As the final touch to a successful year of 25th Anniversary celebrations for Farmers Helping Farmers, inaugural member and coordinator, Teresa Mellish, met in Ottawa to present the Hon. Aileen Carroll, Minister of International Cooperation, with a token of its appreciation. The gift commemorated the working partnership that has flourished between the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and Farmers Helping Farmers over the past 25 years. Together they have funded over two million dollars worth of projects in East Africa.
The gift was a unique sculpture consisting of a bowl made of mahogany wood, purchased by Farmers Helping Farmers, in Kenya. It was then mounted on a platform of bird’s eye maple wood, crafted by McAskill’s Woodworking of Charlottetown. The combination of the two indigenous woods symbolized the beauty of the diverse production in two regions so far apart, geographically, brought together by volunteers in both Prince Edward Island and rural East Africa who have a desire to share their knowledge and culture.
Hon. Aileen Carroll was delighted with the gift and wished Farmers Helping Farmers success in the years to come. For more information on its small, sustainable, agricultural projects, currently supported by CIDA, visit Farmers Helping Farmers’ website at www.farmershelpingfarmers.ca.