The Vuvuzela: Echoes of Change in East Africa

by James Ellett, Grant writing intern

If you watched or even were around someone watching the World Cup this year, you no doubt heard the incessant droning of what is best described as the sound of a cloud of angry killer bees.

The source of this sound, the vuvuzela, has become quite a controversial subject since the first (and seemingly only) note broke into the ear canals of soccer (sorry, football) fans across the globe. People have raised arguments that vuvuzelas cause the spread of germs and disease, cause serious hearing damage, and can even be used as weapons. Players have complained of the distraction that the constant din creates on the field. The controversy has caused this descendant of the kudu horn to be banned at various sporting venues around the world--from Wimbledon to Yankee Stadium.

And yet, the vuvuzela plays on.

Try as foreigners might to ban its monotone symphony, the horn remains very much a part of South African soccer. It refuses to silence itself in the face of oppression. It plays as a reminder of the unshakable resolve of the people of the African continent. The ubiquitous hum of the vuvuzela is an illustration of the culture, life, and indomitable spirit of the people who play them.

Nowhere is this spirit more evident than in two of the poorest African nations: Burundi and Tanzania. These two countries have seen everything from poverty and corruption to assassinations and genocide. The World Bank ranks Tanzania and Burundi numbers 192 and 213 in terms of average annual income, respectively. There were 213 countries ranked.

Dire as the situation in these places may seem, it is not hopeless. Plant With Purpose has been working in these poverty stricken countries to give the people there the tools that they need to pull themselves out of poverty and heal their environment. The farmers that we work with are shining examples of the hope that exists even in the poorest of areas.

An exciting development has been made in these countries that gives us further reason to hope. The East African Community (EAC)--made up of the Republics of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and the United Republic of Tanzania--have put into effect this month an East African common market. The goal of the common market is “to enable the free movement of people, capital and services and abolish import duties” according to BBC News. As of July 1, all barriers to trade among the member nations have been removed. The idea is that this will encourage trade and cooperation among the members of the East African Community, much as the adoption of the euro did in Europe.

While this is an exciting development, and it is encouraging to see these poor nations banding together to improve their situation, the market is not without risk. Some are concerned that Kenya will dominate the other, poorer, member countries. People are worried that jobs will leave countries such as Tanzania and Burundi, and go to the stronger Kenyan economy.

Please keep your prayers with the people of East Africa, and specifically with Plant With Purpose’s programs in Burundi and Tanzania. Pray that this common market creates unity and economic health in the EAC, and that Plant With Purpose will be able to work effectively in this new climate to bring about the healing that is so desperately needed.

To learn more about East Africa’s common market, visit http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8769566.stm

To learn more about the East African Community, visit http://www.eac.int/

Healing and Reconciliation in Burundi

By Stephanie Rudeen, Plant With Purpose Intern

Burundi, Africa has a very troubled past and an uncertain future. Burundi is home to the Tutsi and Hutu tribes, who have occupied the land since the country’s formation over five centuries ago. Belgian occupation greatly increased ethnic conflict, and over 40 years of brutal civil war has left the country aching and the land depleted. It is estimated that over 300,000 people were killed in 1993, following the assassination of the then Hutu head of state. When peace was finally achieved in 2006, large numbers of refugees started returning to their homeland of Burundi from Tanzania.

The return of native Burundians to Burundi after a long absence has been an ongoing problem for Burundi. In an effort to make the difficult transition easier, “peace villages” were set up where people returning to Burundi could have a small home, a few goats, and a small amount of money. These villages were set up by the state-run organization PARESI (Project d’Appui au Rapatriement et la Rintigration des Sinistrs) as well as supported by the European Commission Humanitarian Aid department. Although these villages do offer hope to many Burundians, and have seen both Tutsis and Hutus begin to live side-by-side, there have still been many problems associated with the villages.

The purpose of the peace villages, set up in 2003, was to lead to healing and reconciliation among three ethnic groups, the Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa. Yet, as explained in the article, “ ‘Peace’ Villages Come With a Price” from Humanitarian News and Analysis, not all of the residents of the peace villages are receiving reparations. Recently, many of the returned Burundians have not received anything from the state-run organizations, and there has been difficulty accessing water since there is only one water tap for 1,600 people. Added to these conditions is the poor healthcare in the area which especially affects pregnant women who have to “travel long distances, through wetlands, to reach a health centre,” according to the article. Also, young children have had little access to healthcare, many of which suffer waterborne diseases.

Many Burundians have and continue to return to their native land, some of whom have never even been to Burundi yet have a family and cultural history invested there. Although the peace villages have good intentions, they are an example of a movement that is not working as perfectly as planned. The people of Burundi have a past full of suffering and are in great need of healing and reconciliation, as well as a future that entails more than just a small house in a land that has changed greatly since they were a part of the community there.

That’s where I’m proud to say Plant With Purpose comes in. Plant With Purpose trains farmers in peace and reconciliation and focuses on restored relationships between farmers and the land they depend on and amongst historically antagonistic ethnic groups. It is one thing to hand a refugee a plot of land, it is another thing entirely to teach that refugee how to work the land in environmentally sustainable ways that can empower and transform. Plant With Purpose does not just give out handouts; it works with individuals and communities to enrich many aspects of their lives, from income and agriculture, to reconciliation and healthcare. I’m proud to work with an organization that has a holistic approach to transformation and development, and most importantly, offers a new approach to hope for the people that need it the most.

Plant With Purpose Burundi Makes National News!

We have two very exciting bits of news for Plant With Plant With Purpose-Burundi! First, last week our program was recognized on Burundi's National TV news as one of the five best non-governmental organizations by the Ministry of Agriculture in the Rutana province. We aren't just talking about a pat on the back here; Plant With Purpose Burundi's work of bringing communities together and creating lasting change was being mentioned next to FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN)! The program host visited one of our cassava fields and interviewed Emmanuel, our staff agronomist, about the great progress seen so far with that project. Exposure like this builds on the already positive reputation of Plant With Purpose's newest program, and helps us to be recognized on a national scale.

The exposure on television opened up to another incredible media opportunity a few days later. Our Burundi program received a 30-minute segment on a leading Burundian radio station called Radio Insanganiro about the impact of our activities working with communities in the region of Rutana. The reason this is also so significant is that Radio Insanganiro is based in Burundi's capital, Bujumbura, and focuses their broadcasts on conflict resolution. Their message reaches across the war torn country of Burundi and also extends into eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and some Western parts of Tanzania. Some of their objectives are to:

• Disseminate objective and balanced information
• Promote dialogue, peace and reconciliation through its news, programs, microprograms, magazines and press releases
• Reconcile conflicting societies, starting from Burundi, and then between Burundian, Rwandan, Congolese and Tanzanian communities
• Promote respect of human rights, particularly for vulnerable groups like women, children displaced people and returnees
• Promote freedom of the press
• Promote freedom of expression and positive values

A major congratulations to our Burundi country director, Lazare, and his four other staff members who have taken off running with Plant With Purpose's work in Burundi!

For a little more background on our program in Burundi, please visit our blog from last Friday.

Fast Facts: Burundi

Check out the latest Fast Facts on Plant With Purpose's newest program in Burundi, Africa:

Burundi has suffered greatly. A brutal civil war that lasted for over 40 years left the country aching and the land depleted. When peace was finally achieved in 2006, Burundi was faced with the challenge of transitioning from a nation on the brink of extinction to a nation of hope. Large numbers of refugees started returning to their homeland and the need for economic development, food security, and ethnic reconciliation has been immense.

This year Plant With Purpose worked with 113 community group members, helping them to revive the land they depend on as well as restore relationships between members of rival ethnic groups.

• 4 workshops were conducted on sustainable agriculture and environmental protection techniques.
• 6,500 trees were planted to revitalize soil and provide income for families.
• 10 fuel-efficient stoves were constructed to save wood.
• 51 farmers were trained on formation of loan groups and savings and loan management.
• 2 workshops were conducted on Peace and Reconciliation and Creation Care, empowering Burundians to live out their faith and be good stewards of creation.

BURUNDI FAST FACTS

FAST FACTS

Location: Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo

Population: 8,988,091

Total area: 27,830 sq km (slightly smaller than Maryland)

Population below poverty line: 68%

Forests: Settlement by rural populations has led to deforestation, soil erosion, and habitat loss. Deforestation of the entire country is almost completely due to overpopulation, with a mere 230 square miles remaining.

Religion: Christian population equals 70%, with Roman Catholics representing the largest group at 65%. Protestant and Anglicans comprise the remaining 5%.

To join with Plant With Purpose's to empower Burundian communities to reduce poverty, to heal environmental and social scars, and to develop healthy, sustainable economies, click here.

Floresta-Burundi Program Update

by Kate McElhinney Plant With Purpose board member Cathi Lundy graciously came to our office on Thursday to give a presentation on her recent visit to Plant With Purpose's newest program in Burundi, Africa. Cathi and her daughter, Neva Lundy, were the first Plant With Purpose supporters to visit our programs there, so it was invaluable to hear her stories and experiences, and to view her magnificent photos. We have been working in Burundi for a little over a year now, and it is encouraging to hear people's testimonies about how their lives have been transformed. Below are some photos from Cathi's trip. Thank you, Cathi!

The Floresta-Burundi staff made this sign out of bricks.

Fuel efficient stoves help the environment by minimizing the need for wood, shortening cooking time, and cutting down on pollution from burning. More importantly, the people can make them from materials readily available. This is a cassava plant. They use almost all of it by cooking the greens on the top and eating the root at the bottom. They can also dry and grind the root into flour and make fu fu (pasty starch like ugali eaten with other foods). Additionally, they take cuttings and sell them to other farmers to start fields. According to Cathi, this is one of the main images that symbolizes Burundi: a mother with a baby on her back. Stay tuned for more stories from Burundi!

A Story of Inspiration

by Corbyn Small

Late last fall, a teacher of a 5th grade class in Naperville, Illinois got in touch with Plant With Purpose asking how his class could be involved in supporting our work. Mr. Farrelly said that they would be studying Africa in their geography class and that Plant With Purpose's programs in either Tanzania or Burundi would make a great fit and teaching tool. I sent a couple of brochures and had a few short conversations with Mr. Farrelly and that was it. The rest was up to our newest advocate, a 5th grade teacher,

and his ability to inspire creativity and action in the minds of his students.

A few short months later Plant With Purpose received a check for a whopping $650.00 and a note signed by the whole class expressing 'great joy in being able to give to Africa.' The students discussed where in Plant With Purpose's programs they would like to see the funds designated, and they decided that reforestation and agroforestry in Burundi, our newest program, would be the best place. Our whole office was taken aback at these 11-12-year-olds who had not only raised a lot of money on their own, but also decided where in Plant With Purpose's complex programs they would like to fund!

These students managed to raise enough money to plant 650 trees in Burundi! But that's not all by a long shot: they gained invaluable education about a world that has so much need and yet so much to offer. Mr. Farrelly taught his students how deforestation in Africa not only affects the environment, but every individual farmer who lives day to day growing crops to feed their families. He helped them to see that looking at root causes rather than symptoms is the best way to take a strong stand against poverty as we know it.

To the students in Mr. Farrelly's 5th Grade Geography class, on behalf of Plant With Purpose staff both here in the United States and internationally in Burundi, THANK YOU! Your creativity and sacrifice help to remind us that no matter who you are or where you come from, you can make a positive difference in this world. This testimony goes to show that today's youth are ready to engage in real life issues; after all, it's their future they are looking after.

If you are inspired to be a part of the transformative development work taking place through Plant With Purpose in six countries around the world, please visit www.plantwithpurpose.org. To sponsor a village for only $30 a month Click Here

Plant With Purpose staff (with Brian McLaren) and Plant With Purpose Burundi Staff.

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Corbyn Small serves as Plant With Purpose’s Outreach Coordinator. He cultivates relationships with donors, churches, artists and musicians to generate interest and enthusiasm for Plant With Purpose’s life-changing programs. corbyn@plantwithpurpose.org

Village Spotlight: Muzye, Burundi

by Kate McElhinney

It has been one year since Plant With Purpose began working in Burundi, a small country in Africa sandwiched between Rwanda, Congo, and Tanzania. After enduring years of civil war and ethnic conflict, the country is now finally moving toward a peaceful state and refugees are trickling back into Burundi to regain their land and piece their lives back together.

Plant With Purpose has been working with the Dushirehamwe Association in the village of Muzye to help them rebuild their agricultural infrastructure such as farms and forests which were destroyed during the conflict. The Dushirehamwe Association, whose name means “we make something together from what we have”, is a community based organization that was founded in 2004 and currently has about 30 members. Two-thirds of the group are recently returned refugees.

One member, Leoni Karenzo, (the woman in blue on the far left hand side of the first photo) has experienced tremendous personal growth during the past year. After fleeing Burundi, she received training in a Tanzania refugee camp on how to make improved woodstoves. Now she and other returnees are able to share this knowledge with other group members because of Plant With Purpose's initiative to promote improved stoves through training. This skill has helped build Leoni’s self-esteem and is helping with her acceptance in the community, while at the same time helping Plant With Purpose to promote a valuable technology.

This year, the Dushirehamwe Association has been planting improved varieties of cassava, a valuable and nutritious root crop. Now the cassava harvest is about to begin and the group is very excited. Cuttings will be taken for group members to plant on their own farms, giving them varieties of cassava that are resistant to local disease, and will reduce future risk of food shortage. The remaining cuttings will be sold as the demand for improved varieties in Burundi is high. The roots of the cassava will be consumed by member households, or sold at the local market. The groups are very interested in finding new and more profitable ways to market cassava. Plant With Purpose is looking into various processing and marketing technologies that could help farmers improve their income and access new markets.

These triumphs are encouraging, but there is still much to be done. You can help the village of Muzye rebuild their community by partnering with Plant With Purpose to sponsor Muzye for only $30 per month. Your support, which will be matched for up to one year, will go toward improving their farming methods, finding ways to sell their increased production of cassava and banana, and helping the groups increase their savings and loan capacity. Visit www.plantwithpurpose.org or call (858) 274-3718 to learn more about sponsoring a village.

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Kate McElhinney serves as the Marketing Coordinator for Plant With Purpose. She plays an integral role in executing the company’s marketing campaigns and PR efforts. Kate also coordinates the annual gala and is Editor-In-Chief of the company newsletter, The Sower.

Plant With Purpose's 25th Anniversary

by Aly Lewis

This year marks Plant With Purpose's 25th Anniversary! That's right, Plant With Purpose was working at the intersection of poverty and deforestation way before fear of global warming spurred us to live more sustainably or Kiva made 'micro-loan' a household word. Before creation care and things like the Red Campaign were even cool.

In honor of our very exciting Silver Anniversary, we will be blogging about the greatest and most gasp-inducing moments in Plant With Purpose history. Leading up to our official celebration at our Planting Hope Gala on October 10th, we will highlight some of our biggest milestones (like planting over 4 million trees!) and bring you old-school stories from our

Executive Director, Scott Sabin (like the time he came back from a business trip to discover he was the only employee left on staff). We'll take you on a journey from our humble beginnings in the deforested hillsides of the Dominican Republic to the hope and transformation we've seen in our newest program in Burundi.

Join us as we celebrate 25 years of empowering rural farmers around the world!

Ripple Report: Beyond the Trees in Burundi

by Aly Lewis

The impact of Plant With Purpose’s newest program in Burundi, Africa goes far beyond the benefits of planting trees and spurring sustainable development. Like all of the areas Plant With Purpose works, Burundi is plagued with extreme poverty and environmental devastation. However, a widespread current of intolerance, anger, and misunderstanding between the country’s Hutu and Tutsi tribes intensifies these devastating environmental and economic problems. After decades of violent civil war, these tribes have only recently reached a peace accord. Though both Hutus and Tutsis living and working in the Rutana province share a common set of socioeconomic problems, long-standing hatred and prejudice remains. As refugees flood back into the country and people begin to rebuild, Burundi is faced with the challenge of transitioning from a nation on the brink of extinction to a nation of hope.

Similar to Plant With Purpose’s restorative work along the Haitian/Dominican border, yet unique among PWP’s other programs, our Burundi program offers a vital Peace & Reconciliation component. PWP encourages restoration and reconciliation two ways: by providing training and facilitation to community leaders on peace and reconciliation and, more importantly, by requiring that projects are all inclusive of all community members, Hutu and Tutsi alike. Community projects bring together people who were on both sides of the conflict to achieve project goals. This practical reconciliation is the most important and significant part of our strategy.

We’re already through year one in Burundi and have been excited to witness true reconciliation and heart changes. Leoni Karenzo of our Dushirehamwe group shared with us about her renewed hope and confidence since joining a PWP community group. The group consists of Hutu and Tutsi who have shared goals and interests. They work with, not against, each other. Since joining together, they now have harvests to bring home to their families. They feel love for each other and have regained confidence as a community. They have benefited from the economic gain and also rebuilt trust. Leoni recalls that before her exile, life was stable, but when she was forced to flee they suffered from malnutrition and poor health. Rebuilding life in Burundi was difficult and when she heard about the group she wanted to join. Now they have access to seeds, they can plant again, and they are rebuilding their lives, together.

We can’t wait to hear more stories like Leoni’s!

New Villages on Plant With Purpose

by Aly Lewis

Our Grow A Village is growing! Two new villages are now up on the Plant With Purpose Web Site: Malindi, Tanzania and Muzye, Burundi.  

Do you know what ‘Dushirehamwe’ means in Kirundi?  Have you ever heard of the Shengena Forest?  Now you can improve your language skills and international landmark dexterity by reading about our new villages on our Africa page.  Just click the Donate button next to the name of the village to view a detailed description, complete with fun facts and maybe even a language lesson.  Additionally, see how you can partner with these villages to restore their land, provide for their families, and transform their lives. 

And for those interested in Thailand, stay tuned, we'll be posting some new Thai villages to the site today.    

Let Freedom Ring!

by Kate McElhinney

There is something undeniably magical about holidays. Today is the last day of work for this week, and around our office there is a tangible buzz of excitement as my co-workers share their Fourth of July plans and count down the hours until freedom.

As we gear up for a celebration here in America, Plant With Purpose also views this occasion as an extra special time to reflect on our programs. For us, witnessing the independent victories in the lives of the rural poor has been inspiring.

This morning, we had our own mini-celebration. There were no fireworks or flag waving, but simply a group of us gathering for prayer and praises. Today, we praised God for the restoration of peace in Burundi as the war comes to an end, for the health and sustenance of our Thailand team, and in Haiti, the financial support received by victims of the hurricanes last fall. These are big praises, indeed!

Since Plant With Purpose started working with the rural poor 25 years ago, it has been amazing to witness how the bonds of despair are broken as empowerment is restored. And the communities experience freedom in more ways than one. Environmentally, their lives are transformed as reforestation efforts replenish the land, providing abundant crops and a clean water supply. Economically, farmers become empowered through microcredit loans, which help them to start a business and generate a steady income. And spiritually, communities come together to pray for the future and praise God for his restorative work.

Although reversing the effects of deforestation and eliminating poverty worldwide can seem like huge undertakings, it is encouraging to see examples of empowerment in the lives of the rural poor. When lives are transformed and freedom is restored, then the true celebration begins! This Fourth of July, let’s celebrate the freedom of our nation, but also remember the silent victories of the rural poor in Burundi, Thailand, Tanzania, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Mexico.

Burudian Independence Day: Freedom to Rebuild

By Aly Lewis

My car has been out of commission for the last week. After being rather testy for a week or two, starting on the fifth try or not starting at strategically planned times when no one else was around to give me a ride home, it finally just quit starting altogether. However, not before I had witnessed enough Romeo and Juliet style self-revival to be convinced that it wasn’t really dead, it was just napping or sleeping off an apothecary-approved potion. Turns out (also in Romeo and Juliet fashion) it was dead after all. 

I would like to say that my week of carlessness sent me sputtering into desperation.  I would like to say that it impinged on my freedom in such a way that I now feel completely confident in relating to and writing about the lack of freedom many people around the world feel.  Instead I had a great old time hitching rides with friends and coworkers and worst-case scenario I had to spend the day at the beach with some of my best friends because I couldn’t get a ride home. 

Tough life. 

Freedom has a little different ring (or sting) for the people of Burundi.  A small country in Eastern Africa, Burundi borders Tanzania, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.  Burundi is home to the Tutsi and Hutu tribes, who have occupied the land since the country’s formation over five centuries ago. Belgian occupation greatly increased ethnic conflict, and over 40 years of brutal civil war has left the country aching and the land depleted. Hundreds of thousands have been killed and even more have fled to neighboring Rwanda to find refuge.

When peace was finally achieved in 2006, large numbers of refugees started returning to their homeland and the need for economic development, food security, and ethnic reconciliation continues to be immense.  Over 70% of Burundi’s soil is severely degraded, and displaced farmers struggle to eke out a meager living from the harsh land.  Land that was once fertile and rich in agricultural resources has been vandalized by widespread destruction as consequences of war.   Roughly the same size and population of Haiti, Burundi shares a history of violence and extreme poverty, intensified by environmental degradation.  As refugees flood back into the country and people begin to rebuild, Burundi is faced with the challenge of transitioning from a nation on the brink of extinction to a nation of hope.  Without sustainable long-term solutions and short-term options, Burundians have little hope for the future.

With a focus on restored relationships—between farmers and the land they depend on and amongst historically antagonistic ethnic groups—Plant With Purpose has begun an innovative new program in Burundi.  In response to the great needs of the people of Burundi, PWP’s integrated program of community development, sustainable agriculture, microcredit, and discipleship has expanded to include training in peace and reconciliation.  Plant With Purpose has embarked on a two year Pilot Project to improve the sustainable agriculture system, reforest farmer and community land, and promote spiritual growth in this desperate country.  It is Plant With Purpose’s hope to revitalize the rural economy from the ground up, healing the land and its people, and bringing a much-needed message of hope to the people of Burundi. 

Today marks Burundi’s Independence from Belgium. Let us also celebrate the efforts of the Burundian farmers who are working together to restore their land, provide for their families, and rebuild their lives.  Let us celebrate and join with them in their quest for freedom—political freedom and refuge, but also the freedom to choose a better life for their children, the freedom to choose what they plant and how they treat the land, the freedom to choose reconciliation and forgiveness in the face of horrific violence and genocide.  

You can be a part of the transformation that is taking place in the hearts and lives of the people of Burundi.

To find out more about our program in Burundi, click here.

To donate to our transformational work in Burundi, click here.  

Plant With Purpose Freedom Parade

By Aly Lewis

I don’t usually like to talk about freedom. I’m more of an interdependent (not to be confused with codependent) type of philosophizer. Not that I don’t like freedom; I’m just more apt to find myself exasperated with the individualistic, isolated, and often disconnected culture in which I live. More often than not, I overcompensate by focusing entirely on our inevitable and undeniable interconnectedness—both with each other and with our environment. But this week I’m putting aside my desire to flaunt my counter-cultural dependency ideas in order to take a deeper look at freedom and what that means in our lives as Americans, as Christians, and as people living in this interconnected world.

As humans we all feel trapped sometimes. We get caught in toxic cycles of our own design and vicious cycles far beyond our control. We become paralyzed, imprisoned by real or perceived barriers from which we can see no readily accessible escape route or hope of a better day. As much as I’m enamored with the idea of interdependency and community and sharing, freedom is a good thing, a vital thing, a Godly thing. Freedom is the ability to choose, to live, to love.

In honor of the Fourth of July, this week we’ll be touching on different aspects of freedom—political freedom, economic freedom, spiritual freedom. We’ll talk about the ways Plant With Purpose works to bring freedom to rural farmers trapped in vicious cycles of poverty and deforestation. We’ll talk about the ways we can work toward greater freedom in our own lives. We may even bring out the sparklers and barbecue to celebrate Burundian Independence Day (which, by the way, is July 1^st).

So pick up those visors and water bottle misters and join us for our week long Freedom Parade.