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Transcript of 2014 Spring Sower
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SPRING 2014
ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS TO HUMANITARIAN PROBLEMS
HOW THINKING OUTSIDE
THE BOX IS CREATING
MOMENTUM IN TANZANIA
DEPARTMENTS
Directors Corner
Breaking News
Spotlight: Gwoma, HT
4
6
2
3
7
FEATURES
Innovation Fuels Motivation
Redemption Through Trees
ACROSS AFRICA, PLANT WITH PURPOSE
PROGRAMS ARE IMPLEMENTING CREATIVE
SOLUTIONS TO EMPOWER RURAL FAMILIES.
INNOVATIONFUELSMOTIVATION
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Doing good is im-
portant, but it is just
as important to do
it well. It wasnt too
long ago that chari-
ties were given the
benefit of the doubt
regarding effective-
ness. If your intentions were good and you
were doing something, that was enough.
However, as Bryant Myers wrote in Walking
With the Poor, The poor deserved better
than gifted amateurs.
The percentage of donations spent on
overhead has been the most common way
of evaluating charities. As a result, some
very ineffective and sometimes harmfulwork has been funded around the world.
Today, however, many donors are not just
asking how much of their money is going
to the intended recipients, but also what it
is doing once it gets there.
I think we have one of the best programs
for holistic transformation in existence. I
have a great deal of respect for what many
other organizations are doing, and there
are many ways to alleviate poverty, but I
believe that what are doing is particularly
effective. That is the principle reason thatI am still here after 20 years. More than
once I considered working for another or-
ganization, but the unique combination of
environmental, economic, and spiritual
impact has kept me at Plant With Purpose.
However, my feelings about our effective-
ness are not enough.
We need empirical data to show that we
are making positive environmental, eco-
nomic, and spiritual impacts on the com-
munities where we work. Technology is
making measurement of some of these
impacts easier. For example, we are now
using satellite imagery and an index called
NDVI to measure changes in forest cov-
er around our communities, and learning
that we are in fact having a positive influ-
ence on the forest. We have also measured
the resulting improvements in water qual-
ity. We are using outside evaluators and
a recognized index to measure the effec-
tiveness of our Village Savings and Loan
Association program, together with oth-
er indicators to measure increasing wealth
in communities. Crop yields and spiritu-
al growth are also being evaluated. Much
of this is done on an ongoing basis, but
every three years we do a more compre-hensive evaluation. We are currently in the
planning phase for our next triennial im-
pact evaluation, which will be conducted
this fall.
As we have measurements of our impacts,
we can continually improve our work, test-
ing various options and incorporating new
techniques. Over the past few years one of
the most exciting things has been seeing
our programs get more effective, bring-
ing about greater transformation for more
people, less expensively. That is a trend Iexpect to continue in the coming year. It is
also a commitment we make to all of our
supporters and beneficiaries: as excited as
we are about our work, we are not content
to remain where we are. We will keep get-
ting better.
Scott Sabin
Executive Director
THE SOWER ISSUE #103
Plant With Purpose, a Christian nonpro
organization, reverses deforestation an
poverty around the world by transform
ing the lives of the rural poor.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:
Scott Sabin
DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR:Doug Satre
MARKETING AND EVENTS:
Becky Rosaler
ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS TO HUMANITARIAN PROBLE
STAY CONNECTED:
4747 Morena Blvd. Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92117
Ph:800.633.5319Email: [email protected]
Web: plantwithpurpose.org
Tw: @PlantWPurpose
Fb: facebook.com/PlantWithPurpose
EMAIL [email protected]
TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN:
Share your Plant With Purpose story
Host an event
Become a Plant With Purpose advoca
Leave a Legacy. Please consider inclu
ing Plant With Purpose in your wills
and bequests. Contact Doug Satre:
copyright 2014 Plant With Purpose
DIRECTORS CORNER
A WOMAN FARMER
IN BURUNDI STANDS
IN HER NEWLY
PLANTED FIELD.
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WWW.PLANTWITHPURPOSE.ORG
BREAKING NEWS
PLANTING HOPE GALAOn October 11, 2014 we will celebrate
the 30th anniversary of Plant With
Purpose at Paradise Point Resort, San
Diego. Please save the date and join
us for this monumental evening.
SHARING PLANT WITH PURPOSEThis spring, we are launching an on-
line advocacy kit to help you share
Plant With Purpose with you circle of
influence! We encourage you to be
creative and take advantage of these
resources put together with you in
mind.
Visit plantwithpurpose.org/advocate.
Planting seeds. Preparing soil.Families around the world are
readying their gardens. The same
tilling of soil and sowing of seeds
is taking place in Tanzania under
the backdrop of Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Although traditional Tanzanian staplecrops like corn and bananas keep children
fed, 42% still experience stunted growth
due to lack of nutrients. But family gar-
dens change this statistic. Spinach, kale,
tomatoes, and carrots provide essential
nutrients to improve family health. In-
corporating chickens, goats, and cows to
family gardens also adds protein to dietsand brings strength for tomorrow.
Lets help families in Tanzania plant 200
gardens this spring by raising $10,000
by April 30. Visit plantwithpurpose.org to
learn how $50 will help parents plant a
garden and grow healthy families.
SPRING CAMPAIGN:
FROM POVERTY TO PLENTYPLANT GARDENS TO GROW HEALTHY FAMILIES
EARTH DAYEarth Day is approaching, and we are
celebrating at Balboa Parks 25th annual
EarthFair on Sunday, April 27th. This com-
munity event is the worlds largest annual
environmental fair. Stop by and say hello
if you are in the San Diego area.
WEVE MOVED!Plant With Purpose has moveda couple of
blocks down Morena Blvd. Please take note of
the new address for correspondence and of-
fice visits:
4747 Morena Blvd. Suite 100
San Diego, CA 92117.
We look forward to hosting an open house
once were settled.
IMPACT CONFERENCEDo you need a little inspiration for
putting your faith to work? Join Ex-
ecutive Director Scott Sabin at West-
mont Colleges Impact Conference
taking place June 19-20, 2014. Visit
plantwithpurpose.org/events.
UPCOMING VISION TRIPSIf you havent visited one of Plant
With Purposes programs, wed love
for you to consider joining us. Con-
tact Doug Satre for more information:
Haiti:May 5-10, 2014
Burundi: May 4-11, 2014
Mexico: October 26-31, 2014
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Conversations around the table can lead to
insightful and inspired solutions. When you
add to that dynamic people from different
countries, backgrounds, and varying inter-
ests, innovative ideas are bound to emerge.
Plant With Purposes Tanzania program is
leading the way in innovation, a core value
of the organization. From utilizing radio
airways to promote sustainable farming, to
creating a group competition model that
motivates positive performance, Plant With
Purpose Tanzania is making huge strides in
raising awareness and increasing involve-
ment in all three central aspects of the pro-
gram: environmental, economic, and spiri-
tual. And these strides are changing lives as
families eat better, save more money, and
grow in their understanding of their Creator.
MOTIVATED BY COMPETITIONA few years ago, Richard Mhina, Plant
With Purpose Tanzanias country director,
held a round-table conversation with his
staff. There, they dreamt about improved
Village Savings and Loan Associations
(VSLA) performance, driven by positive
reinforcement and increased motivation.
The results of the discussion led to his
masters level thesis and its implementa-
tion in the field. For three years now, Plant
With Purpose Tanzania has conducted a
year-long VSLA group competition that
integrates key elements of the program.
At the beginning of 2013, leaders from
130 VSLA groups gathered to set rules,guidelines, and expectations for the up-
coming competition. Groups emphasized
better record-keeping as a competition
goal, including tracking attendance and
timely loan repayment. Each group was
to work toward establishing tree nurser-
ies, planting trees, and caring for their
watershed. The groups took into account
crop yields, use of compost, number of
raised garden beds, and integrating soil
conservation barriers in steep areas. Each
group was to involve local institutions by
providing Redemptive Agriculture sem-
inars and encouraging their participation
in tree-planting efforts.
What Plant With Purpose Tanzania has
learned is this: when you add some
healthy competition to the mix, the re-
sults can be astounding. Groups im-
proved their performance across the
board. In fact, tree-planting efforts were
so successful that local nurseries (in-
cluding tree nurseries established by the
VSLA groups) ran out of seedlings. Af
ter three years of competition, group
members properties are so saturated
with trees that planting now takes
place in common areas and in partner
ship with Kilimanjaro National Park.
On December 11, 2013, close to 4,000
participants ascended on the Siha Dis
trict to learn the results of the group
competition and attend the organic
agriculture festival. The Regional Com
missioner of Kilimanjaro presided ove
the ceremony, and expressed shock
over the turnout and competition suc
cess. Plant With Purpose Tanzania
shared with him that people were inter
nally motivated by the desire to hea
the land and its people.
In Mhinas thesis paper, he states tha
the main motivation behind group in
volvement is the desire to regenerate
TREE NURSERY AT THE BASE OF
MT. KILIMANJARO
PEOPLE WERE INTERNALLY
MOTIVATED BY THE DESIRE TO
HEAL THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE.
INNOVATION FUELS MOTIVATIONHOW THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX IS CREATING MOMENTUM IN TANZANIABY BECKY ROSALER,Marketing and Events Coordinator
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WWW.PLANTWITHPURPOSE.ORG
the natural environment. The communi-
ties in the Kilimanjaro region are eco-
nomically dependent on the natural envi-
ronment as tourists visit the area to climb
the famed mountain or visit the Serenge-
ti. Fred Kome, in his retirement, has tak-
en to planting trees on his property. Hestarted a nursery when local resources
couldnt meet his needs. My intention is
not just to create income generation, but
also to have a contribution in environ-
mental conservation since I need to play
role in Kilimanjaro restoration and bring
back the weather and the snow that I saw
over 50 years ago, he says.
UTILIZING NEW TOOLSBut how do we know that all of these
trees are surviving and in turn having the
desired impact of improving the land and
livelihoods? As these trees grow, we will
observe their success utilizing new tools.
In another burst of innovation, Technical
Director Robert Morikawa began moni-
toring the survival rate and success of
Plant With Purposes reforestation efforts
through use of the Normalized Difference
Vegetation Index (NDVI) via satellite im-
ages from NASA. His analysis has shown
that there has been an increase in veg-
etation coverage that specifically corre-
lates to Plant With Purpose partnering
communities. It takes 3-5 years for new-
ly planted seedlings to start appearing
on satellite images. With the dramatic
increase in the number of trees planted
over the past three years, we expect tosee an even more vivid difference in the
years to come.
Competition-based motivation, positive
reinforcement, and tracking changes in
vegetative coverage are just a few in-
novative steps toward solving the crisis
of poverty and environmental degra-
dation. Families around Tanzania want
to participate in Plant With Purpose
Tanzanias program after seeing the
results of this years competition. We
are excited to note that as people un-
derstand the role of trees in their im-
mediate sphere, they value them even
more. And as more people find value in
trees, the health of our global commu-
nity improves.
A link to Richard Mhinas thesis as well
as a more complete explanation of
NDVI and Plant With Purposes partner-
ing communities can be accessed at
plantwithpurpose.org/resources
THE WINNERS! THIS VSLA
GROUP WILL BE REWARDED
WITH A TROPHY AND ADDITIONAL
TRAINING OF THEIR CHOOSING.
Three years ago you would have
found Neema and her three daughters
living in a one-room mud hut with a
thatched roof. They worked as day la-
borers for basic needs. Neema shares,
With such a situation, it was hard to
develop.
When Neema joined a savings-and-
loan group, things shifted. She start-
ed to learn tools for saving money
and stewarding her resources. Whilein trainings, I realized that most of
the projects could fit me and in fact
I implemented all of them. I revived
my local chicken project. I also grow
and sell organic vegetables from my
raised garden beds. By taking out
loans, she has expanded her corn
business and doubled the income
from its production.
With all the interventions, I now run
my family in a smooth way including
paying for my childrens school fees. I
managed to build a three-room, mod-
ern house using burnt bricks and cor-
rugated iron sheets with electricity for
my family. I am able to pay all my bills
and contributions for my household
in the community without relying on
anyone else, shares Neema. Neema
encourages all community members
to participate in Plant With Purpose
programs and to enjoy this blessing
from God.
HELPING
FAMILIES
DEVELOP
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REDEMPTION
THROUGH TREESWalking through the Redwood
National Park in Northern California
was like being invited into a sacred
sanctuary. Light filtered through
branches, footsteps cushioned on
needles, and the air was clean and
intoxicating. My voice quieted in
reverence and I couldnt help buttread slowly, trying not to impose or
disrupt the redwoods worship.
As I followed the trail I stopped by a
cluster of trees that had survived a fire.
Periodically, sequoias have to undergo
wildfire to burn away vegetation around
them that is competing to absorb all the
mineral-rich soil and sunlight. Burning
away the life-threat is the only way to
cultivate growth and reproduction. The
trees were burned through their centers,
causing them to split open with blistering
wounds. I stepped inside the space that
had formed in one of their trunks and
pressed my hand against the rough flesh
of its inner walls. New layers of wood had
grown over the burns, sealing in the dark
scars underneath. The signs of struggle
had become part of its historyembed-
ded into its surfacebut new life had
pushed through to heal it. Nature is full of
cycles of birth, death, and renewal.
I dont think its a coincidence that Jesus
crucifixion began with killing a tree, the
very symbol of these cycles of birth and
rebirth in creation. Genesis begins with
the tree of knowledge of good and evil
whose fruit is the catalyst for separation
from God. How quickly death becomes
entangled in even the creation narrative.
Throughout the Bible trees are symbolsof peoples propensity towards life and
death, either bearing healthy fruit or be-
ing diseased and in need of pruning. The
book of Revelation ends with the image
of the tree of life whose leaves are for
the healing of the nations, naming our
deepest and final longing. Through trees
we see the tensions and hear the groans
of all creation, eagerly waiting to be lib-
erated from decay and brought into full-
ness of life in God.
It is through Jesus entering into the
groans of creation and binding himself
to death on a sacrificed tree, that all of
creation is raised to new life. Through
his death we receive the life-force that
relentlessly keeps creating, healing, and
beckoning all of creation to be made
whole in God. Richard Rohr says, The
glory, patience, and humility of God is
that God creates things that continue to
create themselvesfrom the inner dy-
namism God has planted within them.
God has created us with the ability to
keep growing, reforming, and reaching
for life. Where there is the propensity
towards death, life is stronger.
Easter reminds us that death is a neces
sary part of the life cycle, but it is no
the end of the story. It reminds us othe maddening paradox that we have
to die to be reborn, be stripped of the
old to make way for the new, and sur
render to gain. It tells us that life pushe
through death, and pain leads to heal
ing. Even the most burned, diseased
and decrepit trees can be reborn, sur
prising us with the potential for new life
they still carry.
With the arrival of Easter, may we ente
into our own sacred spaces with rev
erence, declaring that through Jesus
death nothing can separate us from the
love of God. The old has passed away
and we are new creationscomplete
with our scars and histories that spea
to a force of life that always makes a
way through.
(Revelation 22:2, Genesis 2:17, Roman
8:18-22, Romans 8:38-39, 2 Corinthian
5:17, Isaiah 43:18-19)
BY CHRISTINA MILLER
PINE FOREST IN HAITI
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WWW.PLANTWITHPURPOSE.ORG
VILLAGE SPOTLIGHT:GWOMA, HAITI
WORKINGTOGETHERTO REFOREST
BURUNDIFARMERS PLANT THE STEEP HILLSIDES OF HAITI
Antoine Aristils farm in Gwoma, Haiti
is so steep you have to posess the agil-
ity of a cat to walk across it. Its sharp in-
cline makes a days work nebulous and
challenging. Some people have even
lost their balance and toppled down the
field while trying to complete their tasks.
Whats worse is that deforestation has
caused soil erosion, making the land un-
productive, degraded, and barren. The
risk factors dont always seem worth
the benefits, but Antoine and his fam-
ily are left with little choice but to farm
their land since other resources are scarce.
Things changed dramatically when An-
toines wife urged him to partner with Plant
With Purpose. He learned how to create liv-
ing barriers made up of rows of grasses and
root systems that lock soil in place. This pre-
vents mudslides and protects against fur-
ther erosion. These barriers have not only
restored safety, but have helped produce
healthier more sustainable crops.
In Haiti, six out of ten people live in rural ar-
eas and two-thirds of rural families depend
on agriculture for their survival. While agri-
culture is many peoples livelihood, 88 per-
cent of rural families live in poverty and
survive off $1.25 or less a day. Plant With Pur-
pose is working alongside these rural fami-
lies to equip them with sustainable farming
practices. Like Antoine, this includes soil im-
provement, agroforestry systems, and crop
improvement. It also means training in re-
forestation, organic composting, and veteri-
nary care. All of these elements work hand-
in-hand with providing income to families,
better nutrition, keeping children in school,
and educating future generations on ways to
care for creation. With the right training and
tools, farmers are literally leveling out their
land, and the economic disparities within it.
The Nyakazu Watershed in Burundi
has been a protected area since 1980
and is a region of great natural beau-
ty. Waterfalls and a river carve out a
deep gorge with caves and crevasses
to explore. It is home to mammals,
birds, and many native plant species.
In January, government representa-
tives, Plant With Purpose Burundi and
U.S. staff, and 400 local people joined
together to plant a few thousand trees
at the rim of the gorge to take back
poorly managed land bordering the
Nyakazu Watershed. Through the cer-
emony and tree planting activity, the
group embraced a collective vision to
be good stewards of this piece of Cre-
ation. Thanks to this vision, the future
of the Nyakazu Watershed is hopeful.
It is not only the watershed that
we hope to see restored. In a coun-
try healing from so many recent
wounds, relationships are also being
restoredrelationships with people,
with their land, and with the Lord.
Join is as we pray for the country of
Burundi and as Plant With Purpose
continues to empower individuals to
form better tomorrows.
BECAUSE OF PLANT
WITH PURPOSE,
YONS DREAM OF A
BETTER LIFE FOR
HIS CHILDREN IS IN
REACH. HIS DIVERSEGARDEN, SAVINGS,
AND PUTTING DOWN
ROOTS IS MAKING ALL
THE DIFFERENCE.
BY CHRISTINA MILLER
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Plant With Purpose
4747 Morena Blvd. Suite 100San Diego, CA 92117
Ph: 800.633.5319
Email: [email protected]
Web: plantwithpurpose.org
NON-PROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT 751
SAN DIEGO CA
TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF THE RURAL POOR
We use soy-based ink and 80# environment text
with 80% post-consumer fiber. FSC certified.
SPRING CAMPAIGN:
POVERTY TO PLENTY
This spring, help us to plant
200 gardens in Tanzania.
Details on page 3.
WOMEN IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC LEARN
TO READ AT IGLESIA ASAMBLEA DE DIOS.
TOOLS AND TRAININGS ARE
CHANGING TOMORROWS
FOR COMMUNITIES
AROUND THE WORLD.