Christalis Home is typical of many orphanages that provide a wonderful home for kids yet have so many pressing needs. Over 7 weeks, GlobalRise is focusing on implementation of food systems (farming and nutrition) for their orphans.
In our first project, we will build sustainable systems that improve nutrition- increasing food diversity, improving the kitchen, food storage areas, sanitation and much more.
We invite you to follow our progress! We’ll be posting everything here.
Week 1:
Clean Food Storage Room, Tool Shed and Buy Supplies
Success Metrics
Agri Metric #1: Begin design of Biogas Digester and clean and organize farm shed
Nutri Metric #1: Clean, well-organized storage rooms with minimum food spoilage
The food storage room at Christalis Home was transformed by applying simple changes — clean shelves, placing food in containers – will promote food quality and significantly reduces costs due to spoilage. The room was also secured against rodents that bring diseases that threaten children’s health.
A large shed on the property was cleaned and organized to store farm tools that were purchased and other gardening items as we plan a small garden with a much wider variety of vegetables to balance the diets of children.
The kitchen used a mortar to pound peanuts to prepare meals, taking over 1 hour. A corn grinder dramatically improved food preparation, reducing the time to 10 minutes.
Week 2:
Implement Chimney, Nutrition Training for Kids, Start Garden
Success Metrics
Nutri Metric:
1. Begin re-design of kitchen to remove smoke and improve working environment.
2. Beginning of educational classes for children using nutrition principles.
3. Data collection of the nutritional status of the children.
Agri Metric:
1. Preparation of the land to start planting.
Our nutritionist organized a class where the children created their own workbooks which will be used for nutritional training. They were so excited!
Work began to improve the conditions of the kitchen emphasizing removal of smoke.
Week 3:
Sanitation Education & Training, Completion of “Digester”
Success Metrics
Agri Metrics:
1. “Digester” is built and creating gas
2. Garbage pit is prepared with “banana circle”
Nutri Metrics:
1. Staff and children trained on how to appropriately dispose of garbage
2. Ongoing nutritional classes teaching children to appreciate new foods that are nutritious
Week 4:
Kitchen Renovation, Enhance Seedling Starts for Garden
Success Metrics
Nutri Metrics:
1. Oversee construction changes for kitchen, including removal of large hood over stove and completion of large windows to markedly improve air circulation.
2. Continue nutrition education for the children and reinforce earlier concepts of food groups and appropriate ways to dispose of garbage.
3. Implement new responsibilities for kitchen staff with orphanage management.
Agri Metrics:
1. Implement gas collection unit for the biogas digester.
2. Ensure seedlings/starts are germinating on schedule.
Work began on a major kitchen renovation removing windows and part of the roof to generate air circulation and light. These changes will permanently transform the kitchen into a safe place to cook.
Children receive specialized education with needs-specific materials created by the GlobalRise Nutritionist.
As the GlobalRise farm expert builds the gas collection unit for the biogas digester, the children learn the principles of how it works.
A canopy is constructed with corn stalks to protect the seedlings from the midday African sun.
Week 5:
Kitchen Project Completion and Staff Training
Success Metrics
Nutri Metrics:
Kitchen restoration completed with positive test for smoke removal
Agri Metrics:
Implement local training partnership with organic farming NGO
Fireplaces were re-constructed to optimize wood burning efficiency.
The chimney had to be completely rebuilt to fully capture and remove smoke.
The color of food reveals the nutrients that it has (i.e., yellow is Vitamin A).
To learn this lesson the children played with fruits and created a rainbow in their plate!
Week 6:
Hand hygiene for kids and training local farmers
Success Metrics
Nutri Metrics:
Train the children how to wash their hands and lead them through a practice
Agri Metrics:
Complete training for farmers in the community
Week 7:
Kid’s Hygiene Graduation
Our last week for this phase was a bit emotional. We have become new “aunts and uncles” for the kids and have made great friends in the community that will help us to develop our program.
We left with a goodbye cake made by a local business woman! We have a good idea of what to do next in Kasese to bring better nutrition and economic growth to the poorest of the poor. The community leadership has embraced us! The Mayor wrote a letter of commendation to GlobalRise and the local leadership offered GlobalRise a new regional headquarters for nutrition training, improving farmers’ skills and more. In addition, over 100 acres have been offered to GlobalRise to implement our new business model.
