Abu's update of 11/30

Following a period where local volunteers would alternate between construction of the Training Center and harvesting the last crops of the season, the roof structure is now complete and awaiting the installation of the roofing sheet and rain gutters.
Plastering will continue after the electrician finalizes conduit and outlets. A temporary electrical line will be installed for a January opening while work on the permanent line is advanced.

With the potential shipment of small agricultural tools, such as rakes, hoes, watering cans, and tools, the Training Center may also be able to support a small garden for use in the Food Preservation program. Suitable crops for the region could include tomatoes, onions, shallot, okra, string beans and other beans, egg plant, cabbage, sweet pepper, chille peper, carrot, cucumber, squash, plantain, banana, cauliflower, pineapples, orange, lemon, mango, lettuce, cow pea, and citrus. There may also be the ability to build bee hives as part of the Woodworking Program that could result in small batches of honey.
As the Training Center opens in early 2010, there will be much to report on progress and results.

2009 Rotary Grants Awarded

The hard work has paid off!
Over the past year, Jeff and Linda Lohr have made multiple presentations to the Rotary Clubs in Royersford, Pottstown, and Collegeville about the mission and work of Moringa Community. Additionally, Abubakar “Abu” Abdulai was able to connect with the Ghanaian chapter and obtain a formal letter from the Takoradi Rotary Club in Ghana. As a result of these efforts, Moringa Community was awarded a 2009 Spring-Ford Rotary Club grant , as well as a 2009 Western Montgomery County District Wide Rotary International Grant. This translates into more than $5,000 to support the Moringa Community training programs in Baako, Ghana.
Congratulations and thank you all! Stay tuned for updates on the work supported by these grants.

Abu's 10/26 Baako update

I am very excited on how our center is coming up. This last week we worked on the gable and organizing the roofing members. We also built a shed to at the training center so we can work under cover when it is too hot and protect the Mr. Jeffry's third world table saw, as it could rain at any time. The shed is just temporary structure using local materials.

The area bis also in the last part of the growing season, so each week a group of volunteers alternate their work on the training center and their farms, preparing the land for next season.

We also now have our official Ghana business certificate of an NGO operating in that district.

I am saying are we doing well and the work is moving fine.

Thank you all for the support.

Successful fundraiser raises the roof!

Thank you to all of the contributors to our recent fundraiser. With you generous support, we have raised the money that was needed for the roof of the new Moringa Community Center in Baako. Visit our website for more details and pictures of the progress!

September 26, 2009

We will celebrate the first anniversary of our NGO with a fundraiser and party on September 26, 2009. The event will feature live entertainment, a picnic dinner, an African art exhibition and sale, a big screen SKYPE connection to our project in Ghana, as well as an auction (sample item shown), silent auction, and raffle.

Date: Saturday September 26 2009
Time: 3:00pm to 7:00pm
Place: The Lohr Farm, 242 N. Limerick Rd. / Schwenksville PA 19473 (the site where our project was founded in 2008)

Tickets for this event are $20 per person in advance or $25 per person at the door on the day of the event. Watch for additional details to be posted on the website soon!

New website with PayPal functions

Our new website is nearly ready to go with improved layouts and navigation and the added functionality of PayPal. Now donations can be made with just a few easy mouse clicks!
Here's the preview; Look for the launch by the end of August.

Rachel trains Jeffry on new web site

Today was quite an eventful day.. Rachel Mai Tran, our wonderful new web site designer and Todd Brackett our volunteer Technical Advisor spent the day at the Farm / Moringa USA office. For us to work out how to manage the web site following Rachel's departure to Ghana.

Thanks so much Rachel and Todd.

A Young Girl's Story: Savina Fosu

Dear Moringa Community Supporters,

Abu has not only come through with all he is doing and organizing in Ghana,,,, but he also came through VERY PASSIONATELY AND EFFECTIVELY with the story about the little girl that I had asked him to report to us about. My reasoning here will be as obvious to you all as it was to me... We wanted and needed to know more about the people of Ghana we are trying to help. Well read on below and things will unfold
before you that should galvanize everyone's resolve that not only are we doing good work,, we in fact have to work even harder. Once again meet Savina Fosu below,, you all know her already, now you will really get to know her through Abu's investigation.

Below are Abu's words written in red,,, copied back to me from questions I posed to him last month. They will speak for themselves. When looking at the photos that are attached in the Zip File,, understand the one bed you see is where the entire family sleeps. I won't say anymore,,, I know give this page to Abu and his passionate story.
Jeff

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In a message dated 4/15/2009 1:47:59 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, sadick1777@yahoo.com writes:

Abu, I have gotten very good results from the photo of the little girl with the load of rocks you see below.
Again, what is this little girl's name?Her name is Savina Fosu What are her hopes for the future? Her hopes in future are to complete her education and become a teacher or nurse Does she goes to school? Yes she goes to school how are her studies coming along? Not too good she said its not like studying in the city, they have enough facilities for study, they help their parents to cell local don nuts before going to school after school they all go to farm to meet their parents there, she never got time to study before or after school and in the evening because they don’t have electricity in their house they cant study, why is she not studying and helping her parent always she said that is the only way she can continue her education to help her parent take of the in school and she hope I day she will go to school and study without working that will disturb her study What does she like best to do? Going to school why because she can learn and have fun doing the break time with her friends how many brothers and sisters does she have? She has six sisters what is her favorite food? Rice and stew Does she have her own bed? Well I didn’t ask her that because I saw where all sleep and the parents bed you will see that in the picture AGAIN WHAT IS HER STORY? HOW AND WHEN IS SHE GOING TO SCHOOL TO SPEND ENOUGH TIME ON HER STUDY TO BECOME WHO SHE WANTED TO BE IN FUTURE, HOW DIFFICOULT ITS FOR THE SCHOOLS IN CITY AND TOWN FIND IT TO COMPLETE THEIR EDUCATION HAVING ENOUGH TEST BOOK AND FACILITIES. SCHOOL LIKE SAVINA’S SCHOOL, WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT THE GOOD LORD GIVE THE POWER WISDOM, WEALTH WHY DO CHILDREN AND YOUNG ONCE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO THIS YOUNG ENOSENT CHILDREN AND THE REST OF CHILDREN, IS SHE GOING TO CONTINUE HER EDUCATION AFTER SHE COMPLETED FROM THIS SCHOOL IN THE VILLAGE AFTER WHAT SHE WENT THROUGH BEFORE COMPLETING HER JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, HOW MANY PEOPLE BUY DON- NUTS EVERYDAY IN THIS VILLAGE , HOW LONG DID HER PARENTS START FARMING BEFORE GIVING BIRTH TO SAVINA HOW OLD IS SHE NOW 12 YEARS, AT THIS AGE SHE WORKING VERY HARD BEFORE SHE GET HER NEEDS TO SCHOOL IS SHE GOING TO GET PRGNANT DURING SCHOOL OR IT WILL HAPPEN AFTER SHE COMPLETE HER JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE WHERE PARENTS FAIL THEIR RESPONSILITIES THE CHILDREN FIND THEIR WAY OUT WHICH DO NOT BRING GOOD RESULT AT THE END, IT DOESN’T TAKE MUCH TO HELP HER AND THE REST OF THE CHILDREN. PLEASE LET DO SOMETHING TO HELP THEM, SOME PEOPLE ARE DOING IT AND THEIR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS ARE PROUD OF THEM THEY FILL HAPPY TO CALL THEM MY FRIENDS MY FATHER AND MY MOTHER ITS ALWAYS DIFFICOULT TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS, ITS INDEED VERY EASY TO WRONG PEOPLE WHO WILL BE HAPPY AT THE END. WHY MANY CHILDREN KNOWING YOUR CONDITIONS. DO THEY HAVE CHOICES AFTER SLEEPING ALWAYS IN THE DARK NIGHT AND DURING THE DAY IN THE HOT AND SUNY WORKING IN THE FARM? WHAT COULD THEY HAVE AS FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT AFTER WHAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH BOTH DAY AND NIGHT; LIFE IT’S INDEED FULL OF EXPERIENCES NOT A PANISHMENT. MAY BE SUNDAYS IS CHURCH DAY OR VISITING THEIR LOST FAMILIES AND FRIENDS THIS COULD HAPPEN TO THEM WHO IS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN WHY NOT SHARING YOUR FRIENDS TEERS HOW WOULD SAVINA LIFE WILL BE, DID SHE HAVE HOPE IN LIFE FROM WHERE. MORINGA COMMUNITY .ORG IS LISTINING TO THIS CHILDREN AND THE YOUTH EVERY DAY USING THEIR OWN RESURCES TO BUILD SOMETHING GOOD IN FUTURE SO SAVINA AND THE REST WILL HAVE SOMETHING TO LEAN ON IN FUTRE WITHOUT GOING THROUGH ALL THAT SHE IS GOING THROUGH NOW.YOU CAN CHOSE TO HELP HER PERSONALY SO IS THE REST OF THEM. STRONGLY BELIEVE THE PHOTOS WILL SPEECH MUCH BETTER THAN I DO, PLEASE YOU ARANGE IT THE WAY AMERIACA WILL UNDERSTAND FROM THIS STORY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING. GOD BLESS YOU ALL
the information that Americans want to know.

ABU