Seeds of Soy and Joy Update September 2010

By By Charlotte Day

Jean Phiri is our director of the Seeds of Soy and Joy project and we are targeting 3 villages: Simiyoni Kondanani and Kawiya this year. We have met with the 105, which includes gogos, child-headed households and single mothers. Jean set up a criteria to be in the program. Jean has directed the coordinators who in turn are meeting with the chiefs, 'traditional authorities' and the organizing committees in all 3 villages targeted.....so, the work is going on sooo well! Keep praying as now they will be teaching good composting and getting the recipients to prepare their land well in advance since planting will not occur until the rains come in Nov, Dec. We will start nutritional coupled with spiritual messages and uses of soy beginning in August.

A few weeks ago the SEEDS coordinators taught the 3 groups a type of 'manure-composting'....hands-on with collecting, cutting twigs, husks, etc and mixing with ashes, etc.... and then counting off their land for planting and planning for hoeing the ridges.

The gogos are currently being trained on soya utilization. This process is very important because it will help them know how else they could use soya other than just seasoning porridge for young children and selling it for cash. Comments have been from all participants that they ‘never knew’ how to use soya. They now know how to make fritters, cornbread (Chikondamoyo=”love for life”!) and a sweet potato dish (futali) with soy. They also learned to roast and grind for coffee and made soy milk from which the children will benefit.

Thanks to all who have made this training possible.

Love, Charlotte Day