A team of Prince Edward Islanders with a long history of working with African farmers is heading back to Kenya in January to expand its activities. Over the past three years, Farmers Helping Farmers has been providing professional support to dairy farmers to help them improve milk production and incomes, and along with continuing that support, will also be taking on a number of new projects.
“We have achieved a great deal of success in these and other efforts, and now look forward to building on those achievements,” said Janice Whalen, president of Farmers Helping Farmers. “We will begin working with an new group of dairy producers, and will also be helping to establish a school nutrition program along with other efforts to improve incomes and living conditions.”
Veterinarian teachers and students from the Atlantic Veterinary College have been working with a group of approximately 5000 dairy producers in Mukurwe-ini, Kenya to help them improve herd health, nutrition and product quality. Whalen says as a result of improved production and incomes, more children in the area can now attend school.
Along with continuing to provide that support, Farmers Helping Farmers will also begin working with a new group, the Embu Dairy Cooperative. Dr. John van Leeuwen, Ken Mellish and Daniel Scothorn will be assisting members of the cooperative to improve milk production and quality.
Two other members of the Farmers Helping Farmers group, Colleen Walton and Heather Angells, will work with staff and parents at the Ruuju primary school to establish a lunch program for its 400 students, including the production of vegetables.
In addition to evaluating projects completed to date, Winston Johnston and Teresa Mellish will be laying the groundwork for future initiatives in the area. They will also continue their work with a womans’ group in Muchui to produce and market tree seedlings.
Farmers Helping Farmers receives matching financial support from the Canadian International Development Agency, which contributes $2 for every one dollar raised by the volunteer organization. It celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2004, and since its inception, has provided financial support of over $3 million for projects throughout east Africa.
“There is certainly an increased awareness of the needs of many developing countries throughout Africa which are suffering from a host of social, economic and political problems,” said Whalen. “We welcome financial support to continue our work among African farm families to improve their standard of living and quality of life.”