Teaching Composting in Tanzania

by Doug Satre We talk a lot at Plant With Purpose about the importance of sustainable agricultural development to improve the lives of the rural poor. One thing that can sometimes get overlooked is the importance of healthy enriched soil. Compost is one of the fundamental building blocks of healthy, productive soil- and it’s free! This video shows how the village of Komalyangoe constructs a compost pile using farm and household leftovers. Once it’s built, the compost pile sits and decomposes for a couple of weeks. Then it’s ready to be worked in to garden beds. The result: more vegetables, better family nutrition and increased income.

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If you want to be a part of helping create family gardens click here.

Time lapse created by Mark Portrait, who also supports Plant With Purpose through the sales from Malindi Coffee.

Facebook: Friend or Foe?

by Mackenzie Miller

As part of the Greek Community at the University of San Diego, I was required to attend a talk by a special speaker this past Monday night. Okay, most of the time these speakers are soooooo boring, and since I was stuck in midterm madness this week I was ALMOST about to head to the library instead. All I have to say, is I am so glad I ended up going to hear Katie Koestner's enlightening and frightening presentation.

Katie Koestner is a name that may sound familiar to you. She has appeared on dozens of television shows and news programs in order to create public awareness of date rape, acting as a voice for one of the most under-reported crimes in America. But Ms. Koestner had another agenda for the students of USD Monday night. She warned us all about the dangers of Facebook and digital media.

I am officially freaked out now. You never really READ the terms and conditions when you click “Agree!” Does Facebook really own EVERYTHING I post or write or tag… even after it’s deleted?

When I left the seminar, I was about 2 seconds away from deleting my page entirely. But as I logged in to my Facebook, an “Event Invitation” for a fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness stopped me short.

Yes. This new online world can be a dangerous and scary place if used incorrectly. But it can also be a way to connect with people around the world and to get the word out there about non-profits, charity events and community gatherings and to become “Fans” of cool pages – like PWP’s fan page!

Ms. Koestner’s message and story was powerful and motivating – I am definitely going to think twice about everything I do on Facebook, and encourage everyone else to do the same. But don’t “delete!” Use it to send and share great messages instead.

And to post some funny YouTube videos every now and then, of course.

We've Got Fans, another way you can be a part of Plant With Purpose

by Corbyn Small

In a week and a half Plant With Purpose's fanpage on facebook has gone from under 150 members to almost 400! The Facebook fanpage is a quick and easy way to for us here at Plant With Purpose to share regular photos of the day, happenings in the field and office, upcoming events, and videos with our followers. 

We have talked a lot about the multiplier effect in recent blogs and seeing an increase in over 200 members in just a few days time shows that you can make a difference. It was only a  group of about 10-12 people who participated last week and invited their friends to check out the Plant With Purpose fan page and look at the results! Now 200 more people will have easy access to ways to be involved in the good that is being done in 225 communities around the world. 

In part with launching Plant With Purpose we have been working hard to make a grouping of social networks including another facebook cause page and we even have a twitter account with over 350 followers. It's quick, it's easy, and you can do it too! We'd love to keep you updated and informed and it is as easy as clicking 'become a fan' to the right of this blog post. If you want to take part in the multiplier effect then all you have to do is click here then 'suggest to friends', and your friends will get to join in as well. Thanks for being a part of spreading Plant With Purpose's message and truly being a part of an organization that is transforming lives.

Recent shots posted as photo of the day on the fanpage