OUAGA ECHO CONFERENCE ATTENDED BY CEFA's DIRECTOR

CEFA's director Benoit Zangao just got back from his trip to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso where he attended a 4 day ECHO Conference. He learned a lot from the many different sessions varying from learning how to create biogas from animal manures to the many benefits of the Moringa tree. He also finally got to meet some of the ECHO staff. In particular, pictured with Benoit is former missionary to the agroforestry program at Gamboula, Tim Watkins, who was happy to see Benoit in the flesh for the first time. Benoit not only learned quite a bit from the conference, but he made new friends, contacts where more new ideas and experiences can be exchanged. He spent a grueling two days and two nights with no sleep in his return home, but I am particularly glad to have him back!

ROY REUNITED WITH CEFA AND BENOIT

After spending the past year in the US, Roy has returned to service in Central Africa to join Benoit in working with the CEFA program. Roy visited many churches and FRB farmers during his last home assignment with the Covenant church and had a great time being with family and friends. He and Aleta arrived Gamboula on the 26th of May to the absolute delight of Benoit who did a very good job of not only holding the fort down practically on his own, but went beyond the call of duty introducing new crops and starting up more than 10 new cooperatives! Also, though only back a couple of weeks, there have been many visitors that have come to the station and are interested in learning about CEFA, but more on that later! CEFA is alive and well it is hoped that this blog will be communicating updates on a more frequent basis. Thanks to all who look in on CEFA's happenings.

CEFA IS NOW REGISTERED IN THE USA

As of April 24, 2012, CEFA is now a registered Not-for-Profit corporation within the State of Illinois! This is a start to the process of establishing CEFA Foundation, Inc. in the US as a 501C3 so that donations can be accepted with a tax-free status. The other purpose for creating CEFA, Inc. is to have a Board of Directors that is behind all of CEFA's activities and vision in Africa, to actively seek donor sources and ministry partners. Currently, the by-laws are being put together and the form for the 501C3 status is being filled out. CEFA CAR will be putting together an agreement to be signed by both CEFA organizations, but that will not take place until their next Board meeting, hopefully sometime during the summer. Thanks to the CEFA Inc. Board for their input and a special thanks for the voluntary services of Stephen Fingal, CEFA, Inc.'s lawyer and Roy's long-time friend, for all his time and effort in making this all possible. Roy and Aleta are finishing up their year in the US and return to CAR May 21st!

SESAME SEED AN IMPORTANT COMODITY

Nadege,
CEFA’s female village facilitator and supervisor of the CEFA nutrition garden program, is cleaning sesame seed in prepararion for storage. Sesame is harvest
during the dry season and planted in the second half of the rainy season in
August.

Sesame Crop soon to be with CEFA Coops

This woman is part of a women’s group hired by CEFA this winter to harvest it’s sesame crop. The sesame seeds will be passed on to farming cooperatives working with CEFA who would like to try and grow improved varieties of crops, including sesame. Sesame seeds, though tiny, are an important source of protein in the local diet and, when sold on the market, an important source of income. This woman, Bertine, is not only working at CEFA to earn some income for her family, she is also learning new practices that she can implement on her own farm.

NEW PHOTOS just in from CEFA

Visitors from FRB and CWR at a Fulani Garden

 

In mid-January, CEFA was honored with guests from the Foods Resource Bank (FRB and Covenant World Relief (CWR). They spent several days going to villages where agricultural cooperatives were putting to practice new methods of raising beans, vegetables, and fruit trees. This particular garden will soon have an abundant harvest of highly nutritious foods - very crucial to fighting malnutrition and hunger. Thanks to this crew of visitors, the blog will be supplied with new photos and stories that will keep bloggers updated and excited!

 

The CEFA sign directed the visitors to CEFA's three locations

The CEFA sign directs its guests to three particular locations: one to the main office and Garden of Eden; another to the model or demonstration farm; and the last to the main ag center where most of the experiments and training takes place. The CEFA center is still under construction and is still establishing new experiments for training. However, CEFA's fourth and largest area of work - out in the villages - is where true success lies as people are transformed with healthier lives based on God's love for all people to have an abundant life.