Malawi
On December 18, 2007, Napoleon Dzombe and Steve Lund plant the first "Seeds of Hope" tree in Malawi.
Malawi Seeds of Hope
Twenty-five cents from the sale of every Epoch Baobab Body Butter is donated to the Nu Skin Force for Good Foundation for the Malawi Seeds of Hope project. These funds will be used to purchase and plant a variety of important and useful trees for the people of Malawi, including baobab trees and fruit trees. Malawi has one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world and there is an urgent need to restore and protect this precious natural resource.
The planting of trees as a renewable resource will benefit the people of Malawi in many ways. In the short-term, new trees provide food and raw materials. Long-term benefits include storage, shade, and enriched soil. For example, baobab leaves are consumed as a vegetable and can be harvested just one year after planting a seedling. Within five years, the trees begin to bear fruit, which can also be eaten or sold. The bark of the tree can be harvested for use as a strong, durable fiber to make twine, rope, or other building materials. The bark grows back and can be re-harvested every two to five years.
The plaque recognizes Matsushita, Junichi and Yasuyo, who purchased the naming rights to the first "Seeds of Hope" tree as an auction item at the Nu Skin Force for Good Foundation Gala in September 2007.
In the subtropical climate of Malawi, the oxygen and water condensation released to the atmosphere by trees is critical for rain to protect the people and the land from drought and famine. Additionally, the tree's roots systems help prevent soil degradation and erosion, while the trees themselves provide shade and protection to people and animals alike.
The Seeds of Hope project is consistent with the help the Nu Skin Force for Good Foundation has already shown to the people of Malawi to create sustainable food production and prevent devastating famines. Through this reforestation program we can help renew a valuable resource, as well as beautify, preserve, and improve the environment.
The Nu Skin Force For Good Foundation's Build A Village Project
The Nu Skin Force for Good Foundation recently celebrated the dedication of the Mtalimanja Village. Named by the local people of Malawi, Mtalimanja means "long hands that give." The village is one of the latest projects supported by the foundation and its generous donors.
The foundation's "Build a Village Project" is focused on helping the people of Malawi, Africa — one of the poorest countries in the world where the majority of the people are farmers and live on less than one dollar a day. Even more significant is the fact that one in three people in Malawi is threatened by hunger.
The Nu Skin Force for Good Foundation, in partnership with local non-profit organizations and civic groups, initiated the project in 2006 with two goals. The first was to build an actual village. The second objective was to make the village a "living classroom" where 40-50 farmers and their families would come to be educated and trained in numerous disciplines including fish farming, drip irrigation, sustainable farming, forest conservation and tree farming.
According to Sandie Tillotson, member of the Nu Skin Force for Good Foundation's executive committee, "What is so significant about this program is that it's not about giving handouts — it's about giving people knowledge, skills and hope. It's a real opportunity to become self-reliant and help others to do the same."
The first residents are scheduled to arrive in the village in early September and live there for about two years. Once they have learned and mastered their new farming skills, they will return to their respective villages where they will teach these new principles to others in their home village.
Feed the Children
Nu Skin's Force for Good Foundation donated funds to Feed the Children for a Malawi factory to be built. The funds were combined with money raised at the Convention Gala in order to construct the Malawi plant. Feed the Children is a Christian, international, non-profit relief organization with headquarters in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. that delivers food, medicine, clothing and other necessities to individuals, children and families who lack these essentials due to famine, war, poverty or natural disaster.
The Malawi Project
The Nu Skin Force for Good Foundation donated funds in December 2006 to the Malawi Project to purchase school supplies for 5,500 orphans attending both public and private schools in Malawi. The Malawi Project assists Napoleon Dzombe and other civic and government leaders in Malawi in distributing food and medical supplies to the poor and hungry.
The foundation also donated money in summer 2003 for the purchase of a 10-ton truck to be used to deliver much-needed food to various parts of the country.
To learn more about the Malawi Project, visit www.malawiproject.org.
Project HOPE
Project HOPE (Health Opportunities for People Everywhere) provides basic health care to women and children on agricultural estates and villages in the African country of Malawi. The Nu Skin Force for Good Foundation donated funds in April 2002 to renovate two existing buildings on two estates and to equip them to function as birthing centers. These centers serve pregnant and laboring women on these estates who often travel up to 50 or more miles to reach labor and delivery services.
To learn more about Project HOPE, please visit www.projecthope.org.