This is a poem that we hear a lot from Robert. It’s a reminder to stay the course, keep on track, run the marathon, and be inspired to persevere. We were reminded this week in our team meeting that feeling overhwhelmed is a common occurrence when one is not satisfied with the status quo. When we continually push ourselves for greater results, fight for justice and truth, and in the process question if the goal is attainable, this is our reminder that the good will come.
“Stick To the Task Til It Sticks to You” (unknown author)
Stick to your task till it sticks to you;
Beginners are many, but enders are few.
Honour, power, place, and praise
Will come, in time, to the one who stays.
Stick to your task till it stick to you;
Bend at it, sweat at it, smile at it too;
For out of the bend and the sweat and the smile
Will come life’s victories, after awhile.
TIFIE TO PIONEER AGRICULTURE PROGRAM IN CONGO
(DUMI PLATEAU, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO – March 20, 2012) TIFIE Humanitarian, a Utah-based international charity, has received a grant from DAI (Development Alternatives, Inc.) and USAID to promote an extensive seed-to-market agriculture program in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The $39,000 grant to TIFIE will be used to plant and distribute 32.5 hectares of virus resistant cassava in the Dumi Plateau, a village outclave 140 kilometers east of the capital city of Kinshasa. DAI is utilizing TIFIE’s expertise in agriculture to plant, grow, and harvest this new strain of cassava (anti-Mosaique virus) and distribute it to the local villages.
TIFIE will then teach the villages how to farm cassava and acacia trees in a rotational schedule. After the villages harvest the cassava, TIFIE will purchase the cassava, transform it, add nutrients and then transport the product to the market and sell it, returning profits to the farm for future growth.
The goal of the program is building economies in rural areas through agriculture. TIFIE had the model DAI was looking for. Through its established agriculture programs at its Farm in Dumi, TIFIE had existing community relations, experience training villagers on agriculture work, transportation, and had market presence to sell the product.
“TIFIE Humanitarian is the first organization we have found that has experience in all levels of the “seed to market” model,” said Paul Delucco of DAI. “We see this as a long term partnership and will work with TIFIE to find water solutions and other projects in the DRC in the future.”
For the past three years TIFIE Training Center has offered agriculture programs focused on helping villagers improve food availability, food security, and increase economic stability with sustainable agricultural practices. TIFIE provides technical assistance to farmers in agro forestry and seed multiplication. The programs encourage changes to cropping patterns, reforestation and diversify of harvests that can enhance economic livelihoods.
TIFIE is currently working to improve food production and climate mitigation by forming voluntary farming associations where members plant and sell cassava for profit. To date, some regions have returned to original levels of cassava production. At any given time TIFIE’s farm in Dumi can easily employ up to 200 people.
“This is an ideal partnership for TIFIE because we have the expertise and have been doing this type of program for three years,” said Robert Workman, founder and CEO of TIFIE Humanitarian. “We are pleased that both our vision and DAI’s vision are aligned.”
DAI has been in the DRC for many years and is a consulting firm based in Washington DC which implements USAID funded projects around the world. DAI focuses on fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governments, and instability. DAI brings together fresh combinations of expertise and innovation across multiple disciplines—crisis mitigation and stability operations, democratic governance and public sector management, agriculture and agribusiness, water and natural resources management, and energy and climate change. Visit: www.dai.com.
TIFIE Humanitarian is pioneering a new approach to charitable efforts in West Africa by establishing thriving agricultural development farms, medical initiatives, business entities, and successful distribution, transportation and construction services in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. For more information: www.tifie.org
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
In many villages of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, smallholder farmers rely on subsistence farming to meet basic nutritional needs. Farmers are discouraged from
planting cash crops because of their inability to warehouse, protect, and transport their crops making it difficult to generate an income worth their time and effort.
Many farmers utilize agricultural practices that deplete soil nutrients, increase desertification, negatively impact water conservation efforts and otherwise make the land incapable of supporting crops in consecutive seasons. In addition, due to frequent droughts, poor harvests and a lack of technical expertise, the quality of agricultural seeds has declined over the years.
TIFIE Humanitarian’s efforts at providing employment and sustenance through agriculture are based on the complex growth and production cycle of cassava. It is a staple food for many people in Africa because not only is it highly nutritious, but it is also a plant that lends itself well to agriculture in regions with poor soil and little rain. TIFIE has managed to develop a production cycle that only allows for regular high-yield production
of cassava, but incorporates the planting and growing of acacia trees as well. Deforestation is an increasingly severe problem in the Congo, which makes it no small feat that TIFIE has managed to find a cassava production technique that involves planting a quarter of a million trees each year.
The production method is by no means a simple one, as it has been developed to be not only highly efficient, but highly profitable as well. From taking the time to plow over the weeds instead of burning them so as not to disrupt the local wildlife, to planting acacia trees next to every cassava plant so that each field can be producing two crops at the same time. The acacia trees not only allow the farmers to avoid mistaking the cassava plants for
weeds during the year it takes them to grow to maturity, but the trees themselves can be harvested every five years to be made into charcoal. Which means that even during the three years required for the nutrients to return to the soil after two successive years of cassava harvests, the fields will not be left sitting empty and idle. Without the acacia trees and the benefits they add to the soil, it would take seven years for a field to recover and restore itself after each harvest of cassava.
The cycle of growth and harvest of both cassava and acacia trees makes it possible to develop a cycle of work spread over multiple fields and areas so that even when one particular field is idle and recovering, there are others available to provide crops and
employment for TIFIE’s employees and the surrounding community members.
TIFIE has moved! Our new address is:
675 West 146000 South
Bluffdale, UT 84065
The great news is that we’re just down the hill from our old address in Bluffdale.
TIFIE’s core value is teaching independence through enterprise opportunities. Serge Tshibangu is a prime example of how the training and opportunities that TIFIE provides can give an individual and his family true independence. Serge has been working at the TIFIE farm in Dumi for over 18 months and has proven that he hasthe drive and ambition to create a better life for himself and his family. Before moving to Dumi, Serge and his wife Kito lived in Kinshasa with their two children, Jasmine and Ivory.
Serge is currently working at TIFIE Farm as the agronomist, strategizing and implementing best practices for agriculture and animal husbandry. Moving from the city to the farm was a huge change for him and his family, as life in the city included modern conveniences such as running water and flushing toilets, while life on the farm is much more simple. Thanks to GOAL ZERO however, Serge can fully power batteries and lights out on the farm. Serge has taken this opportunity to create his own business of producing and selling charcoal as well as selling Goal ZERO products to nearby villagers. In Congo, charcoal is the only heat source for cooking. Most villagers make charcoal and sell to create an income stream, and with the help of TIFIE, Serge has been able to product additional income for him and his family by selling the charcoal in Kinshasa.
With the profits, Serge has been able to purchase 2 hectors of land near the TIFIE farm, where they are planning on building a large home using TIFIE bricks. This is a huge step for them to be able to own their own property and to raise their children in
a clean and safe environment. While I was in DRC, I had the privilege to meet and get to know Serge and his family. It was so exciting to see someone that is making good choices in order to make a change in his life. Serge embodies the TIFIE principals of empowering individuals to see lasting change in their life.
Missy Workman
In our first charity golf tournament, TIFIE was grateful to raise over $50,000 this past Monday, thanks to our friends over at Knox Capital. Over 130 golfers spent a beautiful day at the Thanksgiving Point Golf Course, raising dollars specifically for a Light A Village project in the Bwe Village of Congo.
The Light A Village project provides a solar power hub for remote villages, using GOAL ZERO equipment and manpower from local villagers. Locals are trained in installation and upkeep, as well as contributing themselves to the costs of the project. Cash, barter and work exchange are all means of payment. We’re placing the solar order this week and will keep you updated on the progress of installation in Bwe!
Check out this awesome video that M4 put together for us that beautifully captures the importance of light and the change it can affect.
TIFIE Humanitarian’s efforts at providing employment and sustenance through agriculture are based on the complex growth and production cycle of cassava. Cassava is not a plant that many westerners are familiar with. Although it is native to Brazil, more cassava is grown in Africa than in any other region of the world. It is a staple food for many people in Africa because not only is it highly nutritious, but it is also a plant that lends itself well to agriculture in regions with poor soil and little rain. TIFIE has managed to develop a production cycle that only allows for regular high-yield production of cassava, but incorporates the planting and growing of acacia trees as well. Deforestation is an increasingly severe problem in the Congo, which makes it no small feat that TIFIE has managed to find a cassava production technique that involves planting a quarter of a million trees each year.
The production method is by no means a simple one, as it has been developed to be not only highly efficient, but highly profitable as well. Each step has been carefully thought through so as to provide the highest possible levels of output without harming or negatively affecting the surrounding environment and community. From taking the time to plow over the weeds instead of burning them so as not to disrupt the local wildlife, to planting acacia trees next to every cassava plant so that each field can be producing two crops at the same time. The acacia trees not only allow the farmers to avoid mistaking the cassava plants for weeds during the year it takes them to grow to maturity, but the trees themselves can be harvested every five years to be made into charcoal. Which means that even during the three years required for the nutrients to return to the soil after two successive years of cassava harvests, the fields will not be left sitting empty and idle. Without the acacia trees and the benefits they add to the soil, it would take seven years for a field to recover and restore itself after each harvest of cassava.
The cycle of growth and harvest of both cassava and acacia trees makes it possible to develop a cycle of work spread over multiple fields and areas so that even when one particular field is idle and recovering, there are others available to provide crops and employment for TIFIE’s employees and the surrounding community members. At any given time TIFIE’s farm in Dumi can easily employ up to 200 people. This combination of farming and agri-forestry provides sustainable employment to Congolese people from eight different villages, as well as providing them with agricultural training that they will be able to use for the rest of their lives.
Hervé is a young man from the TIFIE Youth Center whose dream has been to drive trucks and work with machinery. TIFIE enrolled Hervé in a certification program and provided an internship experience for him to become a certified equipment driver. Hervé has been working at the Dumi Farm, alongside TIFIE employees, to gain practical work experience. We are proud to announce that he’s graduated with his certificate last week, with much celebration and fanfare! Way to go Hervé !
You might notice that Hervé is wearing a TIFIE work coat that belongs to Kams, one of our most hard-working employees at TIFIE. Kams is our block manufacturing manager at TIFIE and has worked with us for over two years. Kams took Hervé as a protégé and has been an excellent role model to him. TIFIE has provided an opportunity for Kams to be sustainable and provide for himself and his family through his management position in the construction business. Kams is now teaching Hervé the skills he needs to provide for himself with a useful skill. TIFIE is coming full circle – Teaching Individuals and Families Independence through Enterprise.
As an organization TIFIE strives to help individuals grow and become independent, and then help others around them to do the same. The youth at TIFIE’s orphanage in the Congo are an excellent example of this goal and its accomplishment. These children came to the orphanage after years of living in fear and uncertainty, not knowing when they would get their next meal or where they would sleep. But now that they have a safe, clean home where they are surrounded by supportive and caring people who make sure all of their needs are met, they have chosen to serve other youths in their community who still need a helping hand. TIFIE’s orphanage is unique in it’s newly remodeled, solar powered facilities, and its ability to supply all of the children with education and training, as well an new clothes and wholesome food.
Karine Kayowa, the orphanage’s director, recently organized a trip for the youth to another local orphanage, one with less funding and support, and over 100 children. TIFIE’s youth brought food, clothing, and other much needed items on their trip to the orphanage. They are excited and grateful that they have been able to progress so far in their lives that they are able to not only learn the skills they’ll need to provide for themselves, but also learn the compassion and empathy to help the people around them.
My name is Karine Kayowa. I joined TIFIE Humanitarian on September 07, 2009 as the administrative assistant, and in January 2011 I became the director of the TIFIE Youth Center. I’m married to Eddy Malumba and we have 3 children, Pearl, Diamond, and our new baby arrived 8 months ago.
First Impressions
I’ve always been concerned about working hard and developing myself within an organization, which has helped me find my place in TIFIE. My integration into the team organization was fast; I found the people very easy to work with and the tasks easy to understand. Because of this I expanded my responsibilities quickly from administrative assistant in the office to initiating and maintaining relationships with international organizations and NGO’s working in the DRC. My objective was to increase TIFIE’s opportunities for business, and to increase its output. In January of 2011 I was asked to take over the responsibilities of the TIFIE Youth Center and focus on developing their education, social growth, physical well-being, and security. Since then we have seen better health, improved grades, a newly remodeled Youth Center, solar power added to the center, and involvement in the community on the part of our youth. This progress has been a great joy for me to watch.
Hopes and Progress
I wish that all of the children of the world would get the opportunity to succeed and become someone good in life with as much fervor as I wish it for my own children, which is why I support TIFIE in its work at the Youth Center as it tries to make that dream a reality. Another improvement I have been excited to see progressing is the addition of more women to the staff here at TIFIE. It has been very exciting to see Robert and Ryan help bring well-qualified women into more leadership positions within the organization.
Thanks to Robert Workman, and all the personnel of TIFIE and Jamaa that manage with great concern the improvement of our poor daily living. I love their dealing with us like their family. This is team work and shows great heart from my point of view.
God bless you!
Karine
Training for FCP
Jamaa Construction, the construction business arm of TIFIE in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been invited to train the members of the German NGO known as the Fund for the Consolidation of Peace (FCP). FCP is preparing to build or rehabilitate 2 large schools, 4 administration offices, and 4 large latrines, in and around Kindu, one of the most impoverished areas of the DRC (see the map below). Because of the experience that Jamaa Construction has in developing cheaper, higher quality bricks, FCP has asked them to instruct their workers on the best way to manufacture their unique and affordable interlocking bricks. Jamaa Construction’s block manufacturing engineer Pierre Kigoma or “Kams” 
will be traveling to Kindu in order to personally instruct the local members of FCP on the right mix of materials and the correct curing and sealing process of the bricks. Kigoma has been working with our organization for over two years, first with TIFIE itself and then when the local Congolese people were ready to take over he went with them and helped form Jamaa construction. He and Jamaa Construction’s lateest
projects are great examples of what TIFIE is all about. TIFIE helped provide the knowledge and training to start Jamaa Construction, and now Jamaa Construction and its workers are able to make a living for themselves by not only building for their community, but passing on their knowledge and training to others within their community. TIFIE was able to help create jobs, foster knowledge, and provide services to the local community, through Jamaa Construction.