Climate Action Malawi Project #41625

Sustainable Farming to Relieve Hunger in Malawi

by Warm Heart Worldwide, Inc

Sustainable Farming to Relieve Hunger in Malawi

Project Report | Nov 1, 2024
Fueling Change: Fund a Farmer Campaign and Global Biochar Expansion

By Evelind Schecter | Program Leader

Handmade briquettes stop deforestation

As we explore ways to expand the number of farmers benefiting from the use of biochar in their fields, we launched the "Fund a Farmer" campaign to extend training on biochar and other sustainable agriculture practices. By funding these farmers to learn the benefits and uses of biochar, we empower them to generate extra income, helping to keep their children in school. We raised an initial $10,000 to gauge the program's reception and will continue through the Malawi project.

In Kenya and Malawi, we enrolled 1,600 farmers in the carbon removal credit program, generating cash in addition to applying biochar to the soil. The market for these credits is still new, requiring us to continually adjust our operating model to adapt to market shifts and demand.

In Malawi, the team participated in community fairs to highlight local projects supporting the environment. The Warm Heart team received a prize for their presentation of biochar activities around Malawi.

Training continued in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), despite rebel invasions in several districts. The DRC was also one of the centers of the monkeypox virus outbreak. Vaccines were finally released to the region before the disease spread to the districts served by the Biochar team.

In October, the DRC team trained 350 villagers, distributed rabbits (for breeding and manure for farming), and demonstrated how to use biochar mixed with cement to lower the cost of making bricks and wall plaster. Handmade briquettes from biochar are also being used, they last longer than charcoal, prevent deforestation, and reduce smoke in cooking fires

In Thailand, farmers have also contended with floods in mountain villages and through their rice fields. The biochar team was able to continue production, focusing on days when the tree branches had dried out enough to permit pyrolysis.

These farmers are out in their fields making a difference every day as we work to reduce the factors warming our planet.

Your gifts support these vital programs. Thank you!

Best wishes for the months ahead,

Dana, Michael, Evelind, and the Biochar Team

Biochar Training in the DRC

Community award for Malawi team

Livestock are healthier with biochar in their feed

Permalink

Jul 3, 2024
Harvest Time, Expanding Networks, and Savings Circles

By Evelind Schecter | Program Leader

Measuring new trench dimensions to make biochar

It's harvest time in Malawi and Kenya. The farmers have been busy bringing in their crops, hoping the rains will hold off until they're ready for the next planting. Our teams have been testing new trench sizes to find more efficient ways to make biochar and reviewing the training to qualify farmers to join the carbon credit program.

In Kenya, heavy flooding sent one of our farmer's villages to an emergency tent camp on higher ground. The farmers are now seeing how much they can salvage.

Our teams in Kenya, Malawi, and the DRC asked for a small grant to kick off Savings Circles "Table Banking" to address the constant issues of cash flow shortages and debt management. In Kenya, the government requires the group to register, set up a bank account, and complete training. So far there are 21 members of the " Community Champions Initiative Group", and they have started setting their goals for the funds. By supporting each other, they commit to a manageable savings plan and reach their goals faster. Malawi is now registered with the government, as well. In the DRC, our leader is working with local organizations that foster the savings circles.

The DRC team has continued to train villages outside of the areas of fighting. They have been active in learning and testing new ways to use biochar to improve the lives of villagers. Their wall plaster is depicted in the photo below.

Our lead from Liberia went to the Gambia to start a group of trainers who will expand the biochar training there. From the organizer: "They have all committed to make biochar on their own plots, and we will follow up to encourage people from the same village to work together--their land is close to one another such that they can each have their own trench, but make the biochar jointly, consecutively, on the same day, and invite others in the village to watch."

Michael went to Nigeria to facilitate the cooperation between the local government and a social enterprise looking at ways to help the local populace with biochar. See the link below.

These are all gains that you have fostered with your support.

Thank you, and best wishes for a safe and fun summer!

Dana, Michael, Evelind, and the Warm Heart Biochar Teams

Mercy visits farmer at tent camp after flooding

Augustine from Liberia training in Gambia

DRC Sealing walls with biochar plaster

Michael during Nigeria Crossroads Meetings

"Community Canmpions Initiative" Saving Circle

Links:

UNICROSS Partnership For Food Security, Improved Farmer QOL

Permalink

Mar 5, 2024
Recognition of Biochar Grows as We Expand Training

By Evelind Schecter | Program Leader

DRC Biochar Team Training in Burundi

We’re gearing up for 2024 biochar training and production. We started the year with our trainers in the Democratic Republic of Congo making it safely to neighboring Burundi to train a community interested in learning about biochar for soil health as well as making briquettes for cooking.

The rapid deforestation to make charcoal for cooking is depleting watersheds and causing soil erosion. Farmers can turn this into a small business as they reap the benefits of biochar in their soils.

Thanks to our DRC team for venturing around dangerous areas of political conflict to deliver the training. They arrived back home safely. Olivier, a university student from Burundi, organized the training and the community group to follow through on the plans for the social enterprise.

Our courageous DRC Team Leader reports "We are glad to arrive safely at home after training farmers in Burundi and DRC ( Goma, Bukavu, and Uvura) as we spoke on: how to make and use biochar, how to make compost, how to purify water, how to make biochar briquettes, how to build biomass storage and how to fight the global warming and the climate change as we use biochar."

The team in Liberia that Michael trained last year plans to train in The Gambia in April.

In Malwai the team is surveying farmers to improve our planning and reporting - checking on feedstock availability, and farm sizes as well as checking with farmers who were trained in biochar, to see how many have adopted this core farming practice.

The incubator you funded during COVID-19 at the Monastery in Zomba is producing chicks at a great rate. The funds from the sales go to paying school fees for local children in need. The school system is formally free, but the cost of mandatory school uniforms often cause children to be sent home and lose out on their education.

Lots of great work and lives improved with your gifts!

Thank you!

Best wishes for the months ahead,

Dana, Evelind, Michael and the Biochar Teams

Making briquettes by hand to avoid deforestation

Checking feedstock moisture level

New chicks from incubator in Malawi

Permalink

1 2 3 4 5 6 ›

About Project Reports

Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.

If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.