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.