Its getting really cold!

I have been in the Swaziland one and a half months now and the moringa project is going strong.

Within the last week, we have secured 2 more plots with mission groups in - and - . Both of these missions already have robust agricultural activities; this means that we wouldn't not worry about the day-to-day management and care for the trial plots.

Yesterday, I had a chance to go visit one of the farms, called New Life Children's Homes. The couple that started this farm-orphanage started down a similar path with as we did with swaziAID/Makers United which is one of internal self-sustainability. On this farm, there are currently 4 houses each home to about 7 children to total 28 of the most orphaned-orphans.

To clarify, there are degrees of being an orphan. A child that has lost one parent (whether through death or desertion) is considered a single orphan. A child that has lost both parents is considered a double orphan. Even in the cases of double orphans, Africa's strong extended family networks will usually take in these orphans. However, there are some that, for whatever reason, doesn't have (or cannot find) an extended family are the most vulnerable children. These children just live out there somewhere. New Life Children's Homes focuses on these children.

Returning to the farm, each home is under the care of a Swazi house-mother who is essentially a surrogate mother. Nearly all the orphanages and children's hostels here use surrogate mothers as a way of keeping the family natural, ensure the passing on of Swazi culture, and keep the “foreigner” out of the picture as much as possible. This children's home is of course not cheap to maintain.

To ensure that these homes will not fall apart when the mission leaves or funding stops, they have a small but significant production of broccoli, cauliflower, beef, and free-range eggs to supply local supermarkets. They also have started a nursery that is providing local farmers with all sorts seedlings. All together, the current estimate is that the farm is 67% self-sustaining. That is something very difficult to achieve.

I will be visiting the other farm later this week and it will be also very interesting (for reasons that I cannot share just yet, however much I would like to).

Swaziland is one the few countries in the world that recognizes Taiwanese sovereignty meaning Swaziland and Taiwan are good friends. The Taiwanese have established a Taiwan Technical Mission here in Swaziland to provide permanent agricultural assistance. They have worked on many projects and ventures over the years and has a ton of experience. They are, of course, sanctioned by both governments and consequently has a direct line of communication with the head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives. This pretty much means that whatever they work on, the government is more open to.

I met with the chief of the Taiwanese Tech Mission last week and presented the tree to him. He was professionally hesitant(meaning he doesn't take on without consideration, good thing) but was receptive. I gave him a number of documents on moringa, including one from a Taiwanese agricultural research institute, and left him to speak with his colleagues about helping us monitor the plots and/or hosting a plot on their on their own research farm. If this comes through, it would be one of the most important alliances we make in this venture.

Piggies at New Life Children's Homes.