Hello Everyone!
For those of you who haven't heard, "Ash and Dan" is the latest in a line of famous duos, up there with Batman and Robin, but instead of fighting crime, we fight malnutrition (oh yeah, and we're both women). It is unusual for two Peace Corps volunteers from the same training group (we are both Community Health and AIDs Prevention volunteers) to be placed near each other, but luckily for us we are only separated by an hour bike ride. Both interested in a tree called Moringa (google it!), whose leaves are packed with vitamins and minerals, we collaborated right from the start. We each saw a need for a response to nutritional deficits in our respective communities: Ash in the large town of Notsé and Dan in the small rural community of Avassikpé. In collaboration with a local non-governmental organization working for community health and development, Ashley started a plantation of 1,200 Moringa trees with a group of people living with HIV/AIDs (PLWHA). At the same time, Danielle planted 1,000 trees with her Village Development Committee. The projects were intended to meet two goals: improved nutrition and income generation for the community.
After attending a Peace Corps conference in Burkina Faso and sharing ideas with volunteers from five West African countries, we realized how important it was to make Moringa available to everyone. Also known as the "Miracle Tree," Moringa is one of nature's most incredible gifts to mankind. We plan to devote the last eight months of our service to promoting Moringa's nutritional benefits in Togo.
Through public service announcements, songs, and talk shows on the local radio station, strategically placed billboards, and a Moringa festival we hope for the heart of our information campaign to become a reality in the region by the end of 2009: "Plant. Eat. Live." ("Plantez. Mangez. Vivez").
Plant. Moringa is a fast growing, resilient tree that can provide an easily affordable, easily accessible and sustainable year round source of leafy greens for local families.
Eat. Gram for gram Moringa leaves contain 7 times the Vitamin C of Oranges, 4 times the Vitamin A of Carrots, 4 times the Calcium of Milk, 3 times the Potassium of Bananas and 2 times the Protein of Yogurt. In addition, Moringa leaves contain all the essential amino acids and, if incorporated into the local diet, could respond to many nutritional deficits.
Live. A cornerstone of good health, adequate nutrition is essential for a good quality of life. Moringa not only has the potential to improve the lives of people, but it is an indefinitely renewable resource that could help provide food security in upcoming times of global food crisis.
The community and their needs are the driving force behind this project and they will participate in every aspect of the design and implementation. In an impressive show of support, community members ranging from hospital staff, radio producers, musicians, traditional and elected authorities, and motivated individuals are donating their time, talent and services, covering 38% of our overall budget with community contributions and leaving our Peace Corps Partnership request for donations at an achievable $3,531.00. If only 100 people contribute about $35.00, the knowledge of Moringa's impressive nutritional benefits will be disseminated throughout this entire village in Togo.
"How can I help?", you say? What a wonderful question. Thank you for asking. =0)
If you are interested in supporting our project please go to www.peacecorps.gov and click on "Donate Now," and then on "Donate to Volunteers Projects" and finally, search for Togo and Danielle Naugle. Shortcut: https://www.peacecorps.gov/
Akpé kaka ("Thank you very much" in Ewe),
Efe nuyie loo ("Happy New Year")
Ash and Dan
