On January 1, 2018, the first school of the new year started. 27 new students and 3 returning students moved into the Thrive teaching center eager to learn how to grow health. Each day involved morning lessons and afternoon hands-on activities. This blog post will take you through each day of the January 2018 growing health seminar. Make sure to scroll through all the photos to gain a better understanding of what we are doing.
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As the year 2010 wrapped up and we welcomed a new year, we also welcomed a new big idea. The third big idea focused on natural medicine. During 2011 we developed a variety of projects with HIV support groups. As we collected results and studied these groups…
THRIVE INTERNATIONAL
Project Information Story
Visitation and Inspection of 2 Month-Old Pokot County Project, Kenya, East Africa
Mamas Take Over the Land
On August 22, the Thrive international team set out on a journey to the Pokot County project that was established in June 2017. Mr. Boaz Oduor, Mr. Jacob Latodo and Mr. Francis Lotte tagged along and joined the adventure. This project flourished as it had a variety of plants such as moringa, kale, tomatoes, onions, and beans. Mamas ran the show with the help of only a few men. This group used solid, steel fencing to protect their precious plants from hungry livestock that surrounded the area. Colourful garden beds and one keyhole garden covered their land. Overall, the plants were growing well and produced delicious foods for all the members.
A Trip Down a Rocky Road, Pokot County
Travelling a far distance down a rocky road, the Thrive group arrived at a second project. Here the gardens were over following, the double dug beds were very rich and there were no signs of the most recent drought. While all seemed well, the Thrive team immediately noticed a major flaw – this beautiful garden was too far away from the road! This was an issue because the works of the members’ hands could not be seen by any bystanders. Unfortunately, due to its distance, this project wasn’t able to motivate others in the community to start their own gardens. Therefore, the community would need to be encouraged in a different way.
Males Chat While Mamas Work
Quickly the Thrive team observed that this project ran much differently than others. As shown in the picture below, the Mamas took charge and did all of the work in the gardens. Meanwhile, the males would sit and talk under a shaded tree. This was odd for the Thrive inspection staff to see given that the men had the strength to work and help in the gardens too. Obviously, this worried the Thrive staff as they know how important it is for everyone to be involved so that they know how to complete each step.
Pokot County Project Awarded with Tools for Success
Once the group was gathered, Mr. Boaz spoke a message that was filled with motivation. He encouraged them to continue their hard work and project success. Boaz rewarded them with new farming tools that could help them maintain the excellence of their project. The new tools brought joy to their eyes, smiles to their lips and excitement to their actions.
Keyhole Gardens Created with Natural Resources
This intelligent team collected locally available materials and created a keyhole garden. Their actions showed that not everything had to be bought. God’s creation provided them with a variety of tools and materials that they graciously used for free.
Success Covers Up Struggles
In summary, the people involved in this project were very thankful, nice and happy. Furthermore, it was hard to imagine that they were struggling with food scarcity and malnutrition. Overall, it was observed that they fully dedicated their time to this project as they understood its benefits. As the group left, they extended their thankfulness for the Thrive organization. They were thankful that they are able to grow their own food, that they are growing health and creating disease-free communities.
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Blessings,
Ed Jay Espinosa
