Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) volunteer Dr. Sanjay Shah visited the vermicomposting facility of Jyoti Development Foundation (JDF) during his assignment with Human Resource Development Organization (SETU) in Bangladesh. JDF is a humanitarian organization providing services for the disadvantaged, orphan and street children. SETU Program Manager Mr. Debesh Chandra Sarkar will use what he learned from Dr. Shah to provide technical support to JDF as a volunteer for their vermicompost and municipal waste management program. In the photo below, Dr. Shah (right) is training Mr. Sarkar on how to check moisture content and quality of vermicompost.

At the end of his assignment, Dr. Shah noted,

“I had to adapt to teach farmers to compost using more rule-of-thumb methods whereas in the US, I emphasized more scientific methods because of availability of analytical facilities and measurement devices. The host [SETU] engaged in a wide range of topics but luckily because of my broad agricultural engineering experience, I could respond to their questions satisfactorily. On a personal level, I found the people and farmers in Bangladesh more interested in what I had to say than in the U.S., and this was very encouraging. I learned a lot from my Winrock liaison Mr. Mehedi Hasan (F2F Assistant Country Director) not just about agricultural practices and extension but also about herbal pesticides. I was able to build very useful contacts and I hope that I can contribute further to the betterment of the Bangladeshi farmer.”

Dr. Shah also visited students at Sun Up International Schools. He talked to the students about the growing population in Bangladesh – and what that means for people, pollution pathways, and how pollution affects aquatic life, water, and air. He also conducted a lesson on recycling and composting as important solutions. The students enjoyed his class a lot. (see photo below)

[Thanks much, Dr. Shah!]

Today is October 16, World Food Day. A reminder for each of us to consider the daunting task of making sure that the world’s 7 billion men, women, and children can eat. On this day in particular, we ask ourselves, “how can I make a difference?” One answer is to volunteer.

Over the last 21 years, Winrock’s volunteers have impacted 8.2 million individuals in 56 countries around the world, contributing to the global effort to increase availability, access, and quality of food. We are proud to see how these efforts are making a difference.

In Kenya, volunteers worked with several different women’s poultry groups that were struggling to maintain healthy, disease-free chicken flocks. For example, members of the Kyemole Poultry Keepers Group received training on biosecurity and safe poultry production, as well as assistance with improved feed, financing, and linkages with buyers. As a result, members have increased their income and, in turn, improved household food security. One member, Alice Pius Makau, proudly states, “I am not afraid of my children sleeping hungry anymore, because I have enough food for them, all of the time. The money I get from chicken sales helps me to buy the food that I do not grow on the farm. I also have a constant supply of meat and eggs for my family’s protein nutrition.”

In El Salvador, volunteer Alejandro Segarra-Carmona (right) shows local farmers how to apply sustainable pest control techniques to their crops. Segarra-Carmona came here to provide good agricultural practice training, integrated pest management and quality standards. Trainees will apply these techniques to increase production and improve quality.

In Mali, volunteer Poul Hansen worked with the Women’s Local Milk Stockist Cooperative in Oulessebougou to help ensure that many more Malian families had access to quality milk. At the end of the training session, the president of the Cooperative proclaimed, “This is what we’ve been talking about – some new ideas to make a difference! Now the nutrition and health status of our children in need will change for the better, as will the income of women processors.”

In Bangladesh, Farmer-to-Farmer volunteers have trained women farmers on improved vegetable production techniques. As a result, women (like the woman pictured) have been able to successfully grow bitter gourds and vegetables in fallow lands. Their families have reaped the benefits of improved nutrition and increased income.

In Nepal, volunteer Howard Prussack trained low-income vegetable producers to improve vegetable production and processing. Mrs. Sharada Sharma, an agro-vet owner and farmer who participated in Howard’s trainings, stated, “These [techniques] look so simple and we can do it easily, but we didn’t do it before. This training is eye opening for me and many other rural women producers.”

These efforts -and many others- have helped our beneficiaries increase sales by $52 million and increase income by over $9 million (combined).

This is tremendous impact, though there is still more work to be done. Check out Winrock’s website , if you want to be a part of the effort to help increase food security around the world!

October 11 is the (first ever) International Day of the Girl Child. Over the years, our volunteers have made a difference in the lives of many girls, whether it be by providing agricultural, entrepreneurship, or skills training to youth (girls and boys), or by increasing incomes and food security at the household level –to ensure that girls (and boys) have food to eat and money to pay for school fees or healthcare.

Last month, two volunteers – Hans Schmitz and William Horan from Purdue University –traveled to Ethiopia to work with girls and caretakers at Sebeta Getesemani Nunnery/Orphanage in Oromia, Ethiopia. Established in 1961, the Nunnery is situated on the premises of the former Palace of Empress Menen. There are approximately 85 Orthodox Christian nuns and 215 orphans at the nunnery – all women and girls. Many of the orphans have lost their parents to HIV/AIDs, famine, or civil wars. The nunnery has cows that provide milk as well as dairy products (yogurt and butter) that the women and girls use for self-consumption and for sale to the local community. Likewise, the nunnery has agriculture fields where they grow a variety of cereals, pulses, fruits and vegetables.

While Hans conducted an informative training on dairy cattle management, Bill got the nuns and students excited about agriculture and life skills learning (demonstrating how to conduct practical soil fertility and pH tests, how to make compost, and aspects of conservation agriculture). Although the trainings took place during the rainy season, the skies were mostly clear, and Hans and Bill were able to mix their classroom training with hands-on field training. (See photos below)

Volunteer Hans Schmitz talks with Sebeta Getesemani Nunnery/Orphanage staff and youth about improved dairy practices

The manager of the nunnery, Emahoy Firkter Mariam, is grateful for the support that they received.

“These two training sessions helped us to know the type of soil in our garden and what the dairy cows need from us to give us back good milk yield,” she explains. “My fellow nuns and youth gained life skills on soil testing techniques and dairy cow management. Looking at the committment of these volunteers from USA, we learned how much volunteerism means to members of the orphanage community. Thanks for coordinating and materializing this volunteer assignment!”

Hans and Bill were fortunate in that their assignment happened to overlap with the Ethiopian New Year holiday celebration. Both first time visitors to Ethiopia, they celebrated the day at the nunnery. The orphans performed dances, and Hans and Bill were offered a feast of Ethiopian food. Towards the end of his trip, Bill commented, “It was neat to see a new culture.”

Today, we celebrate the efforts of Hans and Bill, along with so many other volunteers who have dedicated their time to make the world a better place for girls around the world.

Happy International Day of the Girl Child!

“I have experienced every emotion that a volunteer receives from people eager to be fed and who soak up knowledge and transferred technology like a sponge and eager for more. Every time I do one of these programs, I am exhausted at the end of the day but my adrenalin level is high and I have a feeling of accomplishment. The “food” that I receive in return from the participants tends to fodder me. I am greatly overfed. The experience that I have received from this interaction is priceless. This is what has kept me volunteering for 18 years for these USAID assignments.”

–John (Jack) Moulton, Nigeria Farmer-to-Farmer volunteer

[Thank you, Jack! We are also greatly overfed from volunteers like you!]