beyond baking bread
We have been looking for projects which enable people to gain more independence and allow them to pay for their own education and provide medicine for their family. This has been successfully achieved with the beekeeping project, the building of a library, the tractor project, as well as local irrigation and well projects.
BEEKEEPING PROJECT
We contacted the UK charity "BEES ABROAD" and they helped to select suitable territories where we work with two of our Ifakara Free Bread Fund holders: the Bethlehem Centre and the Mahutanga Village which were successful. The training of new 'Bee Keepers' has started and we helped fund protective clothes and material for beehives. So far the group has harvested over 100kg of top quality honey.
The group has be trained to make cosmetics, candles, creams and other products to sell as extra income generators. Half of the honey harvested from the school is given back to the children. The honey goes well with the free bread and makes it more even more delicious.
THE TRACTOR PROJECT
For some years careful thought has been given for such a project to help generate income and improve yield from agriculture by better land treatment. Most farmers are unable to purchase a tractor. The Valenova NGO are running it as a profitable business and ensure to cover administration, running costs and service. The profit will be reserved for local needs, including the funding of students’ school fees and assist for community emergencies. A dedicated Board of Directors has been appointed who are very optimistic.
Library Project
The charity provided funds for a library for medical students. The charity funded the construction of the cubicles, purchased and mailed boxes of books from the UK for the library and paid for computers and internet set up. The project experienced a huge setback when the library was broken into and supplies were stolen. But after reinforcing the building by placing metal bars on the windows the project has run smoothly and is a valuable resource in the community.
Education Project
The motto on plaques outside many schools in Tanzania is,' Education is Liberation'. There is an insatiable thirst for knowledge, we witnessed it across all age groups. The average yearly cost of an education in Tanzania totals 100,000 Tanzanian Shillings (TZS), equal to £37. However, with the national average salary being £16,480, many families cannot afford the fees that accompany their children's education. Thanks to the generosity of our donors we have been able to support several individuals by funding their A-level studies and higher education. Notably one for an engineering degree and another to become a pharmacist.
Well Project
Clean water is not taken for granted in Ifakara. We witnessed many locals walking miles to get water for daily use. Once obtained it was often brown and a breeding ground for disease. It was also an unsafe process to draw the water from the hole in the ground. Over the years our charity has worked to fund the drilling of 12 water pumps so that locals can obtain clean, safe water in a safe way.
Irrigation Projects
Drought and flooding result in the destruction of vital crops and staples for the local community. At any point during the growing phase crops can be lost due to the inability to manage not having enough water available or having too much and not being able to remove it. We were able to purchase an irrigation system that local farmers use to transport water from the Kilombero River or a local reservoir to their fields as well as be able to remove standing water in times of flooding.
