Tomato Fest held at Seymour Farmers’ Market

Tomato Fest held at Seymour Farmers’ Market

Partners Worldwide

Partners Worldwide

Harvest Shares

Two Worlds

While my role as the facilitator of Rural Empowerment Initiative (rei) will have me in two worlds, I can experience certain things in each continent.
For example weather.
Here the news will lead off with the weather. Its going to be in the high 80's today with dew points near 70!
This is news?
While in West Africa in February and March, I experienced their weather. While there isn't much variety in the news broadcasts, especially in Liberia, where basically the whole country remains off the grid from decades of fighting, it sure aint about the weather.
In fact, when you ask people "how hot is it?" Most people have no clue, do not care and just live life as usual.
They do not have ozone alerts or water sprinkling stations.
You know what they do. They don't complain. There are much bigger fish to fry so to speak. Its called survival. You see you have to do what you got to do, or you don't eat that day.
Women continue to carry large loads of material on theirs heads. Men continue to labor in the sweltering heat...if so fortunate, children walk along way to go to a school that is very under qualified.
I never knew how hot it was during my stay, other than it was really hot.
But its amazing when you don't let media tell you how it is, it doesn't seem that bad, or i guess you just put up with it and just do life.
I wish my world here in the US would pay attention to bigger fish and not make the weather headline news.
Believe me, there's much going on that could lead the news.

Partners Worldwide Confernce

PARTNERS WORLDWIDE CONFERENCE

Go here to find out more and register...hope to see ya there!

A Tale of Two Cities — Clean Water and Sanitation

A Tale of Two Cities — Clean Water and Sanitation as posted on business as Mission website...http://www.businessasmissionnetwork.com/


Guest Post by Chris Horst - Last month I started a journey, in monthly installments, to two fictional cities—Assetsville and Needsville—both cities representative of poor communities in Africa. While the issues in these cities are identical, the responses to these issues could not be more different—both in philosophy and methodology.


Clean water and sanitation are luxuries. The statistics are devastating: One billion of our planet’s citizens lack access to clean water. Unsafe water and poor sanitation cause 80% of all diseases and kill more than two million people annually, 90% of whom are children under the age of five.


When these realities became publicized in Needsville, the response from the international community was swift and profound. Wells were drilled. Rainwater was collected and purified. Water filtration plants were installed. The challenge was big and the response was inspiring.


Sadly, the outcomes fell far short of the aspirations. Shockingly, 80% of the new wells fell into disrepair. The entire region became a “wasteland for broken water and sanitation infrastructure.” The working wells became overworked, plagued by shortages and unmotivated staff. Long lines developed at these wells as the meek recipients waited anxiously to fill up their jugs with the “free” water. Even some church well projects, while well-meaning, were not sustained. The wells were drilled for the residents of Needsville by missions trippers, not by or with them.


In sharp contrast, the streets of Assetsville are now flowing with clean water. Local ingenuity, entrepreneurial grit and sustainable models abound. A local church recently built a water purification center with the help of a Christian ministry and is now providing affordable clean water to their community. The water business employs a handful of church members and creates a revenue stream for the church to pay its underpaid pastoral staff. Refreshing: The local church is providing affordable pure water and sharing about the Living Water.
A microfinance program in Assetsville built a purification system in its branch office. Dozens of clients subsequently took out loans to purchase the clean water in bulk. These water vendors load up their bicycles with jugs of water and sell it in some of the most-underserved communities in the city. Through this model, they collectively sell over 300,000 gallons annually and experience the dignity of work. Innovative: Water solutions—microfinance-style.


Down the road, a pioneering new business is a booming success, bringing dignity to sanitation, through its high-quality, public, pay-per-use toilet and shower facility. Counterintuitive: “The poor” paying for the privilege of using clean bathroom facilities.


Even the children are involved in the movement. They pump clean water into their schools while they play on merry-go-rounds. The excess water is sold to the community and advertising space on the water tanks is sold to ensure the pumps are maintained. Clever: Sustainable clean water fueled by the play of children.


All throughout Assetsville, fresh ideas and entrepreneurial tenacity are charting a new course—a course fueled by smart solutions, and framed by healthy partnerships between the residents of Assetsville and those who are descending on the city to provide help.

Labels: Chris Horst, Water
posted by Justin Forman | 5.05.2010 - 10:02 AM

Liberia-Full of Hope

While this piece rings so true with moving Liberia forward...it brings up the issue about aid workers and how little aid really gets to the people...it's time for change in development...bottom's up!

Open letter to Bono and Bob Geldof

Open letter to Bono and Bob Geldof

President Obama Meets with Liberian President Sirleaf

The Greater Cane Rat- AKA-Grasscutters-A delicacy In Cote d'ivoire

One of the projects being started by ACLCP(Association of Christians Fighting Against Poverty) and the demonstration farm in Cote d'Ivoire is a grasscutter production.
In the beginning of the month,30 grasscutters where delivered at that Ghana border by Renita Reed.
Three died in transport as these little 'rats' are sensitive to travel.
Now the 27 have found a new home in the demonstration farm and will be the base for production.

Wikipedia states;
The Greater Cane Rat (Thryonomys swinderianus) is one of two species of cane rats, a small family of African hystricognath rodents. It inhabits Africa, south of the Saharan Desert. The cane rat lives by reedbeds and riverbanks. As humans move into such territories, the cane rats accepted plantations and cultivated areas. Cane rats can grow about two feet long in the longest individuals and weighs a little less than 19 lb (8.6 kg). It has rounded ears, short nose, and coarse bristly hair. Its forefeet are smaller than its hindfeet and supports its weight on only three toes. Cane rats live in small groups led by a single male. They are nocturnal and make nests from grasses or burrow underground. The oldest cane rat can live more than four years. If frightened, they grunt and run towards water. They eat grasses and cane and since they have tastes for cultivated foods, they make serious agricultural pests. So far, their conservation status is lower risk.

In the country of Ghana and other regions of West Africa, the Greater Cane Rat is usually called a grasscutter or cutting grass. In both West Africa and Southern Africa, it is considered a delicacy. As a consequence, "grasscutters" are beginning to be raised in cages for sale, and so are sometimes referred to as micro livestock.

So in here begins a small enterprise raising grasscutters.

The goal is to help in self sustainability of ACLCP and teach other farmers in the production of these delicate, expensive meals.