LATEST UPDATES - 2024

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NGOUNDOUP VILLAGE, CAMEROON

WE ARE SO INCREDIBLY EXCITED ABOUT OUR NEW ORGANIC FARMING PROJECT IN NGOUNDOUP VILLAGE. 

 JEANNINE WAS IN CAMEROON IN NOVEMBER 2023 AND MET WITH THE CHIEF, THE VILLAGE ELDERS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THE WOMEN WHO WILL BE SPEARHEADING THIS PROJECT.  THE CHIEF HAS FULLY COMMITTED TO HELPING US SUCCEED IN ANY WAY HE CAN.  SALIHOU MEFIRE AND HIS SISTER ZOULI ARE THE TWO MAIN POINT PEOPLE ORGANIZING AND SUPERVISING THE ENTIRE PROJECT.  SALIHOU AND ZOULI'S MOTHER WAS FROM THIS VILLAGE AND THEY STILL HAVE LARGE PARCELS OF LAND THAT WAS PASSED TO THEM THRU THE  MATERNAL LINE OF THEIR FAMILY.  THEY HAVE GENEROUSLY GRANTED OUR WOMEN'S FARMERS GROUP PERMISSION TO CLEAR, PREPARE, AND CULTIVATE AN ENTIRE HILLSIDE OF THEIR LAND FOR OUR FARMING PROJECT.  WITHOUT THE PARTICIPATION AND GENEROSITY OF BOTH SALIHOU AND ZOULI THIS PROJECT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE.  

THIS PROJECT IS WOMEN-DRIVEN.  THE WOMEN FARMERS HAVE FORMED A COOPERATIVE GROUP, CHOOSING THEIE STRONGEST LEADERS TO REPRESENT THEM AND OUTLINE WHAT ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES THEY NEED AS EACH PHASE OF THIS PROJECT IS UNDERWAY.  THE WOMEN STARTED CLEARING A PORTION OF THE LAND IN FEBRUARY 2024 AND AS OF MAY 2024 THEY ARE NOW READY TO PREPARE THE SOIL BY DIGGING HOLES FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE UPCOMING RAINS.  AFTER THE GROUND HAS BEEN SATURATED THEY WILL BE PLANTING APPROXIMATELY 500 AVOCADO TREES AND ABOUT 100 MANGO TREES THAT WILL BECOME A PROFITABLE "CASH CROP" WITHIN THE NEXT 4-5 YEARS. 

ZOULI MEFIRE IS AN EXTRAORDINARY YOUNG WOMAN WHO IS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO THIS SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT AND HAS DREAMS OF BEING ABLE TO BUILD HER OWN HOME IN NGOUNDOUP VILLAGE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.  SHE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT AND IS FULLY DEDICATED TO HELPING UPLIFT THE LIVES OF THESE WOMEN FARMERS AND ALL THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN THIS VILLAGE. 

FUNDS HAVE BEEN DONATED FOR THESE FIRST TWO STEPS AND ALSO FOR THE PURCHASE OF 300 AVOCADO TREES.  WE NEED TO RAISE AN ADDITIONAL $6000 TO PURCHASE THE REMAINING AVOCADO AND FRUIT TREES AND TO UNDERTAKE CLEARING ANOTHER PORTION OF THE LAND FOR A VARIETY OF OTHER FRUIT TREES AS WELL AS A TERRACED HILLSIDE GARDEN OF VEGETABLES AND STAPLE CROPS.