Solar Energy

Solar energy is being used in Malawi.  We saw evidence of this throughout the country.

The problem is that the tools used to harness the sun's energy are extremely expensive.  They are expensive here.  They are expensive there.  They are expensive everywhere.  And they are completely out of reach for someone who makes less than $300 per year.

This is one reason why we use the science of psychrometry when we build solar dehydrators.  This eliminates the need for pieces of expensive technology so if something goes wrong, they can be easily fixed.

Rural villages in Malawi do not have access to solar conductors, batteries, chargers, and the like.  In order for food preservation to be sustainable, the equipment used needs to be able to purchased, fixed, and used by everyone.  We must not make it dependent on us.  We must make it accessible to all.

Mzuzu Market

The market in Mzuzu, Malawi, is like it's own little city.  It takes up several blocks and has several different sections.  In fact, someone could get lost in the maze of shops.  And to be quite honest, someone did.  But to be fair, I had a bag of fried dough balls with me (yes, I am sure they have an actual name but I don't know what it is) so I was sort of oblivious to the fact I didn't know how to get back to the main road.  By the time I found it I was swallowing my last bite, content as ever.

The market is unlike any mall I have been to here in the states.  At the Mzuzu market there really is something for everyone.  You can find an assortment of items such as: tires, lumber, tools, clothes, chickens, coffins, meat, used nails by the pound, produce, beans, bags, bikes, fried dough balls, doors, and more.

You can get snacks and sodas, too.  But without refrigeration in most of the stalls, I would probably pass on those.  

Just outside of the market maze there are colorful umbrellas shading an array of tables and chairs.  Here customers can rest their feet, wait for taxis, or simply take a break.

After a day of meandering the market, I headed down the road to Shoprite.  Yes, that's right.  I went to an air conditioned, modern grocery store and bought 2 cold bottles of water.  But I didn't find anything to eat that was as yummy as my dough ball fried on the side of the road by an older gentleman who had a tiny stall in the middle of the Mzuzu market.  

Fascinating Find

     While working in Malawi I became fascinated by the intricate beauty that surrounded us.  I had never seen anything like it.  Beautiful birds flying to and fro, picking up grass, and weaving it into their nests - and doing it upside down.  Being a knitter, I can appreciate the skill and patience needed to create these homes.

     To be honest, it was a bit unnerving to have hundreds of grass balls hanging high in the trees around us.  But then when we stopped and really looked at them we were captivated.  So, next time you are outside working be sure to stop and look at what is around you.  You just might find something fascinating, too.

Fishing

     Things are expensive.  Yes, even in Malawi.  There, people can pay two full days' pay for a small bag of beans.  Knowing this, I can appreciate the question posed to me by, what I hope are, well-meaning individuals.  
     Why don't we buy the supplies needed to build the dehydrators here, in the United States, and take them with us when we go to Malawi?  Or, better yet, why don't we simply build the dehydrators and ship them over? 
     Although either of these options would be less expensive and, quite possibly, less of a hassle, they do not match up with our mission.  

     I was recently reminded that we are fishing.  Obviously, we are not actually fishing with rods and reels.  However, we are fishing like the saying:  Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day - teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.  It is important to us to teach the ins and outs of solar dehydrators - how to build, fix, and use them - so that when we are gone more can be made and used.  This will not happen by buying and building here.  

     Another reason taking the cheaper route in building dehydrators does not match up with our mission has to do with the fact that Malawi is ranked the third poorest country in the world.  We believe it is important to support the local economy, to support those people who are working hard to provide for their families.  
     So, although money is important, especially to non-profit organizations like ours, we believe people are more important.  And because of this, we will happily continue to buy locally.  And we will continue to fish.

Meet Moses

Moses is an affable, outgoing, and tenacious young man who serves his community by putting his skills to use working in the rural clinic.  I met him as I was walking to the local market and he was walking home from work.  He was excited to tell me that he recently found a place to live - with a metal roof.  In rural Malawi, most roofs are thatched and need to be replaced often.  A metal roof means more durability and less leaks.  Although Moses has a job and now has a place to call home, he still does not have food security.  Produce rots quickly in season and out of season there simply isn't any produce to be had and the price of food that is available skyrockets.  By the very nature of serving others, Moses has put himself last.  We would like to help Moses, and others like him, eat healthy meals every day.

How to cut a mango

Mangoes are considered a super fruit.  They are full of nutrients and the health benefits of eating them include improving digestion, lowering cholesterol, increasing libido, increasing memory power and helping to prevent cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.  But until recently, mangoes were on my hard to handle list.  I didn't know if they were supposed to be a bit soft or rock hard, oval or round, and cutting them always made a mess on my cutting board.  Peeling them didn't work and cutting them down the middle and twisting, like a peach, just made a mushy mess.  Now I know how to pick a perfect mango, cut and prepare it.  Here is what I learned.

Choose a mango that is round or oval, not flat, and that is a bit soft but not squishy.  Wash the mango in cold water.  Slice it lengthwise next to the center pit.

Take each section and make vertical and horizontal slices, making sure not to cut through the peel.  

Invert the slice so the sections are sticking out.  Finally, cut the sections from the peel.

Now the mango is ready to eat - raw, in a salad, smoothie or salsa, or any way you like it.  And by the way, ripe mangoes need to be refrigerated or... dehydrated.

Malawi Mango Harvest

Mango season in Malawi is over and we were devastated to learn that 80% of the crop was wasted due to post-harvest loss.  According to the Ministry of Agriculture for the Northern Districts, an 80% loss is common.  The mangoes ripen and with no way to preserve them, the fruit simply rots.  

Of course, that 80% could be saved with solar dehydrators, and the fruit that cannot be eaten immediately could be dehydrated, allowing it to last for months. This would, as we've said time and again, would decimate the hunger and rejuvenate the economy.

That 80% is even more significant when one considers the ubiquity of mango trees. They grow all throughout Malawi. As well as orchards, there are scattered "backyard" trees, which is to say single mango trees that have grown in people's yards. The trees provide shade, a gathering place for adults, hours of entertainment for the children, and obviously food.

The mangoes themselves provide many much needed nutrients including iron, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, fiber, minerals and antioxidants. So they are an incredibly valuable crop.

The mango loss is devastating and absolutely unnecessary. It is something we want to change, and we want you to join us.