14th November 2013
Hello and welcome to Testigo Africa's latest newsletter!
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We've been really busy lately, successfully completing two major water projects in the Masai village of Longido, Tanzania. After exploring a number of options for providing water to the sub-village of Oltapesi in Longido, Testigo Africa extended the use of an existing borehole through two pipelines and a water tank. Testigo Africa has also had great success in piloting a permaculture project in Longido, with one participant winning an indigenous youth prize. The success of this project resulted in our AusAid grant being increased and continued for another 12 months, which is allowing us to expand the project to bring permaculture training to two more Masai villages! Keep reading to find out more.
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Testigo's 2014 Calendar
For the 5th year running, Testigo is proud to release its 2015 desktop calendar! The images feature local personalities from the villages which you and Testigo have helped to support.
Just in time for Christmas, Testigo is very excited to be sharing our permaculture project in Longido through images on our 2014 calendar, designed by Alli Spoor. Our calendars are selling for only A$15 each, plus $5 postage. Alternatively you can collect them in person from Mitcham, Melbourne. To order, please email info@testigoafrica.org.
Permaculture project
Permaculture is a method of creating sustainable and self-maintained agricultural systems which can provide superior crops in arid environments. Testigo delivered permaculture and bio-intensive agricultural technology training to 120 eager participants in Longido. A main demonstration plot was established, encompassing compost preparation based on cow dung, a keyhole garden, sack gardens, double dug beds, swales and terraces, rainwater harvesting using a hafir (plastic lined household dam), drip irrigation and planting of trees including guava, papaya, banana, avocado, moringa and neem trees. Vegetables grown and harvested include kale, spinach, chinese cabbage and night shade, corn, beans, lemon grass, vine potatoes, sweet potatoes, and passion and sunflowers. A chicken coop was constructed, including fencing surrounding the entire plot.
Of the 120 Masai people trained, 90% were women. Since attending the training, 90% of the participants have planted vegetables, 85% have harvested and eaten their home grown vegetables and 57% have sold their produce at market. Between the 120 participants, a total of 186 double dug beds, 35 keyhole gardens and 28 sack gardens have been constructed!
2012 SBN International Youth Award
Award recipient Nasha Kaleku Lemoti is 18 years old. Her mother died when she was young, and her father died two years later. At 14 years old she was forced to leave school when she was in grade four and get married. She has two children – one is three years old, and the other eight months old and so far she is the only wife of her husband.
She said that she joined Testigo's permaculture project so that she could learn how to produce her own food and create an income source to support her family and help other women do the same. Nasha is in our second group of women and has completed training in preparing mulch, creating double dug beds, sack gardens and keyhole gardens and rural chicken production. In her home with the help of her group she has prepared two double dug beds and one sack garden growing kale and Chinese cabbage which for the past two months has provided vegetables for her family and her brother in law’s family – over ten people!
Nasha said that when she first started the training her extended family criticised her, telling her that she was wasting her time and precious water. Now, they are helping to protect the gardens from domestic and wild animals by constructing and maintaining thorn bush enclosures and of course enjoying the produce!
Water project
Tracey Sawyer, Testigo Founder, and Testigo Africa’s country manager Emanuel worked with the local Longido Masai men under the direction of Khatib Hassan, the Orkiprei water project’s water engineer, to dig 5kms of ditches and lay two pipelines connecting the newly built 50,000 litre water tank to the local Oltapesi primary school and Montessori pre-school. Local Masai warriors dug the ditches and helped lay and connect the pipes. The project brings fresh running water to the village of 12,000 people!
Thanks to everyone for all your support and for sharing in our success, we look forward to bringing you more news of Testigo's important work in the future!