2014 spring sower

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SPRING 2014

ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS TO HUMANITARIAN PROBLEMS

HOW THINKING OUTSIDE

THE BOX IS CREATING

MOMENTUM IN TANZANIA

DEPARTMENTS

Directors Corner

Breaking News

Spotlight: Gwoma, HT

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FEATURES

Innovation Fuels Motivation

Redemption Through Trees

ACROSS AFRICA, PLANT WITH PURPOSE

PROGRAMS ARE IMPLEMENTING CREATIVE

SOLUTIONS TO EMPOWER RURAL FAMILIES.

INNOVATIONFUELSMOTIVATION


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Doing good is im-

portant, but it is just

as important to do

it well. It wasnt too

long ago that chari-

ties were given the

benefit of the doubt

regarding effective-

ness. If your intentions were good and you

were doing something, that was enough.

However, as Bryant Myers wrote in Walking

With the Poor, The poor deserved better

than gifted amateurs.

The percentage of donations spent on

overhead has been the most common way

of evaluating charities. As a result, some

very ineffective and sometimes harmfulwork has been funded around the world.

Today, however, many donors are not just

asking how much of their money is going

to the intended recipients, but also what it

is doing once it gets there.

I think we have one of the best programs

for holistic transformation in existence. I

have a great deal of respect for what many

other organizations are doing, and there

are many ways to alleviate poverty, but I

believe that what are doing is particularly

effective. That is the principle reason thatI am still here after 20 years. More than

once I considered working for another or-

ganization, but the unique combination of

environmental, economic, and spiritual

impact has kept me at Plant With Purpose.

However, my feelings about our effective-

ness are not enough.

We need empirical data to show that we

are making positive environmental, eco-

nomic, and spiritual impacts on the com-

munities where we work. Technology is

making measurement of some of these

impacts easier. For example, we are now

using satellite imagery and an index called

NDVI to measure changes in forest cov-

er around our communities, and learning

that we are in fact having a positive influ-

ence on the forest. We have also measured

the resulting improvements in water qual-

ity. We are using outside evaluators and

a recognized index to measure the effec-

tiveness of our Village Savings and Loan

Association program, together with oth-

er indicators to measure increasing wealth

in communities. Crop yields and spiritu-

al growth are also being evaluated. Much

of this is done on an ongoing basis, but

every three years we do a more compre-hensive evaluation. We are currently in the

planning phase for our next triennial im-

pact evaluation, which will be conducted

this fall.

As we have measurements of our impacts,

we can continually improve our work, test-

ing various options and incorporating new

techniques. Over the past few years one of

the most exciting things has been seeing

our programs get more effective, bring-

ing about greater transformation for more

people, less expensively. That is a trend Iexpect to continue in the coming year. It is

also a commitment we make to all of our

supporters and beneficiaries: as excited as

we are about our work, we are not content

to remain where we are. We will keep get-

ting better.

Scott Sabin

Executive Director

THE SOWER ISSUE #103

Plant With Purpose, a Christian nonpro

organization, reverses deforestation an

poverty around the world by transform

ing the lives of the rural poor.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR:

Scott Sabin

[email protected]

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR:Doug Satre

[email protected]

MARKETING AND EVENTS:

Becky Rosaler

[email protected]

ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS TO HUMANITARIAN PROBLE

STAY CONNECTED:

4747 Morena Blvd. Suite 100

San Diego, CA 92117

Ph:800.633.5319Email: [email protected]

Web: plantwithpurpose.org

Tw: @PlantWPurpose

Fb: facebook.com/PlantWithPurpose

EMAIL [email protected]

TO LEARN HOW YOU CAN:

Share your Plant With Purpose story

Host an event

Become a Plant With Purpose advoca

Leave a Legacy. Please consider inclu

ing Plant With Purpose in your wills

and bequests. Contact Doug Satre:

[email protected].

copyright 2014 Plant With Purpose

DIRECTORS CORNER

A WOMAN FARMER

IN BURUNDI STANDS

IN HER NEWLY

PLANTED FIELD.


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WWW.PLANTWITHPURPOSE.ORG

BREAKING NEWS

PLANTING HOPE GALAOn October 11, 2014 we will celebrate

the 30th anniversary of Plant With

Purpose at Paradise Point Resort, San

Diego. Please save the date and join

us for this monumental evening.

SHARING PLANT WITH PURPOSEThis spring, we are launching an on-

line advocacy kit to help you share

Plant With Purpose with you circle of

influence! We encourage you to be

creative and take advantage of these

resources put together with you in

mind.

Visit plantwithpurpose.org/advocate.

Planting seeds. Preparing soil.Families around the world are

readying their gardens. The same

tilling of soil and sowing of seeds

is taking place in Tanzania under

the backdrop of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Although traditional Tanzanian staplecrops like corn and bananas keep children

fed, 42% still experience stunted growth

due to lack of nutrients. But family gar-

dens change this statistic. Spinach, kale,

tomatoes, and carrots provide essential

nutrients to improve family health. In-

corporating chickens, goats, and cows to

family gardens also adds protein to dietsand brings strength for tomorrow.

Lets help families in Tanzania plant 200

gardens this spring by raising $10,000

by April 30. Visit plantwithpurpose.org to

learn how $50 will help parents plant a

garden and grow healthy families.

SPRING CAMPAIGN:

FROM POVERTY TO PLENTYPLANT GARDENS TO GROW HEALTHY FAMILIES

EARTH DAYEarth Day is approaching, and we are

celebrating at Balboa Parks 25th annual

EarthFair on Sunday, April 27th. This com-

munity event is the worlds largest annual

environmental fair. Stop by and say hello

if you are in the San Diego area.

WEVE MOVED!Plant With Purpose has moveda couple of

blocks down Morena Blvd. Please take note of

the new address for correspondence and of-

fice visits:

4747 Morena Blvd. Suite 100

San Diego, CA 92117.

We look forward to hosting an open house

once were settled.

IMPACT CONFERENCEDo you need a little inspiration for

putting your faith to work? Join Ex-

ecutive Director Scott Sabin at West-

mont Colleges Impact Conference

taking place June 19-20, 2014. Visit

plantwithpurpose.org/events.

UPCOMING VISION TRIPSIf you havent visited one of Plant

With Purposes programs, wed love

for you to consider joining us. Con-

tact Doug Satre for more information:

[email protected].

Haiti:May 5-10, 2014

Burundi: May 4-11, 2014

Mexico: October 26-31, 2014


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Conversations around the table can lead to

insightful and inspired solutions. When you

add to that dynamic people from different

countries, backgrounds, and varying inter-

ests, innovative ideas are bound to emerge.

Plant With Purposes Tanzania program is

leading the way in innovation, a core value

of the organization. From utilizing radio

airways to promote sustainable farming, to

creating a group competition model that

motivates positive performance, Plant With

Purpose Tanzania is making huge strides in

raising awareness and increasing involve-

ment in all three central aspects of the pro-

gram: environmental, economic, and spiri-

tual. And these strides are changing lives as

families eat better, save more money, and

grow in their understanding of their Creator.

MOTIVATED BY COMPETITIONA few years ago, Richard Mhina, Plant

With Purpose Tanzanias country director,

held a round-table conversation with his

staff. There, they dreamt about improved

Village Savings and Loan Associations

(VSLA) performance, driven by positive

reinforcement and increased motivation.

The results of the discussion led to his

masters level thesis and its implementa-

tion in the field. For three years now, Plant

With Purpose Tanzania has conducted a

year-long VSLA group competition that

integrates key elements of the program.

At the beginning of 2013, leaders from

130 VSLA groups gathered to set rules,guidelines, and expectations for the up-

coming competition. Groups emphasized

better record-keeping as a competition

goal, including tracking attendance and

timely loan repayment. Each group was

to work toward establishing tree nurser-

ies, planting trees, and caring for their

watershed. The groups took into account

crop yields, use of compost, number of

raised garden beds, and integrating soil

conservation barriers in steep areas. Each

group was to involve local institutions by

providing Redemptive Agriculture sem-

inars and encouraging their participation

in tree-planting efforts.

What Plant With Purpose Tanzania has

learned is this: when you add some

healthy competition to the mix, the re-

sults can be astounding. Groups im-

proved their performance across the

board. In fact, tree-planting efforts were

so successful that local nurseries (in-

cluding tree nurseries established by the

VSLA groups) ran out of seedlings. Af

ter three years of competition, group

members properties are so saturated

with trees that planting now takes

place in common areas and in partner

ship with Kilimanjaro National Park.

On December 11, 2013, close to 4,000

participants ascended on the Siha Dis

trict to learn the results of the group

competition and attend the organic

agriculture festival. The Regional Com

missioner of Kilimanjaro presided ove

the ceremony, and expressed shock

over the turnout and competition suc

cess. Plant With Purpose Tanzania

shared with him that people were inter

nally motivated by the desire to hea

the land and its people.

In Mhinas thesis paper, he states tha

the main motivation behind group in

volvement is the desire to regenerate

TREE NURSERY AT THE BASE OF

MT. KILIMANJARO

PEOPLE WERE INTERNALLY

MOTIVATED BY THE DESIRE TO

HEAL THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE.

INNOVATION FUELS MOTIVATIONHOW THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX IS CREATING MOMENTUM IN TANZANIABY BECKY ROSALER,Marketing and Events Coordinator


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the natural environment. The communi-

ties in the Kilimanjaro region are eco-

nomically dependent on the natural envi-

ronment as tourists visit the area to climb

the famed mountain or visit the Serenge-

ti. Fred Kome, in his retirement, has tak-

en to planting trees on his property. Hestarted a nursery when local resources

couldnt meet his needs. My intention is

not just to create income generation, but

also to have a contribution in environ-

mental conservation since I need to play

role in Kilimanjaro restoration and bring

back the weather and the snow that I saw

over 50 years ago, he says.

UTILIZING NEW TOOLSBut how do we know that all of these

trees are surviving and in turn having the

desired impact of improving the land and

livelihoods? As these trees grow, we will

observe their success utilizing new tools.

In another burst of innovation, Technical

Director Robert Morikawa began moni-

toring the survival rate and success of

Plant With Purposes reforestation efforts

through use of the Normalized Difference

Vegetation Index (NDVI) via satellite im-

ages from NASA. His analysis has shown

that there has been an increase in veg-

etation coverage that specifically corre-

lates to Plant With Purpose partnering

communities. It takes 3-5 years for new-

ly planted seedlings to start appearing

on satellite images. With the dramatic

increase in the number of trees planted

over the past three years, we expect tosee an even more vivid difference in the

years to come.

Competition-based motivation, positive

reinforcement, and tracking changes in

vegetative coverage are just a few in-

novative steps toward solving the crisis

of poverty and environmental degra-

dation. Families around Tanzania want

to participate in Plant With Purpose

Tanzanias program after seeing the

results of this years competition. We

are excited to note that as people un-

derstand the role of trees in their im-

mediate sphere, they value them even

more. And as more people find value in

trees, the health of our global commu-

nity improves.

A link to Richard Mhinas thesis as well

as a more complete explanation of

NDVI and Plant With Purposes partner-

ing communities can be accessed at

plantwithpurpose.org/resources

THE WINNERS! THIS VSLA

GROUP WILL BE REWARDED

WITH A TROPHY AND ADDITIONAL

TRAINING OF THEIR CHOOSING.

Three years ago you would have

found Neema and her three daughters

living in a one-room mud hut with a

thatched roof. They worked as day la-

borers for basic needs. Neema shares,

With such a situation, it was hard to

develop.

When Neema joined a savings-and-

loan group, things shifted. She start-

ed to learn tools for saving money

and stewarding her resources. Whilein trainings, I realized that most of

the projects could fit me and in fact

I implemented all of them. I revived

my local chicken project. I also grow

and sell organic vegetables from my

raised garden beds. By taking out

loans, she has expanded her corn

business and doubled the income

from its production.

With all the interventions, I now run

my family in a smooth way including

paying for my childrens school fees. I

managed to build a three-room, mod-

ern house using burnt bricks and cor-

rugated iron sheets with electricity for

my family. I am able to pay all my bills

and contributions for my household

in the community without relying on

anyone else, shares Neema. Neema

encourages all community members

to participate in Plant With Purpose

programs and to enjoy this blessing

from God.

HELPING

FAMILIES

DEVELOP


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REDEMPTION

THROUGH TREESWalking through the Redwood

National Park in Northern California

was like being invited into a sacred

sanctuary. Light filtered through

branches, footsteps cushioned on

needles, and the air was clean and

intoxicating. My voice quieted in

reverence and I couldnt help buttread slowly, trying not to impose or

disrupt the redwoods worship.

As I followed the trail I stopped by a

cluster of trees that had survived a fire.

Periodically, sequoias have to undergo

wildfire to burn away vegetation around

them that is competing to absorb all the

mineral-rich soil and sunlight. Burning

away the life-threat is the only way to

cultivate growth and reproduction. The

trees were burned through their centers,

causing them to split open with blistering

wounds. I stepped inside the space that

had formed in one of their trunks and

pressed my hand against the rough flesh

of its inner walls. New layers of wood had

grown over the burns, sealing in the dark

scars underneath. The signs of struggle

had become part of its historyembed-

ded into its surfacebut new life had

pushed through to heal it. Nature is full of

cycles of birth, death, and renewal.

I dont think its a coincidence that Jesus

crucifixion began with killing a tree, the

very symbol of these cycles of birth and

rebirth in creation. Genesis begins with

the tree of knowledge of good and evil

whose fruit is the catalyst for separation

from God. How quickly death becomes

entangled in even the creation narrative.

Throughout the Bible trees are symbolsof peoples propensity towards life and

death, either bearing healthy fruit or be-

ing diseased and in need of pruning. The

book of Revelation ends with the image

of the tree of life whose leaves are for

the healing of the nations, naming our

deepest and final longing. Through trees

we see the tensions and hear the groans

of all creation, eagerly waiting to be lib-

erated from decay and brought into full-

ness of life in God.

It is through Jesus entering into the

groans of creation and binding himself

to death on a sacrificed tree, that all of

creation is raised to new life. Through

his death we receive the life-force that

relentlessly keeps creating, healing, and

beckoning all of creation to be made

whole in God. Richard Rohr says, The

glory, patience, and humility of God is

that God creates things that continue to

create themselvesfrom the inner dy-

namism God has planted within them.

God has created us with the ability to

keep growing, reforming, and reaching

for life. Where there is the propensity

towards death, life is stronger.

Easter reminds us that death is a neces

sary part of the life cycle, but it is no

the end of the story. It reminds us othe maddening paradox that we have

to die to be reborn, be stripped of the

old to make way for the new, and sur

render to gain. It tells us that life pushe

through death, and pain leads to heal

ing. Even the most burned, diseased

and decrepit trees can be reborn, sur

prising us with the potential for new life

they still carry.

With the arrival of Easter, may we ente

into our own sacred spaces with rev

erence, declaring that through Jesus

death nothing can separate us from the

love of God. The old has passed away

and we are new creationscomplete

with our scars and histories that spea

to a force of life that always makes a

way through.

(Revelation 22:2, Genesis 2:17, Roman

8:18-22, Romans 8:38-39, 2 Corinthian

5:17, Isaiah 43:18-19)

BY CHRISTINA MILLER

PINE FOREST IN HAITI


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VILLAGE SPOTLIGHT:GWOMA, HAITI

WORKINGTOGETHERTO REFOREST

BURUNDIFARMERS PLANT THE STEEP HILLSIDES OF HAITI

Antoine Aristils farm in Gwoma, Haiti

is so steep you have to posess the agil-

ity of a cat to walk across it. Its sharp in-

cline makes a days work nebulous and

challenging. Some people have even

lost their balance and toppled down the

field while trying to complete their tasks.

Whats worse is that deforestation has

caused soil erosion, making the land un-

productive, degraded, and barren. The

risk factors dont always seem worth

the benefits, but Antoine and his fam-

ily are left with little choice but to farm

their land since other resources are scarce.

Things changed dramatically when An-

toines wife urged him to partner with Plant

With Purpose. He learned how to create liv-

ing barriers made up of rows of grasses and

root systems that lock soil in place. This pre-

vents mudslides and protects against fur-

ther erosion. These barriers have not only

restored safety, but have helped produce

healthier more sustainable crops.

In Haiti, six out of ten people live in rural ar-

eas and two-thirds of rural families depend

on agriculture for their survival. While agri-

culture is many peoples livelihood, 88 per-

cent of rural families live in poverty and

survive off $1.25 or less a day. Plant With Pur-

pose is working alongside these rural fami-

lies to equip them with sustainable farming

practices. Like Antoine, this includes soil im-

provement, agroforestry systems, and crop

improvement. It also means training in re-

forestation, organic composting, and veteri-

nary care. All of these elements work hand-

in-hand with providing income to families,

better nutrition, keeping children in school,

and educating future generations on ways to

care for creation. With the right training and

tools, farmers are literally leveling out their

land, and the economic disparities within it.

The Nyakazu Watershed in Burundi

has been a protected area since 1980

and is a region of great natural beau-

ty. Waterfalls and a river carve out a

deep gorge with caves and crevasses

to explore. It is home to mammals,

birds, and many native plant species.

In January, government representa-

tives, Plant With Purpose Burundi and

U.S. staff, and 400 local people joined

together to plant a few thousand trees

at the rim of the gorge to take back

poorly managed land bordering the

Nyakazu Watershed. Through the cer-

emony and tree planting activity, the

group embraced a collective vision to

be good stewards of this piece of Cre-

ation. Thanks to this vision, the future

of the Nyakazu Watershed is hopeful.

It is not only the watershed that

we hope to see restored. In a coun-

try healing from so many recent

wounds, relationships are also being

restoredrelationships with people,

with their land, and with the Lord.

Join is as we pray for the country of

Burundi and as Plant With Purpose

continues to empower individuals to

form better tomorrows.

BECAUSE OF PLANT

WITH PURPOSE,

YONS DREAM OF A

BETTER LIFE FOR

HIS CHILDREN IS IN

REACH. HIS DIVERSEGARDEN, SAVINGS,

AND PUTTING DOWN

ROOTS IS MAKING ALL

THE DIFFERENCE.

BY CHRISTINA MILLER


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Plant With Purpose

4747 Morena Blvd. Suite 100San Diego, CA 92117

Ph: 800.633.5319

Email: [email protected]

Web: plantwithpurpose.org

NON-PROFIT ORG

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

PERMIT 751

SAN DIEGO CA

TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF THE RURAL POOR

We use soy-based ink and 80# environment text

with 80% post-consumer fiber. FSC certified.

SPRING CAMPAIGN:

POVERTY TO PLENTY

This spring, help us to plant

200 gardens in Tanzania.

Details on page 3.

WOMEN IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC LEARN

TO READ AT IGLESIA ASAMBLEA DE DIOS.

TOOLS AND TRAININGS ARE

CHANGING TOMORROWS

FOR COMMUNITIES

AROUND THE WORLD.

2014 spring sower

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