Planting Hope

why it's important:

Every year 15 million children die of hunger; in the Western world, we have more than enough to feed them. The actions we can take to make World Hunger a thing of the past are simple.

the plan of action:

I got the idea for this project when I was visiting cancer-stricken relatives in rural china. I realized that there was a lack of affordable anti-cancer medications so I decided to look for an affordable and readily available anti-cancer treatment. That’s when I stumbled upon a plant called Zizyphus mauritiana var. gola (Z. gola). It’s is a unique, drought-tolerant plant that is able to survive in the poor soils of China and other developing nations. I was also able to prove that it has anti-cancer properties. Burkina Faso has high rates of HIV/AIDS and the antiretroviral treatments require that the patient maintain a balanced diet rich in energy, protein and micronutrients; Z. gola contains many micronutrients and provides energy. There have been many reports that high doses of vitamin C may help fight HIV/AIDS. Since the fruit contains over ten times more vitamin C than most citrus fruits, it is a perfect candidate. Ziziphus Mauritiana has already been established in Burkina Faso and is one of the favourite crops according to the study “Establishing jujube trees in sub-Saharan Africa: response of introduced and local cultivars to rock phosphate and water supply in Burkina Faso, West Africa” by OUEDRAOGO S. J. (Agroforestry systems 68, (2006): 69-80). However, the study sought to identify another variety of Ziziphus Mauritiana that would yield larger fruits that would be more profitable and nutritious; that variety was found to be Z. gola. In terms of income generation, Z. gola showed the highest potential after two fruiting seasons with a net revenue of F CFA 2,526,915 (5,412.03 USD) per hectare. We will be working with an organization in Burkina Faso, "Association des Communautés en Action, ACEA." They will receive seeds from us and give them to people who are interested in growing them. We will also provide them with the funds to purchase tools such as buckets and shovels from local organizations. We will also be raising awareness about World Hunger through many of our fundraisers such as movie nights that will feature World Hunger/Poverty-related documentaries and "Hunger Dinners" which mimic the distribution of food in the world, with some eating very well and most not eating very well at all.

how you can get involved: