ECHO - Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization

Zero Grazing - this goat barn will hold 8 goats, keeping crops safe from wandering goats, and allowing the farmer to feed his goats nutritious food in a cut and carry system. The slatted floor means that the goat manure falls through and is collected in a bin below allowing easy access for collection by the farmer. The manure is then used to enrich the soil for crops.

Three styles of Rocket Stove currently being used in developing countries which are more fuel efficient saving both fuelwood and shortening the time women spend looking for firewood. The addition of a pot skirt also helps to channel the heat to the pot for added efficiency and shortening cooking time.

This past week I had the opportunity of taking a course called Introduction to Tropical Agriculture at ECHO (Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization) in Ft. Meyers, Florida. A neighbour had visited the ECHO facilities during a recent trip to Florida and had brought me back the brochure thinking I might be interested in what ECHO had to offer. He had wanted to get a book for Ronnie that would be of help to our work in Wongonyi Village, Kenya but was overwhelmed by the selection in the bookstore. I visited ECHO's website and found this course for those working overseas in developing countries which just happened to fit into my schedule. So last week, I along with 18 other people learned a lot about tropical agriculture, community development, the challenges of working with those in poverty and also had a chance to share ideas and concepts about our work in developing countries. Half our group was made up of students, some who had just graduated and were looking for opportunities for the next leg of their personal journey. Representatives from India, Burkino Faso, Niger, Tanzania and Germany rounded out our group of Canadian and Americans working in Kenya, Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and Libyria.

It was an amazing time for me as I realized that although some concepts for temperate gardening can apply in developing countries, growing in the tropics and sub-tropics is really a different kettle of fish. There you can take a branch off a tree, stick it in the ground and viola, a new tree will grow. But concepts like composting and mulching are universal agricultural principles.I also learned of differing perspectives to use when working with those in the poverty cycle. Trees and plants that can change the face of poverty and malnutrition were shown to us along with their growing conditions and I know that Ronnie will soon be planting Moringa, the Miracle Tree, and Amaranth, a nutritious grain in Wongonyi Village, Kenya.

ECHO has a Global Demonstration Farm and Research Facility which assists those working in the field or those who having positions as trainers and technical resource staff. It is a living classroom focused on helping those who are subsistence farmers overseas to become more productive. ECHO also has a specialized library with staff that can help answer any of your questions regarding tropical agriculture and by joining the ECHO network you can have access to ECHO Development Notes, a highly regarded technical bulletin sent out quarterly to agricultural development workers, teachers and trainers working overseas. Additionally ECHO holds an agricultural conference each fall with participants coming from around the globe to learn new techniques and share agricultural and development solutions.

The ECHO Seed bank contains over 350 varieties of seeds for difficult growing conditions and locations. Overseas development workers who will report back on performance and community acceptance of plants can obtain up to 10 trial packs of free seed per year.

ECHO also has a bookstore and nursery that are open to the public as well as giving tours to school groups and the public. For more information on ECHO and the resources it offers check out their website at http://www.echonet.org/.

Wangari Maathai - Peace for Kenya

Recently I finished reading Wangari Maathai's memoir "Unbowed". In this telling tale, Wangari Maathai, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, provides a history of her life to her present day position as Founder of the Green Belt Movement.

The book provides interesting insight into a Kenya, that just decades ago was self-sufficient and people living in rural villages enjoyed prosperity. She details how internal strife in the country coupled with colonialism and then a huge influx of international aid has spurned corruption and a decline in quality of life resulting in a revolving cycle of poverty.

Wangari is an amazing African woman, who benefitted from a chance opportunity through the Kennedy lift to study outside her country. But unlike many others who would remain in a developed country to enjoy prosperity, she returned to Kenya to use her knowledge to help repair a broken country. Her life has certainly not been easy, a broken marriage, opposition from government officials who sent her to jail on numerous occasions and even death threats have not broken or deflated her resolve. Even when her own country did not acknowledge her and her efforts, the global community did by awarding her the Nobel Peace Prize.

She started her campaign to heal Kenya by planting trees and through her Green Belt Movement she has mobilized thousands of women in rural villages to plant trees in an effort to bring peace and prosperity. And today the Green Belt Movement has spread to other developing and developed countries. Even today Wangari continues to encourage the women of Kenya to seek positions of power and leadership in their own villages and in government to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.

I would recommend this book for anyone working in community development projects in Kenya who wants to get a sense of the history of Kenya and the reasons for the problems that exist today.

The Green Belt Movement - A Model for Community Development

"The Green Belt Movement has over the past 30 years shown that sustainable development linked with democratic values promotes human rights, social justice and equity, including the balance of power between women and men. The (Nobel Peace) Prize demonstrates that although the work of grassroots groups, especially women's groups, does not always make headline news, it does make a difference."

Wangari Maathai, 2004

In 2004 Kenyan Wangari Maathai received worldwide recognition for being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for sustainable development, democracy and peace, her most notable achievement being the creation of The Green Belt Movement, an organization promoting the planting of trees in Kenya and now around the world. I just finished reading her book "The Green Belt Movement, Sharing the Approach and the Experience", an intimate look into the creation of the organization and its achievements over the past 30 years.

For those of us working in Kenya in projects of sustainable development, agriculture and community initiatives this book is a must read. Wangari provides a history of Kenya and how it has lapsed into its present state of poverty but tempers that with a practical analysis of how improvements can be made ending with a positive outlook that hope exists for a new tomorrow. For those of us coming from a Western perspective, it gives us insight into the workings of Kenyan culture and how we can approach our projects so we get successful results. Of especial note is her chapter on Lessons Learned. We can all learn by heeding The Green Belt Movements experiences:

1. Community Development initiatives should address community-felt needs.

2. The messsage must make sense to the participants.

3. There is need for good leadership.

4. Work patiently to motivate communities.

5. Offer some short-term incentives.

6. Reach both decision makes and communities at the same time.

7. Field staff must be keen observers.

8. The community must understand the project.

9. The community must own the project.

10. Community development takes commitment.

11. Limited resources demand prioritization.

12. Democratic administration and management is key.

Community development takes patience, especially when you are working in a different culture. Not all the world works with the West's quick paced business style nor are all the resources readily available at your fingertips in Kenya. But with understanding, inclusive actions, an integrated community consultative program and lots of patience you will be able to achieve positive change. When we started The Ronnie Fund, we did not do so with the aim of imposing projects on Wongonyi village. We have followed Wangari's advice by relying on Ronnie to identify the needs of the community, to prioritize the projects and to negotiate with local administration. Through his leadership we have initiated several successful projects that the villagers have taken ownership of and that have made a difference in their lives in creating quality village life. There are still many needs and challenges in Wongonyi village but I have no doubt that The Ronnie Fund will continue to make positive changes.

For those of you who are heading non-governmental organizations working in Kenya at the grassroots level or those establishing schools and orphanages, I highly recommend you add this book to your library. Wangari's chapters on establishing a tree nursery project will also be very helpful as a model for instituting community development projects in Africa.