Nourish in Uganda

Hello everyone,

Today Alex, Chandler and I went with Hannah (the local peace corps volunteer) to her Womens Alliance and Children’s Association (WAACHA). Her groups are a very different demographic than I have dealt with up to this point. As Chaz mentions, NAADS has been a huge asset but they advise farmers that are already organized and collectively working on development and financial stability through agriculture. The WAACHA groups are very poor and all the women are widowed and many of the children orphans. Visiting with them has been an amazing experience. After greeting the women and feeling how coarse their hands were and seeing their feeble state of health it became immediately apparent how badly they have need these machines. It also made me wish I could have got this machine to them 30 years ago when they really needed. The combinations of emotions lead to a nervousness I had never expected to feel going through a translot. However, I felt immense pressure to demonstrate the machine well so that the groups would understand the benefits that it can provide.
As for the others, (Fletcher, Roey, Hayssam, Ashley, Maggie, Roman and Chaz) they were here in the Iganga market demonstrating the Nut Sheller and were able to spark a lot of interest. Jeff was in Kampala meeting with Peace Corps and an organization that deals with Moringa Oleifera (a cindarella plant that has over 100 beneficial uses). Joel was in town but I have not seen him so I do not know what he did but I am sure he did not waste minute. As for Kelly, she was in the shop today acting as the mzungu shop foreman.
As for the future, we have demonstrations with WAACHA for the next two days and also an important demonstration with the Hunger Project (a group that does micofinance). On the first several of us will be leaving on the grand tour which will take us to at least 3 cities (Tororo, Mbale and Soroti) and maybe several more. It should be a great chance to market the machine to many more farmers.
Back tracking in time, Chunky, Allen and Eddie left yesterday to make a stop in Lewaro and drop off 3 machines and then return to the states. They were a fun bunch and it was great having them. Jock also left with that group to file the proper paper work for his upcoming tour to Sudan, one of highest peanut producing countries in Africa.

Dinner has just been served at the restaurant next door so it is time to go.

Cheers