B1: 2009 Advance Projects
The projects highlighted on this page represent some of the organizations and communities empowering our poor sisters and brothers that youth can support through B1, a 24-hour fasting event:
Sustainable Agriculture & Development - Global
The sustainable agriculture program provides training to poor small-scale farmers through Farmer Field Schools, training the trainers, and farmer-to-farmer exchange programs that teach techniques and the importance of farming that is environmentally and economically sustainable. Workshops in snail farming, mushroom farming, and bee keeping offer the farmers a variety of agricultural opportunities.
Give Ye Them To Eat - Mexico
Founded in 1977 as a social outreach project of the Methodist Church in Mexico, Give Ye Them To Eat (GYTTE) serves marginalized families in the rural sector of South Central Mexico. Through trainings in the areas of health, farming, and teaching, GYTTE provides communities with the skills needed for positive community development. Each year, ten families are trained in livestock care and production; at the end of the training the families receive an animal from the GYTTE herd.
CEREIMI - Chile
Since 1990, CEREIMI has opened its doors to children from the area with economic and emotional needs. For the 50 children who attend, CEREIMI provides a nutritious meal, medical attention and help with schoolwork. In a town of high social vulnerability, including exposure to high rates of drug and alcohol abuse, CEREIMI is like a tree, offering shelter, protection, and a place to be reminded of who they are, and where they know they belong.
Society of St. Andrew Potato Project - United States of America
Since 1979, the Society of St. Andrew's Potato Project has worked with major potato growers and potato chip companies to save rejected loads of potatoes to feed the hungry across the United States for the cost of packaging and freight (approximately two pennies per serving). Fresh produce is also gleaned from fields by volunteers. Annually, approximately 15 million pounds of produce are provided through the Potato Project.
Combating Hunger and Malnutrition - Ghana
In 2008 the Combating Hunger and Malnutrition project received a grant from the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) to start a moringa plant farm in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Moringa leaves are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and protein. Ashanti women work on the farm to strengthen their community through incorporating moringa leaves into the children's school lunches. In addition to their nutritional benefits, the moringa leaves are also used to purify water and treat cuts.
Haitian Creole Pig Project - Haiti
The Haitian Creole Pig Project is improving health and economics through the reintroduction of the Creole pig. The Creole pig is known as the "peasant's savings account." In 1988 the forced extermination of the pigs left many farmers emotionally and economically devastated. Each year, the Haitian Creole Pig Project provides 177 pigs to farmers, and 40 percent of those pigs are given to women's groups. Through a six-day training session, participants will gain skills in veterinary care for pigs and piglets, and in rearing and fattening the pigs.
Explore even more Advance projects that empower our poor sisters and brothers.
