Our 2018 JBC Tractor Crisis - Oh No!

Well, machines are just that "Machines". and there is not a machine in the world that does not break down from time to time.  Especially a machine that has seen 23 years of hard, nearly daily use with 10's of thousands of hours on it.

Our.JBC.Tractor.Crisis. from Jeffry Lohr on Vimeo.

The video above shows where we are as of January 2, 2018.   Where we are is worried about the severity of a mechanical problem that has just developed with our beloved project workhorse.  That workhorse being our 1994 JBC Model C3 Excavator Loader Tractor. If we can't add weld and regrind the damaged teeth, we may need to locate a new geared flywheel.  Also the main engine bearings are completely shot.
Part of the problem was a crack in the housing around the water pump that allowed some coolant to mix with the oil but that was only a small cause-effect that just added insult to injury on an already worn-out Leyland Tractor Engine.

As our Tractor is our biggest Moringa Capital Investment and a machine that has won us so very much in 2017, it is clear we simply have to restore this machine to working condition. That is not so easy in Ghana but Abu has a good mechanic on the job that he brought in from the capital in Accra so all that can be done is being done.

I'll post an update as we know more and get a handle on what we are dealing with to get our Tractor repaired.   In the mean time, please wish us God's Speed in this much needed and rather scary repair.
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David Akers To Help Guide MCSOT To Fiscal Independence

It is my honor and pleasure to introduce all our steadfast project supporters to David Akers. 

As many already know, our Moringa Community School of Trades (MCSOT) has been struggling to achieve our project goal of full self sustainability for some time now.  There are many factors that have inhibited the achievement of this goal but thankfully Dave has signed on as a highly qualified volunteer financial consultant and business manager to help Abu identify those obstacles, reorganize, and to adapt and overcome in such a way that MCSOT can gradually become less dependent on our private American financial assistance.  Much has been achieved in this direction but so much more needs to be done for MCSOT  to truly become financially independent.    

Dave is a retired insurance executive who also spent 8 years in the ministry.  As part of his insurance work Dave got an MBA from DePaul University with an emphasis in accounting.  More recently Dave has been a partner in a small real estate partnership.

Dave was introduced to Ghana by CARE, the international poverty relief agency.  Dave and his wife, Jean, have been long time supporters of CARE and in 2009 Dave spent a summer in Ghana working as a volunteer on the VSLA project, a group savings project that CARE pioneered in Africa.

Following the summer in Ghana, Dave spearheaded the construction of Awulansa-Adabinsa Primary School in the Builsa District.  Later the school was equipped with solar panels. 

Dave and Jeff Lohr were originally introduced in the late 1980’s when they were both residents of Limerick, PA and Dave was on the Board of Supervisors.  Dave and his wife moved in 2002 and spent time both in New England and on the west coast.  They moved back to the Philadelphia suburbs in 2016 and Dave and Jeff recently became re-introduced by the St. James United Church of Christ, one of the long time supporters of the MoringaCommunity School of Trades. 

Jeffry Lohr

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MoringaCommunity.Org is 501C3 charitable organization made up of a small yet hard working group of unpaid volunteers. We can always use help. If you cannot physically help, please DONATE.

Ben Dove Joins the Moringa Team of Volunteers

BEN DOVE AND JEFFRY LOHR AT
J.D. LOHR SCHOOL OF WOODWORKING April 2017

I am thrilled to introduce Ben Dove, a retired Lockheed Martin executive and JD Lohr School of Woodworking Alumni turned MoringaCommunity Volunteer as of July 2017.  Ben joins the ranks of Volunteers that have been introduced to the project through the
JD Lohr School of Woodworking 

A graduate of University of North Dakota (UND), Ben is currently working with students at the UND College of Engineering & Mines to develop a more fuel efficient way to sustain large quantities of water at a consistent boil for 45-60 minutes for our Moringa Community School of Trades (MCSOT) canning program.  Additionally, the week before the release of this Blog update, Ben met with the UND Assistant Dean of Education, and another faculty member, to work on setting up an onsite engagement at MCSOT in May 2018.

UND Mechanical Engineering students present
initial design for their Senior Projectaption

 UND is prepared to provide the MCSOT faculty and staff instruction on teaching techniques for English and Math. This is viewed as a first step in setting up a more comprehensive relationship between the schools. The University educators involved both come with experience teaching in Africa. Our first American MCSOT Volunteer Teacher, Joseph Katz,  previously served in the Peace Corps in Africa. It is exciting to have American trained teachers, with African teaching experience, offer to participate in our project. 

Many thanks to Ben for providing such significant assistance to help Jeff, Abu, Linda, Jody , Dave, and other key Moringa Volunteers move this project ever closer towards our goal of self-sustainability. 

Thank you for the privilege of your time to read about the volunteer work of the Moringa Project.
Jeff Lohr 

*****MORINGA COMMUNITY NEEDS YOU!*****

MoringaCommunity.Org is 501C3 charitable organization made up of a small yet hard working group of unpaid volunteers. We can always use help. If you cannot physically help, please DONATE.
Do you have something to offer such as writing, fundraising work, medical clinic background, agricultural skills, retail sale interest in our Student Made Moringa Products, and/or the ability and willingness to teach at our school in Ghana?  If so, or if you just have a question, please email Jeffry Lohr (US Organization President) at JeffryLohr@aol.com

Anyone interested in pursuing a life changing experience of teaching for 3 to 9 weeks in West Africa, please see volunteer details and teacher requirements at the top of our "EVENTS" page on the MoringaCommunity.Org web site.