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.

Fast Facts: Tanzania

Plant With Purpose has been working with rural farmers in Tanzania since 2004. In just six years, families have joined together to plant 569,116 trees, start 2,524 compost piles, grant 2,392 loans through 56 community savings and loan groups, construct 2,185 fuel-efficient stoves and 32 cisterns, and establish 1,663 family gardens in 29 villages. We have been encouraged by the growth and enthusiasm shown by the farmers and communities where we work, and anticipate that the program will continue to grow as more and more farmers begin to learn, apply, and share the techniques they have learned through Plant With Purpose's unique training programs. Here are some fast facts on Tanzania and the problems Plant With Purpose seeks to address:

TANZANIA FAST FACTS

Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Kenya and Mozambique

Population: 41,048,532

Total area: 947,300 sq km (twice the size of California)

Population below poverty line: 36%

Agriculture is a keystone of Tanzanian life, supplying more than 40% of the gross domestic product and providing employment to nearly 80% of the population.

Religion: Tanzania's population consists of roughly one-third each Muslims, Christians and followers of indigenous religious groups.

Art: Two styles of Tanzanian art are known around the world: Tingatinga & Makonde. Tingatinga are the African paintings painted with enamel paints on canvas. Makonde is a modern sculpture style.

Due to frequent drought and volatile economic conditions, farmers in Tanzania have been forced to take desperate measures in their farming methods in order to survive. Coffee production, once a key export, has been abandoned as low international market prices have driven coffee farmers out of business. As a result, farmers are becoming increasingly reliant on firewood and charcoal as income sources. In exercising the only methods they know to sustain their families, farmers are paradoxically destroying their primary source of sustenance, creating an inescapable and destructive cycle of abject poverty and environmental destruction.

To join with Plant With Purpose's efforts to empower Tanzanian farmers to restore their land, improve and diversify their incomes, and build a better future for their families, click here.

Fast Facts: Dominican Republic

by Aly Lewis

Yes, today is Wednesday, but it is not going to be a Oaxaca Wednesday. Today I would like to highlight our program in the Dominican Republic. Plant With Purpose has been working in the DR for over 25 years and it is one of our most developed and expansive programs. 2,500 Dominican farmers in 51 communities have joined with Plant With Purpose to plant over 3.2 million--that's right, million--trees, receive over 2,000 loans, and start almost 300 Bible studies. With Plant With Purpose's encouragement, families are restoring their land, starting new businesses, and transforming their lives. Here are some fast facts about the DR and the problems Plant With Purpose seeks to address:

Dominican Republic Fast Facts:

Location: Caribbean, eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Haiti

Population: 9,650,054

Total area: 48,320 sq km (more than twice the size of New Hampshire)

Population below poverty line: 42.2%

Religion: The Dominican Republic is 95.2% Christian, including 88.6% Roman Catholic and 4.2% Protestant.

Pollution: Bajos de Haina, 12 miles (19 km) west of Santo Domingo, was included on the Blacksmith Institute's list of the world's 10 most polluted places, due to lead poisoning by a battery recycling center closed in 1999.

The rural sector in the Dominican Republic is affected by high unemployment and poverty rates. Lack of economic opportunities is one of the many causes of poverty and migration to the cities. Adding to social and economic difficulties is environmental devastation, especially deforestation. Subsistence farmers rely heavily on revenues from cutting forest trees, but as mature trees run out, the farmers’ source of living also diminishes. They attempt to raise crops on the cleared land, but soil fertility has been compromised, and the land does not produce for long. As farmers find it increasingly difficult to generate revenues from the forests and the farms, they move to densely populated shantytowns on the outskirts of cities.

Fast Facts: Thailand

In 2005, Plant With Purpose came alongside Upland Holistic Development Project (UHDP) in Northern Thailand to provide support and training for marginalized hill tribes. Our program in Thailand is one of our newest projects and we've been so excited to see the transformation that is already taking place in the lives of hill tribe members. Here are some fast facts about Thailand and the problems Plant With Purpose seeks to address:

THAILAND FAST FACTS

Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma

Population: 65,905,410

Total area: 513,120 sq km (more than twice the size of Wyoming)

Population below poverty line: 10%

Forests: Most of the primary forest in Thailand is gone, with secondary forest only covering roughly 20% of the land area. This is compared to over 70% forest cover prior to World War II

Religion: According to the last census 94.7% of the total population are Buddhists of the Theravada

tradition. Muslims are the second largest religious group in Thailand at 4.6%

The hill tribe communities of Northern Thailand face serious challenges to their survival. In recent years, access to fertile farmland has significantly decreased, leaving subsistence farmers degraded hillsides on which to survive and make a living. Forest resources, critical for medicine, food, and construction, are declining in availability as land is taken over for conservation or expanding crop production. Sustainable income opportunities are needed as the population increases. The problem of poverty and lack of quality farmland is compounded by restrictions on citizenship (and therefore land rights) and travel and employment opportunities.

Fast Facts: Haiti

by Aly Lewis

As I was putting together information packets for our wonderful village sponsors, I learned a ton about the countries where we work. For example, did you know that Tanzania's population consists of roughly one-third each Muslims, Christians and followers of indigenous religious groups? I sure didn’t. I appreciated learning more about the places where we work so much that I’m going to share a little bit of what I learned with you. Today I’m going to give you the low down on Haiti. Enjoy and don’t forget to stay tuned for fast facts on all of the countries where we work!

HAITI FAST FACTS

Location: Caribbean, western one third of the island of Hispaniola, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic.

Population: 9,035,536

Total area: 27,750 sq km (slightly smaller than Maryland)

Population below poverty line: 80%

Literacy: Of Haiti's 8.7 million inhabitants, just below half are illiterate. The literacy rate of 52.9% is the lowest in the region.

Forests: In 1925, Haiti was lush, with 60% of its original forest covering the lands and mountainous regions. Since then, the population has cut down all but an estimated 2% of its original forest cover, and in the process has destroyed fertile farmland soils, contributing to desertification.

The island nation of Haiti, once one of the most beautiful spots in the world, has now become synonymous with rampant poverty and misery. Haiti’s unstable government, broken economy, and devastated environment combine to make it the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country. Faced with limited options and an increasingly low quality of life, farmers are often forced to flee their lands and migrate to the swarming, filthy streets of the urban slums in Port au Prince, the nation’s overcrowded capital city. Recent food riots in Port au Prince, and reports of people eating dirt have only served to highlight the urgency of the situation and the need for long-term solutions.