When Sharing Hope Preschool opened in 2013, it had one classroom, employed two teachers, and provided food and education for eighteen students. Now, with the expansion of our staff and the addition of two more classrooms, Sharing Hope Preschool serves a hundred students annually and remains an integral part of our mission to educate, equip, and empower the communities we serve in Mozambique and Eswatini. Sharing Hope Preschool provides food, education, medical care, and support for our students in Licilo and employment opportunities for teachers and staff in the communities. Additionally, the well on the preschool grounds provides our Mozambabies with access to clean water. 

Our gardening plot in Licilo has served as a crucial source of food for our students and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time of increased food scarcity and inaccessibility. The school’s proximity to the gardening plot provides educational opportunities and facilitates the incorporation of nutrient-rich, sustainably produced food into our students’ diet. Our students receive an education of basic agricultural principles that they will continue to develop so that one day they may utilize the skills they have acquired through our education programs to continue to work toward ending the cycle of social and economic hardship through sustainable agricultural development. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic began to affect operations in Mozambique, we closed Sharing Hope Preschool with the health and safety of our students and staff at the front of mind. Despite the school’s closure, we have remained resilient in our efforts to lend a helping hand. We have continued to support our staff, students, and families through food production on our gardening plot and donations from our supporters during these unprecedented circumstances. 

We are excited to announce that Sharing Hope Preschool is projected to reopen in mid-March (delayed by local laws). We can’t do it without your help. We are prioritizing the safety of our students and staff during this reopening. Sharing Hope Preschool will operate in accordance with Mozambique’s health and safety guidelines. This includes social distancing and limiting classroom capacities, requiring face coverings and other personal protective equipment, and providing sanitizing stations to encourage frequent handwashing. Sharing Hope Preschool’s re-opening requires increased safety measures and daily distribution of PPE. 

Prioritize global responsibility this New Year’s by lending a helping hand. Help us reach our $2,600  goal in order to fund Sharing Hope Preschool reopening. Your donation will support the purchase and distribution of PPE and the installation of a new hand sanitizing station. Give the gift of education and sponsor a student for only $30 per month. We are currently looking to sponsor 100 more students by Sharing Hope Preschool’s reopening.

One student sponsorship covers the cost of: 

• One outfit 
• One pair of shoes 
• Teacher salaries
• School supplies 
• Medical care and supplies
• School fees
• Clean water access
• Two nutritious meals (Monday-Friday) 
• Sharing Hope Preschool Gardening Project 
• Miscellaneous operating costs 

2020 wasn’t easy. Help us take advantage of this opportunity to provide education, food, and medical care to 100 students in the new year. With your help, we can change these kiddos’ lives by helping them escape the cycle of hardship and poverty, providing them with the opportunities and skills they need to succeed. Your donation will make all the difference! Help us get our Mozambabies back in the classroom by making a donation, sponsoring a student, or following us on Instagram and Facebook! 

For more information about Sharing Hope Preschool, please visit: 

To find out ways you can help, click here.

To sponsor a student, click here.

Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram or like us on Facebook for updates! 

At the end of November, our team traveled to Eswatini to check in and understand the effect of COVID-19 on our initiatives. During their travels, our team took every safety precaution, prioritizing their health and the health of those around them. Jami Porzl, Sophia Caputo, and Alessandra Billi, travelled to Sharing Hope Farm—formerly Lubombo Valley Farms—in Eswatini to visit our staff and assess the farm’s operations. Our team had the opportunity to see the concrete results of your generosity at work. Thanks to our donors and supporters, we were able to purchase a new drip irrigation  system for the farm, which saves enormous amounts of precious time and resources.

During the trip, Jami, Sophia, and Allie spent time with our team in Africa to prepare for our upcoming transition into the new year, as a new 501(c)(3) certified charity under the name: Sharing Hope Africa. The name was chosen in honor of Mr. Joseph Bhila, a native Mozambican who has served communities in Eswatini for the past thirty years, and his original mission. The transition will help us better educate, equip, and empower the communities we serve in Southern Africa. 

Sophia Caputo kept us updated via Instagram throughout her thirty-hour travel day, where she journeyed from LAX to Heathrow Airport in London. From LHR, Sophia traveled to OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa. Jami and Sophia arrived in Eswatini on Tuesday, November 17th. 

Day Two: Jami and Sophia spent Thursday morning at the Milwane Wildlife Sanctuary. Located in Eswatini’s oldest conservation area, it is the Ezulwini Valley of central Eswatini. The sanctuary is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including zebras, antelope, white and black rhinoceros, and over five-hundred species of birds. That afternoon, Jami and Sophia turned their attention to preparations for Giving Tuesday. 

Day Three & Four: Jami and Sophia spent Friday and Saturday at Sharing Hope Farm in Lubombo Valley. They visited Linda, our farm manager, who has worked tirelessly to ensure operations on the farm run smoothly. Currently, we’re focused on growing maize at the farm, and it looks incredible!

Allie arrived on Saturday and went with Jami and Sophia straight to Sharing Hope Farms. Jami, Allie and Sophia assisted in the installation of the new drip irrigation system. With the help of our donors, we were able to purchase the necessary pipes to finish growing our maize crop. The system will prevent water waste and save hours of work, allowing Linda to start selling our crops to vendors and generate revenue for the community. Your generosity and support made this possible, and we are unceasingly grateful for the support of the Sharing Hope Family!

The sprinkler system was funded through our Water Relief Campaign in August of this year. Currently, we are working on raising $2,000 to fund the purchase of two new water storage tanks for Sharing Hope Farm. The new water tanks will help to store more water as we turn our eyes to doubling the fields for maize & beans, our major cash crops as well as opening the tree plot for mangos. If you’d like to help us reach our goal, we are accepting donations via: https://gf.me/u/zav9pj. 

Day Five: Our team spent the day at the church in Madudula, to teach arts and crafts during Sunday School. “Spending time with the kids never fails to be an incredible experience that lifts our spirits,” Sophia posted, along with pictures from the day’s events. In a time of distancing and separation, it is extremely important to show the communities we serve that we are still here to support them and love them in a COVID-conscious way. 

Spending time with the kids never fails to be an incredible experience that lifts our spirits.

Day Six: Our team attended an Eswatini Sign Language lesson, taught by the amazing ESL instructor, Fanelo, before visiting the Deaf Hands Workshop. The Deaf Hands Workshop is a group of individuals who work together to make beautiful handicraft items. We look forward to expanding a partnership with them in the near future. 

Sophia and Jami also had the opportunity to visit an orphan care point to deliver relief packages of food to feed eighty-two kiddos and distribute toothbrushes, toothpaste, and coloring books. Since the schools are closed due to COVID-19, children are not getting fed the one meal a day provided as school. For some families, they rely on the children to be fed at school because it would be their only meal that day. The orphan care points are facing the brunt of this disconnect. They are now seeing an influx of children that need to be fed, however their budgets are still the same as pre-COVID thereby restricting the ability to keep up with demand. Our team looks forward to being able to provide additional assistance as we look to expand our reach and supporter base in the new year. 

Day Seven: Our team tagged along with Comfort For Africa and Fanelo, the Eswatini Sign Language instructor, to pick up food to be distributed at the deaf church in St. Philip’s. Comfort For Africa is a faith-based organization working closely with communities in Eswatini and the Republic of South Africa. In 106° heat, the Sharing Hope team helped Fanelo and the Comfort for Africa team load twelve parcels of food into a pickup truck and deliver it to St. Phillips. One parcel, which costs $25, is enough to feed a family for two months. 

St. Philip’s deaf church is working to expand educational opportunities for emaSwatini deaf. Many members of the deaf community in Eswatini don’t have access to ESL education.

 

Day Eight: Our team spent the day helping out at Sharing Hope Farm. Our team also visited Máke Theresa’s care point in Nyambo. Due to COVID-19, it has been difficult to get food parcels delivered to the kiddos. Linda helps out at the care point whenever possible and helps with the small vegetable garden at the care point originally established by Ryan and Anna Carmichael, to help relieve the effects of the food shortage. 

Days spent with the team are our favorites, especially with such limited time in person together.

Day Nine: The Sharing Hope Team got a COVID-19 test in preparation for departure. While they waited for the results, they spent the morning in their second ESL class with Fanelo. In the afternoon, they shopped for the Zondle Girl’s Home and continued with Giving Tuesday preparations. Our team even celebrated a small, socially distanced Thanksgiving celebration. 

Day Ten: Our team visited Ngwenya Glass out near the north-west border with South Africa. Ngwenya Glass’s art and glassware is crafted ethically by emaSwatini men and women from 100% recycled glass.  Then the girls got their negative COVID-19 test results. Lastly, the team partook in Black Friday shopping to finalize the care packages for the Zondle Girl’s Home. 

Day Eleven: The Sharing Hope team spent their last day in Eswatini delivering care packages to Zondle’s Girls Home. Each contained: one outfit, a pair of shoes, a PPE mask, feminine care products, and bags handmade by the Deaf Hands Workshop that were custom embroidered with each girl’s name. 

After, our team visited Swazi Candles, a candle-making company based in Eswatini. Swazi Candles makes handmade, traditional paraffin wax candles and 100% organic soya candle tea lights. Swazi Candles, along  with Ngwenya Glass, are certified fair trade companies based in Eswatini, and the Sharing Hope Team is working on partnering with sustainable and fair trade businesses, such as these two, for exciting fundraising opportunities in the new year. 

To wrap up the trip, the Sharing Hope Team attended a farewell dinner at Nando’s to say goodbye to all of the wonderful people who made this trip possible, including our Africa-based team and our good friends in the community. We are grateful for the opportunity to visit our wonderful friends, supporters, and staff. Additionally, we are very appreciative of our friends at Comfort For Africa for hosting us at their house for the entire trip; Mick and Cathy were such a treat to stay with and we look forward to seeing them again soon. The Sharing Hope Team had the opportunity to oversee the installation of crucial water scarcity and COVID-19 relief projects that wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our donors and volunteers. As we move into the new year, we are preparing for our transition and excited for what the future holds. 

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook and get updates about our transition and our upcoming projects as we welcome the new year!

Dear One Heart Africa Family,

We have an exciting and important update! As of the end of this year, we are preparing to close the chapter on the One Heart Africa 501(c)(3) in order to better serve our communities in Siteki, Eswatini and Licilo, Mozambique. We will begin operating in the new year as a new 501(c)(3), under the name: Sharing Hope Foundation.

For many years, One Heart Africa served as a parent organization to an African-initiated not-for-profit organization called Sharing Hope, registered in the Kingdom of Eswatini, operating both in Eswatini and Mozambique. The director of Sharing Hope, Mr. Joseph Bhila, is a native Mozambican who has lived in Eswatini for the past 30 years; his mission has been and is to educate, equip, and empower individuals in Southern Africa. 

While our name might be changing, our mission and initiatives will remain the same; educate, equip and empower. Our values are still to improve the quality of life for those afflicted by cycles of social and economic hardship. Since its inception, Sharing Hope, formerly One Heart Africa, has helped over 1,000 individuals receive access to clean water and other crucial resources – thanks to you! With your help, we opened Sharing Hope Preschool, which provides education and support to over a hundred students annually. With your help, we built Sharing Hope Farm, which provides food and income to staff and families in the Lubombo Valley communities. And with your help, we will continue to serve and collaborate with communities in Southern Africa, providing short-term relief in order to effect long-term and self-sustaining change. 

Additionally, we are continuing to explore growth opportunities, starting with the new Sharing Hope Clinic in Licilo, Mozambique. We are very excited for the opportunity to explore new ways to help the people of Licilo get access to affordable and accessible health care. 
In the next few weeks, you will see a newly-revamped website at sharinghopefoundation.org for the US based Sharing Hope Foundation (formerly One Heart Africa), that includes all of the information about Joseph Bhila’s organization based in Southern Africa. During this transition, we will be accepting donations via: https://gf.me/u/zav9pj

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out at our new email address: info@SharingHopeFoundation.org. 

Please join us in sharing hope this holiday season and beyond as we look toward an exciting and prosperous future for our organization and the communities we serve.

— The Sharing Hope Foundation Team

At One Heart Africa, we’re keeping our planet at the front of mind this holiday season. With the holidays right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about the perfect gifts to give your friends and loved ones. What better way to do some good while completing your holiday shopping than to select gifts from eco-friendly and sustainable businesses? Keep the Earth in mind! Shop sustainably by following these tips.

1. Support B-Corp and Fair Trade Certified businesses

2. On Amazon, look for the “Climate Pledge” icon.

Bonus: Use Amazon Smile to donate 5% of your purchase to the non-profit of your choice.

3. Head to EarthHero.com, an eco-friendly online marketplace, for a variety of gifts.

Bonus: Use the code SHIPFREENOV for free shipping during the month of November.

To help you find ethically sourced, fair trade options, we’re sharing some of our favorite sustainably sourced, eco-friendly gifts! Most of the products we’ve listed are available at EarthHero.com, an eco-friendly online marketplace.

Gifts Under $30

Shop sustainably this holiday season, and check out these eco-friendly and ethically sourced stocking stuffers that won’t break the bank.

1. Hi-Bar Solid Shampoo and Conditioner

2. Sans Pariel Naturals Organic Unrefined Shea Butter

Made with 100% natural ingredients, this Organic Unrefined Shea Butter replenishes and protects skin. Available at $15.00

3. Yes Cocktail Co. Syrup

Available in a variety of flavors, Yes Cocktail Co. Syrups are 100% natural and handcrafted for you favorite craft cocktails. Available at $12.00.

4. Oleander + Palm Terrazzo Incense Holder

5. Earth Hero Golden Coast Soy Candle

Shop at Earth Hero, the eco-friendly online marketplace, and give the gift of a Golden Coast Soy Candle for $11.95 or Earth Hero’s Organic Aromatherapy Travel Kit for $14.99

6. Alter-Eco Chocolate

7. Bee’s Wrap

These Beeswax Food Wraps are natural, sustainable, and made with Jojoba Oil. Available on Amazon for $18.00

8. Mombasa Peri Peri Sauce

Swahili Modern is contributing $10,000 to create an Artisan Relief Fund. Try this Mombasa Peri Peri Sauce, available at $12.00.

9.  2-Pack Stasher Bags

Check out these Silicone Pocket Bags, available at EarthHero.com for $13.99, these are the perfect alternative to plastic bags: reusable, washable, and sustainable.

10. Jacaranda Safari Ornament Set

For Her

Trying to find gifts for her? We’re sharing our favorite, ethically sourced gifts for the ladies in your life.

1. Makena Mixed Material Statement Earrings

Available on Soko at $78.00, these earrings are handcrafted in Kenya using traditional artisan techniques.

2. Bambaw Reusable Makeup Remover Pads

These reusable makeup removers are economic and eco-friendly, available at $12.00 on Amazon.

3. Rothy’s Flats

4. West Elm American Heirloom Handled Cutting Board

Support a small business by gifting this cutting board, crafted from FSC®-certified wood. Available at $64.00.

5.  Globe In Subscription Box

6. Albatross Butterfly Safety Razor

Help “shave” the world from plastic for just $30.00 by gifting this 100% stainless steal razor.

7. Women’s Waffle Jogger

8. Able Alma Crossbody Bag

“Able is an ethical fashion brand that employs and empowers women as a solution to end poverty.”

We love this Alma Crossbody bag, available at $168.

9. Gifted Pressed Natural Eyeshadow Trio

 For Him

Check out our favorite sustainable, eco-friendly gifts for the guys.

1. Handmade Cotton Kente Cloth Bow Tie

Handcrafted in Ghana, your purchase will provide 16 doses of measles vaccination to kids who need it. Available at UNICEF USA Market for $29.99.

2. Kyrgies Ethical Wool Felt Slippers $69.00

 Hand Carved Soapstone Animal Chess Set

3.  Pact Essential Sweatpant

4. Cotopaxi Monte Hybrid Jacket

Cotopaxi is a certified B-Corp company, pledged to put “1% of its revenue toward addressing poverty and supporting community development”

The Monte Hybrid Jacket is available for $180.

5. TUSHY Travel Bidet

This functional, portable bidet is available at $29.00.

6. 3-In-1 Organic Shaving Kit

Our favorite 3-in-1 Organic Shaving Kit is USDA Certified Organic and composed of natural ingredients.

7. Matr Boomie Mustache Eyeglass Holder

8. Nisolo Javier Chelsea Boot

Available at $184.

“Every Nisolo purchase provides a living wage to producers in the factory we own in Peru, enables us to pursue living wages within the rest of our supply chain, and combats climate change by protecting trees from deforestation in the Amazon Basin.”

9. Socks That Protect the Planet

Every pair donates to a cause for nature conservation and protection of endangered animals. Available at $45.00.

For the Kiddos

Find the perfect, sustainably sourced gifts for the tiny tots in your life by taking it back to the basics with gifts made from all-natural and organically-certified ingredients.

1. Gypsy & Lolo Aspen Winter Beanie

Sustainably made, available at $10.00. BONUS: For every item you buy, Gypsy & Lolo will plant 1 tree.

2. Bureo Fishnet Flyer Frisbee

3. Mightly In the Band 2-Piece Pajama Set

Mightly makes its clothing from organic cotton. You might this In the Band 2-piece pajama set, available for $30.00

4. Cuddle + Kind Handknit Dolls

5. Solmate Socks

Solmate Socks are a Certified B Corporation. Ethically made, and crafted from recycled materials.

6. Eco-Kids Busy Box

The Eco-Kids Busy Box, available at $29.50, contains an array of craft materials and activities for your artistically inclined kiddos, made from natural ingredients.

7. Mightly Galaxy Long Sleeve Dresses 2-Pack

These stylish dresses are available at $40.00

8. PlanToys Mancala Game

All PlanToys are made from sustainably harvested rubberwood trees that can no longer produce latex paired with surplus sawdust chips. Mancala Game available for $24.99

9. Swahili Modern Handcrafted African Wooden Finger Pianos

Share these tips and gift suggestions with friends and family and encourage them to shop sustainably this holiday season. Help protect your planet by selecting ethically-sourced goods. Shop with the Earth in mind. #shopsustainably

Find us on Facebook and Instagram @_oneheartafrica and be sure to follow these eco-friendly, B-Corp and Fair Trade Certified companies on social media!

By Amy Asmussen

With the recent conclusion of our Water Relief Fundraiser, we at One Heart Africa are taking time to reflect on the progress we’ve made and the work still left to be done as we head into the holiday months. Our Water Relief Fundraiser was a success; thanks to the enormous generosity of Jane and Kate Boutique and the contributions of all our donors, we were able to purchase a well for the garden plot near Sharing Hope Preschool. This well, a crucial source of clean water for our beloved community in Licilo, Mozambique, will help us combat the massive food shortages that have resulted from travel bans and shutdowns that have taken effect due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We estimate the full installation of the well to be complete by December of this year!

Not only did we fund a brand-new well, we used leftover donations to finance additional agricultural and clean water projects. We serviced and purchased new tires for the truck we use to transport goods and services throughout the community and to markets, where they are sold to fund staff salaries and a wide range of projects. We invested in a new drip irrigation system, pictured below, which will improve irrigation for the farm by leaps and bounds. The drip irrigation system is much less wasteful than overhead sprinkler systems, and can accomplish more in forty-five minutes than the sprinkler system can in four hours. A portion of the donations were used to purchase new seedlings to be planted on the farm. Additionally, we hired a tractor, purchased fuel and funded our staff salaries. Your donations have helped us fund several, vital projects that will improve the quality of life for our communities.

To express our endless gratitude for our farm manager, Linda, we have donated an extra portion of our funds to help with his daughter’s upcoming wedding ceremony! Linda has dedicated so much time and energy to operations on the farm, and we couldn’t be happier to help out.

As we celebrate our donors’ unwavering compassion and willingness to lend a help across borders, despite the current hardships we’re facing in our own lives, we are also on nearly ten years of positive change. Our story began in 2010. The small village of Licilo only had two primary schools, an extremely high unemployment rate, and a shortage of clean water sources. Licilo needed a preschool. Workers travelled to South Africa to work in mineral mines, where they often contracted diseases like HIV and Tuberculosis. Illnesses spread quickly within the community, and the additional water scarcity prevented Licilo’s residents from practicing preventative sanitation measures. Our volunteers sought to fill these needs with sustainable solutions.

A decade later, Sharing Hope Preschool provides education to over a hundred students. We have installed boreholes to combat the effects of Africa’s water crisis. In 2013, we began to develop a twenty-two acre plot of land in Eswatini into Lubombo Valley Farms, where we continue to develop new methods for sustainable agriculture, such as aquaponics and permaculture. Lubombo Valley Farms provides jobs and income for working people within the community. While Sharing Hope Preschool is currently closed in order to protect our students and their families from the COVID-19 virus, thanks to the hard work of our volunteers and the generosity of our donors, our farms are still producing food for our communities. We are delivering food parcels to the families with the most need, and we  are using a portion of the donations we’ve received to fund our farm and preschool staff salaries, but there is still ground to cover. We have been able to fund our teachers’ monthly pension, but every donation counts in order to make sure they are salaried despite the school closures.

At One Heart Africa, we are committed to making long-term change through sustainable solutions. Our operational team works closely with volunteers on the ground in Mozambique and Eswatini to achieve one goal: educating, equipping, and empowering our interest groups in Mozambique and Eswatini. Our media interns, myself included, are working to raise awareness of the issues our communities are still facing. Our staff in Mozambique and Eswatini work tirelessly every day to improve the quality of life for those who depend on us for food and water security, medical services, education, work opportunities, and countless other commodities and programs. The work we’re doing matters. The smallest donation can improve someone’s quality of life by leaps and bounds. Even the smallest drop in the bucket can make waves. Whether your donation helps us purchase mosquito nets to prevent the spread of Malaria and other blood-borne illnesses, or funds the service and upkeep of one of our wells, which provide clean water for more than eight hundred people, you are making a difference.

Currently, One Heart Africa is still focused primarily on COVID-19 relief efforts. As of Sunday, October 18th, Mozambique has had a total of 10,707 confirmed cases of COVID-19. In the past fourteen-day period, there have been 1,664 new recorded cases. Eswatini has had a total of 5,780 cases, and 233 new cases since October 2nd. However, some shutdowns and restrictions and Mozambique and Eswatini are expected to be lifted in November, and we are estimating the reopening of schools heading into January. There is a shortage of medical commodities and preventative equipment such as masks and sanitizers. We are pushing for increased farm production to relieve the effects of the food shortage. By increasing profits that come of the farm, we can begin paying our teachers’ salaries in full in addition to funding our students’ medical bills. With the addition of the well and the new drip irrigation system, as well as increased rainfall as we head into the next few months, the future looks promising.

As we finalize the plans for the installation of the new well and other projects, we are beginning to push hard for the completion of our healthcare clinic in Licilo. We are estimating an additional $6,000 will be sufficient to fund and finalize its construction. We need your help to fund our relief efforts. We need your help so that we can continue to educate, equip, empower, and effect lasting change.

If you would like to make a donation to fund the completion of our healthcare clinic or any other area of interest, or learn more about our mission, please visit https://oneheartafrica.org/give/.

As we move into the holidays, we are gearing up to introduce new fundraisers and gift programs. We are excited to share with you all that we have in store. Stay tuned for more updates, and be sure to follow us on our social media platforms!

To find more information about COVID-19 in Mozambique and Eswatini, visit:

• https://mz.usembassy.gov/covid-19-
• information/https://sz.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/

By Amy Asmussen

Educating. Equipping. Empowering. One drop at a time.

As our Water Relief Capaign draws to a close, we continue to reflect on the vital importance of clean water access and what it means for our beloved communities in Licilo, Siteki, and the surrounding areas. As we focus our attention on building our newly-funded wells (thank you, donors!) and delivering clean water to our communities, we must also take a moment to examine the big-picture issues so that we can better equip, educate, and empower through short term funding for longterm solutions. 

In Africa, water scarcity affects one in three people. The continent continues to face a dire water crisis due to a widespread lack of accessible water sources, limited rainfall, and poor sanitation. The water crisis affects all other facets of life, from agriculture and economy to health and education. 

According to The Water Project, water scarcity is directly linked to poverty. Due to the lack of available water sources, many people must travel long distances to find water, making it difficult for some to work or attend school. Agriculture makes up 15% of Africa’s annual GDP. It is crucial for economic sustainability. Water is necessary for farming, and families below the poverty line cannot hope to achieve self-sustainability without the means to grow their own food. Due to the lack of accessible sources of clean water, we cannot hope to break the poverty cycle. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, poorer, rural communities are suffering a food shortage. Food insecurity due to the virus is not specific to Africa. The United Nations World Food Program estimates the economic hardship across the globe will result in a doubling of the number of people suffering acute hunger. Though Africa’s food production is currently at a surplus, government-ordered lockdowns due to the virus have led to widespread economic hardship and a decrease in demand for goods. Travel bans stemming from efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in a lack of access to goods and services for many communities.

At One Heart Africa, we are working to build new wells and service existing wells so that our communities in Mozambique and Eswatini can continue growing their own food. Lumbombo Valley Farms is continuing normal production, which we are donating to families within our communities. 

The water crisis also puts populations at risk for the spread of water-borne illness and disease. Without proper sanitation facilities or restrooms, illness spreads quickly. It is common for children to die of dehydration and diarrheal illness due to unsanitary drinking water and poor hygiene. Cholera cases are highest in Sub-saharan Africa, where water sanitation and sewage  management are poor, according to the World Health Organization. Water is essential for basic personal hygiene, which is the most effective method of illness prevention and especially crucial as we continue to battle a global pandemic. 

Mozambique and Eswatini are currently suffering a severe drought that has lasted nearly a decade. According to UNICEF, 51% of Mozambique’s population lacks access to clean water, and 75% of Mozambicans don’t have access to proper sanitation facilities. 

In Eswatini, the situation is just as bleak, with 40% of the population lacking access to clean water. Though over 400 wells, or boreholes, have been drilled into Swazi soil, only 10% of the country’s groundwater has been accessed, according to The Water Project, and many water relief projects and infrastructure in Eswatini are no longer functioning due to improper maintenance and limited resources to maintain them.  

Populations in rural areas suffer the effects of the water crisis most heavily. The Water Project reports a dismal 16% of people living in the rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa have in-home access to clean water, through a tap or other source. In Mozambique and Eswatini, many rural populations rely on naturally-occuring surface water, such as lakes and ponds. Many of these surface water sources are unsanitary or dry up due to limited rainfall. Additionally, people oftentimes must travel great distances to access these surface water sources. Children are absent from school or drop out altogether in order to make the daily trek to retrieve water for their families, and women and girls are at a great risk of assault when traveling alone far outside their village. Finding water costs time. Many people spend their days collecting water rather than earning a living or attending school, and the United Nations estimates Africa’s population spends 40 billion hours a year collecting water. 

One Heart Africa recently launched a Water Relief Campaign in order to fund the maintenance of our existing wells and build two new, desperately needed wells. Thanks to the support of our donors, we are proud to announce we have exceeded our donation goal! We would like to thank Jane and Kate Boutique for their incredible generosity. Your donations will ensure our communities have access to clean water, so that they can continue to grow food, practice preventive health measures, and enjoy a higher quality of life. You have made a world of difference! 

Though we have reached our goal, there is still work to be done. 

We must break this cycle of water scarcity, poverty, and illness. At One Heart Africa, we are working tirelessly to empower our communities in Mozambique and Eswatini through relief efforts, education and equipment.

To further aid water relief efforts before our campaign ends, purchase a limited edition long sleeve tee before it’s too late!

To find out more ways you can help, click here.

You may choose to donate to the project that most interests you, or choose to give to the area of most need. 

At One Heart Africa, we are committed to reducing the effects of the water crisis, one drop at a time. 

References

• The Water Project 
• Drop 4 Drop 
• UNICEF 
• World Health Organization 
• The United Nations World Food Program

By Amy Asmussen

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, desolate media reports of the uncertainty and hardship that has affected 215 countries across the globe dominate our attention, becoming a dull roar that easily drowns out the positives: relief efforts, human connections, leaders, essential workers, and unsung heroes. It is critical that we uphold our civic duty to educate ourselves, to comply with recommended safety measures, and to assume an active role in the work still left to be done. We must uphold our civic duty so that we as a united human race may emerge from this pandemic clasping one another’s hand, proud to say that when we went into the darkness, we helped one another instead of hiding our faces while we waited for the dust to settle. We cannot wait for the dust to settle. We cannot stagnate and wait to count our losses. We must uphold our global responsibility so that we as one race and one entity may emerge scraped and bruised, yes, but with our humanity intact.

While it is important that each of us assume a personal responsibility in the outcome of this pandemic and that we remain aware of the work still left to be done, it is equally important to pause for a moment and reflect on the positive forces prevalent in this trying time.  It is important to thank our doctors, nurses, service workers, and essential business. It is important to reach out to our friends and our neighbors, and once we have done that, to reach out across our borders, because we are not a nation isolated and unconcerned. Each of us has a global obligation to extend our helping hands past our immediate social sphere. Each of us has the potential to be the pair of helping hands that makes all the difference. At One Heart Africa, we believe in the incredible resiliency of the human race. We believe in educating, equipping and empowering. We believe there will always be a pair of helping hands, no matter how dark the horizon.

No matter how bleak the circumstance, there will always be a smiling face.

A Snapshot of Covid-19 in Africa

In order for us to direct our efforts to COVID-19 relief, we must first understand what life looks like in Africa amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. While One Heart Africa’s efforts are largely focused in the southern countries of Mozambique and Eswatini, we must first look at the continent as a whole.

Due to weaknesses in Africa’s healthcare systems, Africa is at risk of becoming the next epicenter of the pandemic, according to an article by Marguerite Massinga Loembé, Akhona Tshangela, and Stephanie J. Salyer, published in Nature Medicine journal.

Take a look at this overview of reported COVID-19 cases in Africa, compiled by Johns Hopkins University. Note: The statistics we have cited were updated on August 18th. You can view the newest stats, updated every day with the previous day’s data, here.

• Total Confirmed Cases: 1,136,712
• Fatalities: 26,313
• Recoveries: 858,944
• Active Cases: 251,455 
• Total Confirmed Cases Relative to Population: 0.0935%

Covid-19 in Eswatini

In Eswatini, where One Heart Africa is focusing its efforts on the maintenance of the well on site at Lubombo Valley Farms, the total number of confirmed cases is significant, and climbing.

• Total Confirmed Cases: 4,058
• Active Cases: 1,368
• Recoveries: 2,611
• Fatalities: 79
• Total Confirmed Cases Relative to Population: 0.371%

Covid-19 in Mozambique

In Mozambique, where One Heart Africa is running Sharing Hope Preschool among other clean-water and agricultural projects, the total number of confirmed cases is climbing.

• Total Confirmed Cases: 2,991
• Recoveries: 1,245
• Fatalities: 19
• Active Cases: 1,727
• Total Confirmed Case Relative to Population: 0.101%

According to the Nature Medicine Journal, the Centers for Disease Control in Africa activated its emergency operations center in January after receiving reports of increases in COVID-19 cases. Africa’s first wave of response focused on the quick and effective circulation of information about the virus across the continent. Weekly meetings with the CDC Regional Collaboration Centers were held in order to keep regions of the African Union (AU) up to date on all alerts regarding the virus. The Centers for Disease Control launched a live dashboard, still active today, to organize all incoming data shared across countries. Africa’s past response efforts to various disease outbreaks, such as the Ebola outbreak, which took place in 2014 and lasted until 2016, were swiftly adapted to COVID-19 to slow the spread. The AU adopted the Africa Joint Continental Strategy for COVID-19, which outlines a detailed implementation plan for various health and safety measures. The Africa Joint Continental Strategy for COVID-19 outlines two main objectives, which I have cited here:

1. Prevent severe illness and death from COVID-19 infection in Member States.

2. Minimize social disruption and economic consequences of COVID-19 outbreaks.

— Africa Joint Continental Strategy for COVID-19

Currently, Africa faces severe hardship due to the pandemic. Cases are rising, and the uneven distribution of medical commodities, such as face masks, hand sanitizers, and ventilators, is contributing to an accelerated spread of the virus as many are forced to go without protective means. Stress on the healthcare system has led to a restriction on non-COVID related care. In addition, 27 million people now face extreme poverty due to the economic drop. With limited access to resource, the test-trace-isolate-treat method, which was implemented to stop the spread, is difficult to carry out effectively and accurately.

On August 18^th, the Mozambican Government announced its plan to resume economic and social activity in Mozambique. While safety precautions are still in place, including non-essential business closures, face covering requirements in any public place or gathering of people, and a strict quarantine requirement for any new arrival into the country, the Phase 1 reopening of the state has begun, with a resumption of higher education classes, classes in the schools of security and defense, education training classes, and medical training classes, as well as an increased participation in funeral or religious ceremonies to 50 people. For more information, visit this page for a detailed outline of these emergency measures.

In Eswatini, lockdown has been extended indefinitely. Required safety measures such the wearing of face-masks in public places and avoidance of large gathers are still in place. Border access is restricted, preventing visitors from entering the country, especially from high-risk countries.  In addition to external travel bans, internal travel is restricted, which has greatly weakened the economy. Goods and services cannot reach the rural areas, and reduced hospitality and tourism income has impeded our ability to pay our workers and feed our communities. 

We need YOUR help to provide relief to our communities, which have been severely affected by the spread of COVID-19.

What We’re Doing to Help

At One Heart Africa, our focus has shifted to relief efforts in both Eswatini and Mozambique. Despite the closure of Sharing Hope Preschool due to COVID-19, OHA is working to continue providing food to the students and their families. Due to our generous donors and student sponsors, our school staff is still receiving partial salary despite Sharing Hope Preschool’s closure.

Additionally, Lubombo Valley Farms is carrying out normal production, which is donated to the local community due to the lack of demand as the area continues to be affected by the rise in cases. Unfortunately, due to the decrease in income from hospitality and tourism venues, One Heart Africa’s clientele is reduced.

In response to this reduction and the strain COVID-19 has placed on our communities, One Heart Africa is launching a clean water campaign to raise funds to service two of our existing wells and to build a new one on site of the farm in Mozambique. Our goal is to raise $3,000 in donations to make this possible. A portion of these donations will also be used for relief from the virus wherever possible. This includes making sure the slaries of our staff working on our farms are paid in addition to the funding of our clean water projects.

Because of the restrictions on travel within the area, trade venues are not travelling to the rural areas. OHA is currently working to boost the economy in those areas by instating a Kombi service in order to shuttle goods and services to our communities.

While the situation is dire, there are helping hands tirelessly working to reduce the affects of COVID-19 in our communities.

We at One Heart Africa would like to thank our partners at Comfort For Africa, who have helped us feed the communities we work with, for their insurmountable efforts. We are striving to relieve the economic stress affecting our communities due to COVID-19. Our volunteers continue to work unfalteringly, whether it’s at a distance or locally in Mozambique and Eswatini, but we need YOUR help.

What YOU Can Do TO Help: Our Water Relief Campaign

OHA is launching a clean water campaign beginning this week. Help us meet our goal!

Goal: Raise $3,000 for COVID-19 relief and clean water projects.

Objectives:

            1. Aid in COVID-19 relief efforts wherever possible

            2. Service the well on site at Lubombo Valley Farms

            3. Service the well on site at Sharing Hope Preschool

            4. Build a new well on site at our farm in Mozambique

Click on the link to buy a shirt or donate to help us get water access and COVID-19 relief to our communities!

Click here to buy a shirt or donate!

Stay posted for updates on our social media platforms!

References

• Johns Hopkins University CSSE https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html 
  • Graph Compiled By Wits University and iThemba LABS
• COVID-19 in Africa: The Spread and Response by Massinga Loembé, M., Tshangela, and A., Salyer, published in the Nature Medicine Journal https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0961-x#citeas
• Africa CDC https://au.int/sites/default/files/documents/38264-doc-africa_joint_continental_strategy_for_covid-19_outbreak.pdf
• U.S. Embassy in Mozambique https://mz.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/
• U.S. Embassy in Eswatini https://sz.usembassy.gov/

Hey Y’all,

And we’re back for the third Wednesday of #WhyIWentWednesday ! After the hustle and bustle of last week’s Fall 2019 OHA Update live-stream (link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1402461786578236/?active_tab=discussion ), we are happy to get back on track with our regularly scheduled happenings.  This week’s is written by PJ Tuohy, enjoy!

“My first thought when I was invited to go, was “I need to go anywhere bu here”. Thinking more upon this, I figured, “I can go anywhere in the world – so what makes this trip different?” I started to think about all of my friends and all of the places I have seen them go on social media. Many come back with stories; but what was striking to me about this thought was that most people come back with stories about themselves.

It was an amazing trip. I did in fact come back with a story full of beautiful countries where nature is absolutely breathtaking. I came back with the stories of the lions, elephants, rhinos, and giraffes. The stories of the fun nights with good friends. The stories of new foods, and culture. But there was also so much more.

This was when I started thinking of trips from people who have helped others. Their stories were always about others and how they could be of use. Not only was this a trip where I can come back and talk about the things I saw and the things I did; this was also a story about other people – and a view of life that was not my own. I knew this trip would be one that changed me, but I had no idea what that meant until I was on the plane ride back.

I am a pretty carefree person, but I wanted to change that. I wanted to care about something – and I wanted to know that I would not be the only one who cared about this “something”. I know I have talents, but I haven’t seen myself use them in a way in which someone else was inspired to not even listen but replicate. On this trip, I felt this way. Whether I was learning about sustainable farming, or talking to people about their lives, teaching others what I know, or physically working on something – I was doing something that would make an impact that would last beyond the dates I had taken off of work. 

This is the trip that people ask me about most. Others are eager to learn more, and glimpse into a life, where they too can help. Many people are debating to themselves, “When or how can I go on a trip like this?” If that is the way you are thinking already, I urge you to dive headfirst into this world – because regardless of what you have to offer, absolutely everything you do helps and will continue to help for others long after you return.”

Want to be like PJ and dive headfirst into our OHA family at our programs in Eswatini and Mozambique? Join us on our upcoming trip this Decemebr / January or apply for a volunteer position (located under oneheartafrica.org/give). For more information about the upcoming trip please visit oneheartafrica.org/go or email jami@oneheartafrica.org.

Hey Y’all,

It’s the second Wednesday of #WhyIWentWednesday ! Help yourself get over the hump day by reading this inspiring blog by one of our previous inters, Gabrielle Glenn. Enjoy!

“Africa was always that place I wanted to venture to, but never thought I would make it to the great land itself. After my senior year of high school I knew I wanted to go somewhere new and unexpected before I began the new season of college. My parents and friends thought I was a tad of crazy when I decided to use all of my graduation money that summer to fly 16 hours away with two interns, or more accurately, two strangers.  Maybe I was a little bit crazy. I was walking into uncharted territory and signing up for a month and a half of service with an organization that sounded cool, but I didn’t know loads about. 

Hugging my parents goodbye as they sent off their 18 year old daughter to travel into an unfamiliar country was a little tough. I had some doubts about my journey, until I began my journey. Then it was all peace and so much joy. Those two interns who were at first strangers, they became my good friends, one being one of my best friends to this day. That place I didn’t know much about called One Heart Africa, well it became one of the nearest and dearest places in my heart. Those days sitting on the dusty ground washing my laundry in a cold bucket, those were simple days I wish I could go back to. The many days going to the local care points in Siteki to give out produce to the little ones in the school, dancing in circles and being silly with them as they smiled endlessly with their pearly whites, oh my I wish I could travel back in time to those moments. 

I gained so much perspective on my narrow view of life when I decided to have a little faith and jump on a plane with some strangers to become a summer intern at OHA. I could tell you countless stories about my time living on the farm in Swaziland or staying in Mozambique, but there’s too many wonderful stories to even count. All I can say is I’ve learned that in moments of uncertainty, remember that there’s so much more perspective to gain when we choose to interact with the faces, places, and spaces around us. 

People: that’s what I would go back for. Like our little munchkin’s, Piti and Fiso, who lived on the farm with us, they would act like my arms were literal monkey bars. Or the kindest and most beautiful mama, Figlile – a woman of so much tender love and compassion. Those people.. they’re just a few of the beautiful hearts I was so blessed to get to know. My heart will always have a deep love for OHA, oh yes it will. “- Gabrielle Glenn

Thats right Gabrielle, connecting to the locals & our OHA family at our programs in Eswatini and Mozambique is often cited as the best part of any trip for most visitors. We love our OHA family both at home and abraod and we would love for you to meet them! For more information about the upcoming trip please visit oneheartafrica.org/go or email jami@oneheartafrica.org.

Hey Y’all,

Miss us? We are back on the blogging game! Every Wednesday we will be posting a #WhyIWentWednesday to promote our upcoming Winter 2019 Team Service Trip. This week’s is from one of our latest visitors, Alexandra Tendler. Enjoy!

“When I think back to my first initial thoughts before booking my trip to Eswatini and Mozambique, I remember feelings of wonder and curiosity.  I felt this buzzing, infectious excitement to see, feel and learn more about the world. From the moment I booked my flights to actually boarding the plane to South Africa, I knew I was about to experience a trip of a lifetime.

 Despite having very few expectations or much knowledge of where I was going, I was well aware that this trip would be different from all the others I have taken. I’ve seen much of Europe and have been as far as the Middle East, but Africa was entirely uncharted territory for me. And having grown up in a rural American farm town, I knew my upbringing was sheltered. There was so much of the world I have wanted to see and when the opportunity arose to immerse myself in an entirely different culture and way of life I jumped at the chance. I was so thrilled but nervous and uncertain of what it would actually be like. I had some notion of what Africa looked like from books or movies, but my mind still struggled to fully wrap my head around where I was going and how I would react to it all. Yet it was this unknown that propelled me forward and made me even more excited to get there and get my hands dirty with experience. 

Also when I thought about this trip, I had this deep longing to do something meaningful for a change and help make a difference, however small, for a child, parent, or anyone in need. Visiting the Sharing Hope preschool in Mozambique was one of the things I was most looking forward to. I didn’t necessarily know what kind of impact I could make or how I could help people and children dealing with poverty or situations I could never possibly imagine, but I felt encouraged to go on this trip to meet the students, staff and do everything I could to brighten their day.

Having now been to Eswatini and Mozambique, it is funny to consider the optimistic, slightly naïve and open-minded version of myself from before this trip. The version of myself who took that spontaneous leap to see Africa and who had so many hopes and some fears too for what lied ahead. The version of myself who had no idea what she would be doing or seeing but knowing that this trip was right. And if only I could tell her or have reassured her that she made the best decision and found her visit to Eswatini and Mozambique to be so fulfilling, humbling and replete with humility and kindness. 

It was the kind of trip that still crosses my mind and courses through my veins everyday. I day dream of the dark skies at night that glow with bright, white stars as far as the eye could see or the laughter of the school children whose faces burst with happiness, the calm wisdom of the school teachers, and the friendly politeness of so many people that started as strangers and became quick friends. 

I would choose to see Africa a million times over and now the next question is how soon can I go back?”- Alex Tendler

Well Alex, to answer your question we just so happen to have a trip planned for this upcoming December / January! For more information about the upcoming trip please visit oneheartafrica.org/go or email jami@oneheartafrica.org.