HUGE week this week, as I wired of our normal monthly feeding program funds PLUS funds for our SEVENTH clean water project of 2025 PLUS $90,000 to finish up our HARVEST acquisition project for this year.
We learned early in the week that the government of Zambia was debating in their parliament where to set the price for their maize acquisition program for this year. Last year – the year of the horrific drought – the government price was k330 per 50kg bag. There were conflicting reports suggesting that might actually go DOWN – maybe in response to some supply/demand dynamics with the much better yields for this year’s crop. And then there was a last minute scare that the price might go up to as high as k500 per 50kg bag. Our first thought was that might be a very good thing for the many small growers with whom we are associated, but our Zambian team quickly squashed that thought with the concern that a price like that would send their daily cost of corn meal through the roof – making life MORE difficult for our constituents.
Last year, with the price at k330, we paid k400 in order to bless those that were able to produce some maize to sell, and we had thought to do something similar this year. A government price of k500 would significantly reduce our ability to grow in the way we were hoping. In the end, the government set the price at k340. So our plans for growth are expected to come to fruition. Certainly more on that in weeks to come.
Rog and I were able to share the S2S story with the Altoona Rotary Club this week thanks to an introduction from brother Barron. That was a very fun morning, especially since our Ghanaian son Ahmed was in town visiting this week. Although the logical question of “how is it you have a Ghanaian son, but the work you are doing is in Zambia?” is always in people’s minds. That’s a long story, but I love to tell it if anyone would like to hear it over lunch or dinner sometime!
One facet of this year’s harvest numbers that I am eager to work through is the YIELD for the growers trained in Petauke as compared to elsewhere throughout our coverage area. Initial indications are they may have done TWICE as well, even with the weather and insect issues they were forced to deal with in Petauke. At this point I only have a handful of data points. But I look forward to reporting back when I have more. Assuming the newer farming techniques prescribed by brother Tracy do indeed produce DOUBLE the results, it will be fun to see what we can accomplish as that training makes its way from this year’s TRAINEES back to the people in the communities around them for next year’s growing season.
- One of the many new pastors joining our distribution network this year, a pastor Peter Daka.
- His mentor, who is a neighboring deacon turned pastor named Robert Tonga. Pastor Tonga has been serving under pastor Chickwanda Mbewe, who helped us purchase and deliver throughout Mambwe in May. Pastor Tonga was one of the representatives from Mambwe who spent four months of the growing season in Petauke training with brother Tracy.
- I love the way brotehr Mbewe took these videos as he was delivering the bags of maize for the next thirteen months at the newer churches. He used the video to document from the mouth of the recipient that he had delivered what we asked him to deliver to each community.
There will be a LOT of communities either being added like this one over the next few weeks or being restocked just as they use up their final storage from last year’s supply. I like to imagine the feelings – although it is difficult for me – the feelings within the hearts of the hungry people we are serving as they see on a Sunday the last of their maize storage being distributed to their vulnerable members……… only to see a truck arrive later in the week with enough bags to set them up for another year.
