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.

Standing Together

There is hardly a more inspiring picture of strength and dedication than a mother taking care of her family.  The mothers of Malawi are a prime example of this as they overcome a slew of obstacles on a daily basis simply to meet their families' needs.  We are here to stand with these remarkable women to help them meet those needs a little easier, equipping them with the resources they need to increase food security.

Meet Francis

Meet Francis. He is a gregarious, cheerful boy living in Rumphi District, Malawi, and while we were only able to spend a few moments with him, he has made a lasting impression. Instead of going to school, every morning Francis devotes his time foraging for food for his family. With your help, the lives of Francis and his family can be transformed not only by finally having enough to eat, but by finally having the opportunity for a bright future. 

Encouragement

"Finally, I say yes, together it is possible to Dry Out Hunger."

This is from an email sent by Albert Bwinga. Bwinga is a truly passionate man our team met in Rumphi, a man eager to help others. He works with Action Aid, the international organization that strives against poverty and human injustice.

In his email, he expressed his excitement for solving the problem of food preservation in Malawi and his willingness to devote his considerable skills and enthusiasm to help Tricycle Harvest reach that goal.

We are incredibly grateful to have met him, and we are looking forward to working with him. Because he was right, together it is possible.

written by Riley Richards

Malawi Food Crisis

When someone is driven by a specific cause, gripped by a passionate goal, it is empowering to have that goal reinforced by recent events. However, in this case the news is not happy. Malawi, the country in which Tricycle Harvest International has focused the bulk of our attention, has been experiencing a drought, and because of this, 6 million people are in serious need of food assistance. It is such a significant crisis that the United Nations World Food Program has given it the highest classification of emergency. Of course, the U.N. and the Malawian government are doing everything they can to solve the dilemma, but it simply cannot be solved without help. Now more than ever, food preservation by solar dehydration is possibly the most conceivably promising way to eradicate death from starvation once and for all.  

written by Riley Richards 

Save the Date

Clean out your closet and help end hunger at the same time!

 

Mark your calendar for the Tricycle Harvest International Donation Drive on Saturday July 16, from 10 am – 5 pm at the Barkley Haggen store in Bellingham, WA.

By donating gently-used clothing, shoes, accessories, books, linens, movies, toys and small household items (no furniture or electrical), you can help Tricycle Harvest International end hunger in rural Africa. 

Visit our website to see how we are ending hunger, sustainably.  www.tricycleharvest.org

If you have any questions please feel free to send an email to info@tricycleharvest.org.

And be sure to tell your friends – the more donations we get the more families we can help!

Together we can dry out hunger!

Thoughts from Riley Richards

Wonderful people, I have recently been given the incredible opportunity to become the Marketing Director of the organization Tricycle Harvest International.

But the more profoundly exciting thing is that by utilizing sustainable solar dehydration techniques, as well as encouraging, educating, and equipping people to do the same for themselves, hunger in rural Africa could conceivably be eradicated in the foreseeable future. This is the aim of Tricycle Harvest. It is not simply about saving lives (as vitally meaningful as that is), but it is about cultural enrichment and breaking the cycle of poverty for people who have known little else. Starving people could finally have enough food.

I would be deeply honored and delighted to have you all be a part of this as well, in whatever capacity you are able. It simply can't be done without help, and we would love to have yours.

Take a peek at the website, www.tricycleharvest.org for more information.

Stay gold.