In the hustle and bustle of our everyday, it can be easy to forget about the abundance that surrounds us. Abundant and nutritious foods, good schools, bright futures for us and our kids — all of it — are things we enjoy, but sometimes take for granted in North America.
Would you leave it all and move to a tiny country in Africa, decimated by poverty and HIV, to not just provide charity, but to help an entire population learn to feed itself and pull itself out of a reality more awful that we could imagine?
He who has enough to eat has many problems, he who does not has one — Unknown
Janine and Ian Maxwell have done just that. Ontarioans by birth, the Maxwells recently made the move to Swaziland a permanent one. There, they operate Heart for Africa — an orphanage and farm with a goal of complete self sufficiency beyond fund raising for capital projects.
Real Agriculture’s editor Lyndsey Smith met with the Maxwell’s recently while they were back in Canada to learn about a new initiative with the Egg Farmers of Canada. The support and expertise provided by the Egg Farmers is a crucial part of making the dream of curbing hunger in Swaziland a success.
But why is food, specifically protein, so very important for this country? Because in this country of not even a million people the average life expectancy is around 30 years old, and nearly an entire generation was wiped out by HIV/AIDS and has left children to fend for themselves, creating an impossible cycle of hunger, exploitation and disease. Listen below to hear the more of the story of Heart for Africa.
For more on Heart for Africa and the poultry house project supported by the Egg Farmers of Canada, tap here.
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