Sweet Potato Project

The project that spreads support as quickly as the vines that grow.

In Malawi many people living under the poverty line survive off of eating a diet of maize and white sweet potato. Although this provides sustenance in a area of little, both foods are very low in nutritional value. The result - stunted growth in children and eye problems caused by a lack of vitamin A.

With your support, families, farmers and teachers are given 10 bundles of orange fleshed sweet potato vines, with each bundle consisting of 100 vines. We supply orange fleshed sweet potato because it is higher in nutritional value, especially vitamin A.

The local people are supported with training on how to grow the vines successfully, to include identification of pests and making manure. Once the crop produces potatoes, parents can feed their families and produce enough food to be stored. For any surplus crop, families can start to sell their produce and generate a small income. We value this method of support because not only is it renewable and sustainable, it provides families with a future to move away from poverty and aid for good.

You may be wondering why teachers were given vines…

With the 10p projects you support eight preschools in providing vines to the teachers. They grow the crop for their students, providing them with a guaranteed meal each day of the school week. This has an incredible knock on effect because with food at school, children have improved attendance and with a stable education they have a higher chance of being able to go to secondary school and hopefully university. They are also taught basic hygiene as they wash their hands before eating and enjoy a cup of tea with the potato.