159e7f16b5">Tsuma's next big project</span> is to learn how <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="8fb25647-6173-406e-9933-be74d57e6896" id="87be0048-dd53-40dd-8435-25a3cc0c8279">to do</span> drip irrigation so that they can be even more efficient with their water. They have also started growing fruit trees to add to their food supply.<br /><br />With the teaching, coaching and encouragement of <a href="http://feedtheworld.org/" target="_blank">Feed The World</a> and Tsuma's leadership, this village <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="ea4d28e8-b1a6-4923-8519-69be9d33b652" id="a14ce59f-b254-40c9-b2e5-649fc22ef7f4">is hurling</span> itself out of poverty and dependence. They are setting a great example for their neighboring villages and making a new life for their children.<br /><br />Congratulations to Tsuma and the Gona Village Group!</div>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-7467591957811841852014-07-14T20:56:00.000-07:002023-01-04T14:11:53.613-08:00Julius, A life changed by Feed The World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Julius heard about the <a href="http://feedtheworld.org/" target="_blank">Feed The World</a> program and wanted to be part of it. He organized over twenty of his neighboring families into a group that we could teach. He was ready for us and has done an incredible job.<br />Julius had realized the importance of water and dug a large pit about 12 feet deep and 14 feet in diameter to capture water for his farm. Several years after this, another NGO, AgraKan, was impressed with his ambition and helped him dig a much larger surface dam. This preparation made it much easier for him to take advantage of our program.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8swhq8XVJ8_9hXLl8t0UGycfmX0nu3wImcrgsoSLn5exbCi0WRAs2sad5x-s19t8ued_GYV8e0DRWhOr6u_IgNAafleYB1jdhnKAIp6gjh0PIzolDTwkbK4VD4UgngMOvkzxE-2-KUSjB/s1600/SAM_0950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8swhq8XVJ8_9hXLl8t0UGycfmX0nu3wImcrgsoSLn5exbCi0WRAs2sad5x-s19t8ued_GYV8e0DRWhOr6u_IgNAafleYB1jdhnKAIp6gjh0PIzolDTwkbK4VD4UgngMOvkzxE-2-KUSjB/s1600/SAM_0950.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Julius, Eddison, and two of the group members at the surface dam</td></tr></tbody></table>As the <a href="http://feedtheworld.org/" target="_blank">Feed The World</a> staff taught him our basic principles he implemented them with vigor. He has been in the program less than a year and has already enjoyed great success. When we visited his farm we found Okra plants over six feet tall, tomatoes, eggplant, kale, spinach, and many others. An average day laborer in Kenya can earn about 350 Kenyan Shillings ($4.00) per day. Julius is now harvesting and selling about 1,000 Kenyan Shillings ($11.75) worth of tomatoes per day. This is after his family has eaten all that they want to eat.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0E0tHXDvxqOW9n-mg_ihuUfCoKemkDFB1F9ciEpBme9sze56K-AFC9rec59U9SbT9Xf_KliYZL3LsYe0i5GtDT6_HTKR0mfR4uLqz2jN4Xib6qR2iPSfQF2QcYMy82TQCouVmAvzGZ1S/s1600/SAM_1393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN0E0tHXDvxqOW9n-mg_ihuUfCoKemkDFB1F9ciEpBme9sze56K-AFC9rec59U9SbT9Xf_KliYZL3LsYe0i5GtDT6_HTKR0mfR4uLqz2jN4Xib6qR2iPSfQF2QcYMy82TQCouVmAvzGZ1S/s1600/SAM_1393.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Julius is proudly showing off his <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="ec7012e0-7a97-48da-ab8d-b6295ad5ac1c" id="609d969d-4fe0-47d6-8372-f0d5b4efbebd">tomatoes</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Last month volunteers from <a href="http://www.thrivelife.com/thrivingnations" target="_blank">Thriving Nations</a>, the charitable arm of <a href="http://www.thrivelife.com/" target="_blank">Thrive Life</a>, helped Julius plant maize (corn) according to our specifications. Based on what we are seeing right now after only a month he should have three or four times as much maize as he has had before. He was very excited that the Thrive team had come and helped him till the land and plant the maize.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPv3xu1uQDYeNc3-RcWNxRqQ8wkAf0tLos0GVbYfq1wQhLiRiyf5BKHOvpySPAliJKAGv2GJXZlh1SINyKXl-EvFo_YT-09aRoD5v_JlTnHHcUrR9afUb5-a2SvtOqrH0TNa2iHH5a313/s1600/SAM_1386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPv3xu1uQDYeNc3-RcWNxRqQ8wkAf0tLos0GVbYfq1wQhLiRiyf5BKHOvpySPAliJKAGv2GJXZlh1SINyKXl-EvFo_YT-09aRoD5v_JlTnHHcUrR9afUb5-a2SvtOqrH0TNa2iHH5a313/s1600/SAM_1386.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The maize is growing well. Julius's home is in the background</td></tr></tbody></table>The proceeds from his garden will make it so that he can easily pay the school fees for his children and medical bills that come up. Those two expenses are the ones that I most often hear talked about. Parents hate to have their children kicked out of school because they can't pay the required fees. No parent wants to be in the situation that they have a sick child and don't have the money to pay for the medicine to treat them. With malaria and several other of the illnesses in rural Kenya, the medicine could mean the difference between life and death.<br />The smile on Julius's face is in part a smile of stress relief because now he has a way of getting the money that he needs for these critical issues. </div>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-27824210677752172042014-07-06T12:08:00.000-07:002023-01-04T14:11:55.578-08:00Church in Africa<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">How do I worship when I am in Africa? The answer is in some ways the same as I do at home and in some ways it is very different.<br /><br />Last week I landed in Bamako, Mali late Friday night. Since Mali is almost entirely Muslim and their holy day is Friday, I missed the national day of worship. Sunday is just like any other day in Mali, so I had kind of a half work day and half, worship on my own day. I studied the scriptures and prayed.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0AyDASulnwNeYe5VOAoirfKPZuPuQBae_HuA25NJP-cweMEGZSsw4k5HzUnADPT3lkZsSHpV3P5b4_1IX7P57ngkc0UEeZesgs_q6bvXdfjNGhietvVz-rc3N2xbp_Y6UtGnsVofSLAR/s1600/Sunday+and+Village+walk+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs0AyDASulnwNeYe5VOAoirfKPZuPuQBae_HuA25NJP-cweMEGZSsw4k5HzUnADPT3lkZsSHpV3P5b4_1IX7P57ngkc0UEeZesgs_q6bvXdfjNGhietvVz-rc3N2xbp_Y6UtGnsVofSLAR/s1600/Sunday+and+Village+walk+003.JPG" height="640" width="478" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wonderful young family arriving at church in the Changamwe Branch</td></tr></tbody></table>Today I attended the Changamwe branch in Mombasa, Kenya. Since I have been there before, I was welcomed with open arms and bright smiles. We had a wonderful worship service where <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="1a76d3b8-b0d5-4143-958b-807989ec96d6" id="c41c6686-a8ba-4bc0-bb5d-06f6565842c7">many including</span> myself shared our beliefs in, and testimonies of, Jesus Christ.<br /><br />The <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="e9050016-5525-4c8b-b224-b351c9a17942" id="15815437-285e-45f3-9b1c-05b72216c6a9">congergation</span> was much smaller than the one that I meet with in Genola but they were full of faith and anxious to share their happiness with others. The children sang with gusto from the primary room.<br /><br />In a couple of weeks I will be in Lilongwe, Malawi and I will have a similar experience. The meetings are held in <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="ca34b3e8-9a42-4060-a3a1-d7115cf532c2" id="b2ba7183-7be4-45f0-9a3b-038ad3fa5f99">English but</span> there is a good portion of the native language mixed in and in Malawi a translator is usually used so that all can participate and understand each other. The Lord's spirit is there no matter where you are encouraging you to do better.</div>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-27156361743381822592014-07-01T17:32:00.000-07:002023-01-04T14:11:55.514-08:00What My Parents Taught Me that Every Child in the Developing World Needs to Know<h1 dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.1500000000000001; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 21px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What I have learned from</span></h1><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 37px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Welton and Trudy Ward</span></div><b id="docs-internal-guid-d1c8528b-fec9-42bb-5950-0c3a07d0e1dd" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.1500000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today as I drove to the airport with Anounou, I told him about lessons that I have learned from my parents. He was very excited with several of the concepts and shook my hand a couple of times to show his gratitude for me sharing them with him. At one point he held out his arm and showed me the goose bumps that were on his arm, because he was so excited with the concepts that I was sharing with him.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.1500000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We were talking about development and I asked him why the United States was so successful while Mali was so poor. He answered human capital. Then he went on to explain that many people in Mali did not work hard to improve their circumstances. I agreed. His comments were similar to the comments my Ethiopian friend had shared with me. He said that they life was too easy so they did not have to work and consequently were mired in poverty.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.1500000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This lead to a discussion of lessons that I have learned from my parents. By US standards, we were a poor family. (Compared to the developing world we were very well off). We always had plenty of nutritious food to eat but we seldom had fancy food. Often our clothes were purchased at second hand stores or were given to us by friends and family. Getting a new pair of jeans for school from the Sears catalog was an exciting experience. We had sufficient for or needs and some wants as well.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.1500000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My parents worked hard to teach us and provide for us. My mother taught piano lessons all the time I remember. Almost all of the money went for family needs. I don’t remember my mom ever buying something extra just for her. Her guilty pleasure was to mix chocolate, butter, sugar, peanut butter and a few other ingredients into a tasty treat. My father worked hard on the farm and sold many different items to add to the family income. He often bought treats to snack on as he worked the fields but was very frugal with his money. He loved to relax by reading a Louis Lamour western or some other novel. Both of my parents read a lot and instilled in us a love of reading. They also shared their philosophies with us and welcomed discussion.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.1500000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the key lessons that my parents taught me was that there was “no free lunch”. Someone had to pay for services and the government did not generate money, it consumed it. At school we could have very easily qualified for the free lunch program but my parents said no that we could pay for it ourselves or we could take a lunch to school. They explained that the lunch had to be paid for by someone. If it was not us then it came from someone else. Some would say “the government pays for it”. They would say the government does not generate money it takes it from our neighbors. If we get the free lunch we are telling our neighbors that they have to pay for it and we are using the government to extort that money from them. That may seem like a harsh statement but it is true. If I am not comfortable asking my neighbor for help I should not feel comfortable taking it from the government when I can provide fpr myself.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.1500000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Farm subsidies were available to the farmers as I was growing up. I often heard my friends talk about how their fathers used their subsidy check to buy new equipment, a new truck, take the family on vacation, or some other desirable purchase. When I asked my father about the subsidy program he explained that he was farming the land not the government. He said that the money that the government had come from the citizens, us and our neighbors. Taking the subsidies was like taking money from our neighbors. He said that he felt that he should provide for himself and for his family and not expect others to do what he could do himself. He taught us that if we worked hard we could accomplish anything that we wanted to do. If we depended on others for our success then we would always be limited to what we could get from them.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.1500000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My parents taught us to work for what we got and to appreciate what we had. This work ethic is not unique to our family but I find it lacking in many of the areas that I work and I fear that it is rapidly slipping away in the United States. While the developing world is trying to beg its way out of poverty, The United States citizens are ignorantly racing toward the main cause of poverty. I was taught that I should always give more than I should take. More and more people are grabbing for anything they can get. Consuming while not producing and complaining when they can’t get everything that they want. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.1500000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My parents worked hard to provide a good stable environment for our family and incubator for learning. Their focus was to help us to become productive citizens in society. They were both involved with politics, my father more so than my mother. They had us help out in political campaigns and learn political philosophies so that we could add value to the communities where we lived.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.1500000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My parents were very active in church. They taught us the gospel of Jesus Christ by lesson and by example. We always attended our meetings and my parents always served in various capacities. They were less concerned with where they served and more concerned with how they served. They expected us to do the same. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.1500000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even though my parents did not acquire a lot of wealth, the appreciation of their farm made their net worth fairly high. Their desire to have a cohesive family and a place where the family could gather lead them to work out a deal with my brother so that he could get the farm at a very low price on terms that he could live with. So the wealth that they had acquired was in essence given away so that the family farm could stay in the family. They could have had a nice comfortable retirement with the “niceties” of life. Instead they chose to serve as tour guides in Nauvoo and live a Spartan life. If success were measured by how much value you added to society compared to how much you took from society, they would be some of the most successful people in the world.</span></div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.1500000000000001; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is often said that you don’t know what you have until you lose it. In my case I didn’t realize what I had until I worked among people that did not have the same teachings that I received. I can see how critical it was to my success when I compare my life to those that have never been taught such fundamental principles for success.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-85986451559489378882014-06-30T13:08:00.000-07:002023-01-04T14:11:59.824-08:00Malawi - June 30, 2014<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">On Mon, Jun 30, 2014 at 2:08 PM, Lonny Ward <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:lonny@feedtheworld.org" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">lonny@feedtheworld.org</a>></span> wrote:</div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">To all,<div><br /></div><div>Today we drove to the capital, Bamako. We met with scientists and staff at ICRISAT, which is a research institution that works across western Africa. They said that they would be glad to assist with any agriculture projects. Anounou's wife works in one of the offices.</div><div><br /></div><div>We also visited a very large "women's garden" project that has over 100 garden plots that can be used by poor women. Each plot has water available to it. It is a cooperative project with CTB, the Belgium Government.</div><div><br /></div><div>We went to the school in Tamara (sp?) and evaluated the possibility of having a school garden.</div><div><br /></div><div>It has been a very good trip. Anounou and the others have been great hosts.</div><div><br /></div><div>I will include more detailed information in my report.</div><span style="color: #888888;"><div><br /></div><div>Lonny</div></span></div><div class="gmail_extra" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br clear="all" /><div><div dir="ltr"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: trebuchet ms, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>Lonny J. Ward</b><u></u><u></u></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Director of Operations</span></span></span></i></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Feed the World/Institute for Self Reliant </span><span style="font-size: 15px;">Agriculture</span></span></span></i></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><a href="http://www.feedtheworld.org/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">www.feedtheworld.org</a></span></span></span></i></div><div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><i style="font-size: 15px;"><span style="color: #4f6228;">M: <a href="tel:801-404-4483" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" value="+18014044483">801-404-4483</a> </span></i></div><div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><img height="75" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEio4b-azRERSYSpjMrDQYrwwfEwQ7AxXLinj3b0Z3dj-ounF8cuWg8oDgqwXU09CTsLSJHEE2eRR_eQIKUEW4PZ_sW1hg3l8O3_Gdp8a7cT86XP_9NSxc00oTXzENYELDAbYaToLEqtHyI6w0-8BWZeRqHziAB6hNIGFlq2pdqBc87IrqV3_i4E21aU=s0-d-e1-ft" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" width="420" /></div></div></div></div>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-40510096371855755212014-06-28T02:40:00.000-07:002023-01-04T14:11:56.606-08:00Crops that I saw in Mali: Maize/Corn, Rice, Vegetables, Sorghum, Millet, Soybean<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">On my first day in Mali with Anounou we went to visit a successful farmer near Selingue in southern Mali. He took us to see his corn fields. I was impressed with what I saw. Most of the rural farmers in Africa, that I have seen, plant a hill of five plants about a meter apart from each other. I am not sure where this technique originated and I have not been able to find out why they do it this way. The best answer that I have been able to get is, the five seeds are in case some of them don't germinate and the spacing is so that it is easier to get between the plants to weed when they get bigger<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="d4fc6fc6-f073-43ab-a2b0-a6b2ee5088fb" id="2ec6734e-563e-4e00-9e9d-c7af741ac3b1"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="eb390d2e-8465-466e-9b9e-4ed961e31fac" id="8312e855-c90b-4626-8be6-4e6f24dabd52"> .</span></span> This farmer planted his corn in rows with the proper spacing between rows and between plants, 60-80 cm between rows and 15 to 20 cm between plants in a row.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vKZ2wS99w0jh5An8tftBDsbocs5RcV100c0wQw-1LcMxmorQ4UedCBv43TEchyDr5JL07Skyp_o4qgn29-UcZ0fZdSrNH3MB1yWTSLUEMHjGpSRtWxDQnTIm-dZ5g-Xw051NRL76qMJZ/s1600/SAM_1084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7vKZ2wS99w0jh5An8tftBDsbocs5RcV100c0wQw-1LcMxmorQ4UedCBv43TEchyDr5JL07Skyp_o4qgn29-UcZ0fZdSrNH3MB1yWTSLUEMHjGpSRtWxDQnTIm-dZ5g-Xw051NRL76qMJZ/s1600/SAM_1084.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking at recently planted corn fields in Mali</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSzi4iActFi_SDZngjbKc7MJLKFwfmfH7RWt_CHEWR5L7MS6u7dINaqA3Y3TbNAe5nUW2wKoQX_IjmhUhiUBEGYLAnNh51tJGi2VBrzrVUyoYP3ZsiMExHUUTvuatm5Xp1eLNrx3Xg6Fa/s1600/SAM_1114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSzi4iActFi_SDZngjbKc7MJLKFwfmfH7RWt_CHEWR5L7MS6u7dINaqA3Y3TbNAe5nUW2wKoQX_IjmhUhiUBEGYLAnNh51tJGi2VBrzrVUyoYP3ZsiMExHUUTvuatm5Xp1eLNrx3Xg6Fa/s1600/SAM_1114.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rice fields ready to harvest near Selingue, Mali</td></tr></tbody></table>The farmer then took us to his rice farm near the Niger river. He was in the middle of harvesting the rice. These fields are flood irrigated from the river so they can grow rice all year around. Typically, they plant in July and harvest in December then plant again in January and harvest in June.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-oXv-B2KWxcXp6s4CeKNwR-KlZSujLDL6X16J4qPAiD5d_vvbmDSUu986on0WG5sJk4KSfWaaVIkqQdBkFUxTCvDW37wXZrO2tRv_in_1wj9OekPXtpqTcXJkpVimUmCZK3jpLO0zXPtv/s1600/SAM_1164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-oXv-B2KWxcXp6s4CeKNwR-KlZSujLDL6X16J4qPAiD5d_vvbmDSUu986on0WG5sJk4KSfWaaVIkqQdBkFUxTCvDW37wXZrO2tRv_in_1wj9OekPXtpqTcXJkpVimUmCZK3jpLO0zXPtv/s1600/SAM_1164.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With added water almost any vegetable is grown in these gardens in Ouelessabougou</td></tr></tbody></table>In this community garden I saw a very wide variety of vegetables and herbs. Tomatoes, spinach, onion, kale, sweet potato, corn, beans, soybeans, and many others. The climate is very good for growing just about anything here. The challenge comes during the dry season when everything has to be watered by hand. This community garden has five hand dug wells.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLV55QvWUBpNsWmFzGOU2cigugVTJp_hiINKtEM2JJuvG1fkV-KyyDLn4oGkOuukdy3t2dPvr0_xZoJROIpwFPlUSrc3j8-8Wis16KulyftC4RXgdtrXZ1MGsrVoghazogKQurpZB7CPZ/s1600/SAM_1209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLV55QvWUBpNsWmFzGOU2cigugVTJp_hiINKtEM2JJuvG1fkV-KyyDLn4oGkOuukdy3t2dPvr0_xZoJROIpwFPlUSrc3j8-8Wis16KulyftC4RXgdtrXZ1MGsrVoghazogKQurpZB7CPZ/s1600/SAM_1209.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The International Crops Research Institute for the <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="d45dc562-d7c4-460a-99de-b82625db5085" id="5ea78aaa-cba6-4564-a9c2-1c2666851794"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="92a3b386-b10d-4e3e-8dff-ae260c0a65d0" id="a4f4ce94-d918-41d8-9b1c-7429dd83403a">Semi-Arid</span></span> Tropics</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">In Bamako we stopped at ICRISAT,<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="text-align: center;">The International Crops Research Institute for the </span><span style="text-align: center;"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="9aca837b-390e-4a4e-9ca4-8d1f0553792c" id="85ebf3d8-e742-41d4-911a-27a91695b894"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="ff4634b0-ad91-4326-a1ac-726f5d605085" id="d1748561-a9b1-49dc-8d44-be572dc31b7c">Semi-Arid</span></span></span><span style="text-align: center;"> Tropics and met with Eva a sorghum scientist from Germany that works here to develop better varieties of sorghum and millet. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="text-align: center;">Mali has a climate that is conducive to growing a wide variety of produce, from cereal grains to soybeans to vegetables to fruits. With improved cultivation and processing techniques, Mali could produce plenty of food to meet the needs of her population and could export also. I look forward to using the <a href="http://feedtheworld.org/" target="_blank">Feed the World</a> program to help the <a href="http://ouelessebougou.org/" target="_blank">Ouelessabougou Alliance</a> teach improved farming practices.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-481480322357714597.post-7918199632112619982014-06-28T01:09:00.000-07:002023-01-04T14:11:53.676-08:00Rice production on small rural farms in Mali near the Niger River<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />Rice is a very important crop for the farmers in Mali and is one of the principal <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="c01e6c5b-9d5c-45f8-b0ab-0b9a48249174" id="51b95eb7-705d-47fc-9575-b284c0ed6107"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="b8e292df-2d5f-4b99-be1f-1fc22fae8d10" id="42ec03c3-4aed-4327-9f17-2eda6c3b98c0">foods</span></span> of the Mali people. In this post I will describe using text and pictures the fascinating process of rice production by the rural farmers in southern Mali.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-RiNZ53P1BIqVXP6V-jIvP9u-lqPm8hoXm3ATEPDPoBKvMdW4j3EimWHERz5ac8ClWsw8ayoVsOHVUIOH8PMN-Wv1JuLaEUSXwuGmrrINItar8XgDLiedFoSEfHmh51DnT6uU5o5Cm0U0/s1600/SAM_1103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-RiNZ53P1BIqVXP6V-jIvP9u-lqPm8hoXm3ATEPDPoBKvMdW4j3EimWHERz5ac8ClWsw8ayoVsOHVUIOH8PMN-Wv1JuLaEUSXwuGmrrINItar8XgDLiedFoSEfHmh51DnT6uU5o5Cm0U0/s1600/SAM_1103.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rice fields flooded by the Niger River irrigation canals</td></tr></tbody></table>Because these fields are flood irrigated from the river, they can grow rice all year around. Typically, they plant in July and harvest in December then plant again in January and harvest in June. The farmers purchased the immature rice plants from the nurseries and plant them by hand in their fields.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSzi4iActFi_SDZngjbKc7MJLKFwfmfH7RWt_CHEWR5L7MS6u7dINaqA3Y3TbNAe5nUW2wKoQX_IjmhUhiUBEGYLAnNh51tJGi2VBrzrVUyoYP3ZsiMExHUUTvuatm5Xp1eLNrx3Xg6Fa/s1600/SAM_1114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSzi4iActFi_SDZngjbKc7MJLKFwfmfH7RWt_CHEWR5L7MS6u7dINaqA3Y3TbNAe5nUW2wKoQX_IjmhUhiUBEGYLAnNh51tJGi2VBrzrVUyoYP3ZsiMExHUUTvuatm5Xp1eLNrx3Xg6Fa/s1600/SAM_1114.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Rice fields ready to harvest near Selingue, Mali</td></tr></tbody></table>The rice takes four to five months to mature depending on the variety. During this time the fields are flooded several times depending on the weather and the needs of the rice. The Mali farmers pay the government <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" ginger_software_uiphraseguid="bd545cbd-6613-41d1-bd1a-3e0cd469a7ba" id="e74ea941-7b8f-4b87-9e72-006a740d8441">water</span> office for the water that they use.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZ_-WyUnScPVq7mjHSkaFEXjyjWbYO7XWmXW2Kka0gw25shyphenhyphen-FZAcQOs5OLjKxfi0DhQSCGhuWhzv4VN0PJyBiQBhlYIT7614yV4RecEK0jUBO5cVfRvc6CD-I0WcgWDIaChh3g0YOv3R/s1600/SAM_1104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpZ_-WyUnScPVq7mjHSkaFEXjyjWbYO7XWmXW2Kka0gw25shyphenhyphen-FZAcQOs5OLjKxfi0DhQSCGhuWhzv4VN0PJyBiQBhlYIT7614yV4RecEK0jUBO5cVfRvc6CD-I0WcgWDIaChh3g0YOv3R/s1600/SAM_1104.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rice is harvested by workers with a hand scythe and gathered in bundles</td></tr></tbody></table>This rice field has recently been harvested. The rice plant is cut and laid on top of the remaining stalk for several days to dry out. It is then gathered in bundles and carried to the road ready to be threshed.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA2QLVEOJ7vcHxqCnkyr0LCgcllah1Fb0rJGid6JGYbVEZaeJZGbXfvsPcVpsV6gW0Ey4WYOQErxUlSYJYXMrHwzl5quCQqWnPmq7Qwt4DCVvJhTYDfjYPO4lMNnKoolU7UX741fPE-ha5/s1600/SAM_1102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA2QLVEOJ7vcHxqCnkyr0LCgcllah1Fb0rJGid6JGYbVEZaeJZGbXfvsPcVpsV6gW0Ey4WYOQErxUlSYJYXMrHwzl5quCQqWnPmq7Qwt4DCVvJhTYDfjYPO4lMNnKoolU7UX741fPE-ha5/s1600/SAM_1102.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">A portable rice thresher that goes from field to field doing custom threshing</td></tr></tbody></table>Portable threshing machines are hauled around the valley from field to field to thresh the rice. The rice straw is either burned there in the fields or taken back to the villages to be used as animal feed during the dry season. The rice is spread out on the ground and allowed to dry before being milled, cleaned, and sold in the market.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6ss0ILe0_My6xfWccvG5LQAGDxXgvdSBxOCa9P7QrfUVh1LclzyQABoPRjoJu7RT9v8XnbPqO9cBd6sIs4GnniNC9Tj1xpgp0TwKJ9A4qbpMMka2aFl5O95sBhWg69HmD2hxp2yb_V0y/s1600/SAM_1073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI6ss0ILe0_My6xfWccvG5LQAGDxXgvdSBxOCa9P7QrfUVh1LclzyQABoPRjoJu7RT9v8XnbPqO9cBd6sIs4GnniNC9Tj1xpgp0TwKJ9A4qbpMMka2aFl5O95sBhWg69HmD2hxp2yb_V0y/s1600/SAM_1073.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Rice drying on plastic tarps near the farmers home</td></tr></tbody></table>This farmer spread his rice on large tarps near his home. The roads make a nice flat place to lay the tarps to dry the rice. Occasionally I have seen the grains spread out on the paved roads even without a tarp. Sometimes the traffic will attempt to avoid the grain, but sometimes they will just drive right over the top of it.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nE6BmQASh1UV3wR6Hi9GMIrfwR45ydlH6pxQjuPQr-gXvGmVyg1PT6BaMs8OEnohcImqYjtx23lfjywSmBqJAiPC8xElzd_0YmWStDDpdSpvg6UrIgEiMOhxKNfn_4B9t9ZzoMk8Ye_I/s1600/SAM_1080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4nE6BmQASh1UV3wR6Hi9GMIrfwR45ydlH6pxQjuPQr-gXvGmVyg1PT6BaMs8OEnohcImqYjtx23lfjywSmBqJAiPC8xElzd_0YmWStDDpdSpvg6UrIgEiMOhxKNfn_4B9t9ZzoMk8Ye_I/s1600/SAM_1080.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Using the breeze to clean the chaff from the rice before taking it to market</td></tr></tbody></table>Once the milling has taken place the rice is cleaned by pouring it out onto a large tarp while a breeze is blowing. The lighter rice chaff will be carried to the side, leaving just the rice itself. It is not uncommon to see chickens, goats, or other farm animals helping themselves to the chaff. The rice is scooped into 90 kg bags and hauled to the market using donkey carts or various other forms of transportation. </div>Melissa Wardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01455648873697145546noreply@blogger.com0