Empowering a Community
Since 2012, the USANA True Health Foundation has provided aid to individuals, families, and communities across the world through your contributions. Sometimes the needs are immediate, like during the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Other times, we’re able to step in and provide long-term support, such as our current project at the FFHM Mission house in Baja, Mexico. Providing clean water, fresh produce, and Usanimals™ to the children there has been incredibly rewarding.
Now, the Foundation is in Rwanda working on three special projects to empower the community—to provide a gift that will keep on giving for years and generations to come.
Project 1: A Fruitful Crop
In partnership with the Rwanda Mercy Network, the Foundation has procured nearly five acres of land to grow and sell watermelon—approximately 12,000 fruits per yield, and three harvests per year. The land rental, seed, fertilizer, labor, equipment, and distribution costs are all being covered by the Foundation.
This is an incredible opportunity for community members in need of work, and the income enables families to send their children to school and provide other basic needs. At this time, employed individuals are planting the first seeds.
Project 2: A Foundation to Farm On
At Revival Temple, new employment opportunities are being created at a poultry farm. 450 chicks are already being raised, with plans to outfit the building to house 1,000 total chickens. The total egg yield will be about 28 crates per day, 30 eggs per crate. Eggs are a delicious, protein-rich way to provide nutrition to families in need, and they can also be sold for profit. Some of the income will go to the church to provide ministry programs, and the rest gets poured straight back into the community through project beneficiaries.
Foundation funding will provide chicken pen renovations, feed and medication, and cover infrastructural expenses. We are excited to see how this expansion enhances the well-being of the community.
Project 3: A Brighter Tomorrow
The Foundation is working with Pastor Charles on a project to build a specialized center for women called the Kura Vocational Training Center. This training center will educate and empower women with necessary skills to support themselves, and help to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS among female sex workers. This project has been put on hold, but we are working with Pastor Charles to assess the status and future funding of the Kura Vocational Training Center. Keep an eye out for updates in a future post!
We’re heading to Uganda next month, so check back on the blog to follow more of these projects and the progress made as the community moves forward.
Remember, 100 percent of all donations made to the USANA True Health Foundation always go toward changing lives around the world.
