Market for soya beans
RABEMAR (Research and Action for the Well-being of the Rural People) has initiated a project to promote the cultivation of soya beans instead of cotton which has damaging effects on the environment. However we are faced today with a lack of markets for the soya. Our groups produce more than 100 tons of soya beans per year. We are looking for partners either to export the soya beans, or to establish a soya oil press. Any partner able to help us reach our aims would be welcome.
Lucien E Akpinfa, Rabemar, BP 46, Glazoue, Benin Republic.
Advice for smokers
I would like to share with other readers this method of giving up smoking, having experienced it myself in South Africa. Take some seeds of Ricinus (castor oil plant) and grind them up. Then leave them for two or three days in the sun. Mix them with tobacco, and then take two or three puffs of it. It makes such an awful smell, that you will never consider smoking again! This is a typical traditional way of dealing with smoking, and I hope it will help those brothers and sisters in Christ who are addicted to smoking and who cannot give it up!
Quenan Crispo, So Said – So Done, Box No 99, Lichinga, Niassa, Mozambique.
Generating income for health clinics
I find your newsletter rich in informative and useful articles. Here are a few ideas for raising income for health clinics:
- Use only quality drugs so that patients will have trust in the treatment.
- Develop a specialised service for example in eye care or providing laboratory services.
- Avoid unnecessary administrators.
- Set up ventures such as canteens, bike repair services or small business centres with telephones and photocopiers.
- Produce small brochures or newsletters to share information about the activities of the health clinic. This may sometimes move a kindly spirited individual to assist the clinic.
Musa Goyol, Mangu Leprosy and Rehabilitation Centre, Church of Christ in Nigeria, PMB 2127, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria.
Rice banks
A MAJOR PROBLEM for our region is that of drought each year between January and June. The region produces enough rice – the main food – to last the year but unfortunately, because of their need for cash, people sell much of what they produce to buy goods and to pay school fees. This means that there is then a period of hunger each year. I plan to establish a rice bank in order to build up a stock of rice which will be available during the time of annual hunger. Rice will be made available as a loan which will then be paid back during harvest time. I would like to receive ideas and advice from readers who have experience with this sort of project.
M Abale A Lucien, BP 36, Niambézaria, S/P de Lakota, Ivory Coast.
AIDS testing
I work as a social worker with a concern for sexual health education in the AIDS Information Centre. We provide teaching about AIDS and carry out tests to check if people have either AIDS or any other sexually transmitted disease. We used to do this free of charge. However, we found that when we began charging a small fee for these tests, many more people began using them. This is because when somebody pays for something, they value it more. Since 1990 we have tested 350,000 people and set up clubs all over Uganda.
Turyatemba B Eddy, Mengo Institute of Technology, PO Box 14060, Kampala, Uganda.
Save the planet!
Formed long ago from craters and volcanoes, over millions of years our planet became covered in greenery and water. But if we ‘waste’ the fertile covering through our unreasonable economic activities, our planet will once again be without life.
Nohoune Leye, Senegal.
Harvest for health
The most popular way of running clinics with villagers here in Afghanistan is ohshur, meaning one out of ten. Villagers give a tenth of their harvest to the clinic every year. In return for this donation, all health treatment for their whole family will be free until the next harvest time.
This system was started in Bambai in Wardok province two years ago. Now there are many successful clinics in this province. This donation of crops is affordable by the farmers and covers all the expenses of primary healthcare services.
Abdul Hafiz Ahmadi, Kabul Medical Institute, H No232, Str 44, D2, Phase I, Hayat Abad, Peshawar, Pakistan.
AIDS education project
Our organisation initiated a project called ‘Everyone against AIDS’. This consists of a tour to raise awareness in the towns and villages of Togo. Since it began in December 1997, we have already been to several colleges in Lomé and the surrounding towns, raising the awareness of young people to oppose AIDS and HIV. Debates have attracted as many as 900 people! The project is now facing some material and financial difficulties. We would welcome support from anybody wanting to help the project reach its aim.
Amouzouvi E Blewoussi, Association Brimax, BP 13182, Lomé, Togo.