Moringa For Life

In this Episode Mariko speaks with Fatou Doumbia from Mali.  Fatou was in our first Moringa Course 7 years ago.  She has been devoted to her work in her home country of Mali where she is working with local Women in creating greater sources of income and independence.  They are growing Moringa for supporting their own health and vitality, and have also created a business making purses from their local textile designs, called DjimiDjama.  Fatou and Mariko speak about her projects and the importance of creating new business models that are locally focused first.

In this episode:

Connect with Fatou and her work!

Website: 

https://djimidjama.com/

Non-Profit:

http://bit.ly/AgileFood

Twitter:  

AgileWestafrica

Facebook:

AgileWestafrica

Linkedin: goo.gl/ltYIN7

Videos: http://bit.ly/AgileVideo

  We are so happy to be able to share this episode with you.  Sarah went through the Moringa Course last year, and was such a bright light of inspiration and dedication.  We have kept in close contact with her work with Moringa and human trafficking for some time, and were finally able to connect for a call.  Her friend and colleague Andrea Aasen joined us as well.  These women are doing such incredible work, with true hearts of gold.  We look forward to more collaborations in the future.  

Sarah Eve CHU is the Founder and Managing Director of HosannaWind. Andrea Aasen is Executive Director of Extreme Love Ministries.

In this episode:

HosannaWind Website - 

HosannaWind.com

HosannaWind Social Media - 

facebook.com/hosannawind

instagram.com/hosannawind/

Extreme Love Ministries Website - 

ExtremeLove.com 

Extreme Love Ministries Social Media - 

facebook.com/extremeloveministries

 instagram.com/extremeloveministries/

Race for Freedom Website - 

https://race4freedom.com/

Occupation/Profession

Retired School Teacher.

Location of Moringa project?

Remote area 35km outside Murewa, Zimbabwe.

What is your Moringa Project?

10 acres of Moringa planted.  Harvested and dried for use in orphan feeding program.

When and where did your Moringa journey begin?

Journey began in 2006 at the mission in Zimbabwe.

What is your Moringa dream?

The dream is for the community to raise the Moringa and HCOC will process it .  Excess will be marketed, generating income for both the community and HCOC.

Why did you step onto this path?

To help the mission become self-sustaining.  To help the community rise above subsistence farming.

What keeps you on this path?

I know the community can have a better life by working together.  By learning to use Moringa, the community will have improved health and fewer Dr. visits.

What do you want Moringa to know about you and your work?

More than 800 orphans are healthy and thriving.  Many would have died if we had not intervened.

Your host, Mariko Gifford founder of Moringa For Life, reflects on her 22 year journey with moringa. Hear about why this work is so important to her, her family, her community and the world at-large. 

Links:

ECHO - Hope Against Hunger  

https://echonet.org/our-work/what-we-do/

Mark Olson

http://www.mobot.org/gradstudents/olson/moringahome.html

Trees For Life

https://treesforlife.org/our-work/our-initiatives/moringa

Lowell Fuglie - unfortunately there isn't much available online, but we found a rough video on Youtube we are linking here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfX_PdBkEuU

  In this episode, Mariko and Aubrey have a great conversation about his amazing Moringa and Permaculture Project on the island of Dominica.  We have been so inspired by Aubrey ever since he came through the Moringa Certification Course four years ago.  He was a man on a mission and quickly absorbed everything he could to integrate into his vision.  He purchased land in Dominica where his Father is from, and after traveling and studying Permaculture and Organic Farming practices he finally landed to be full time on his land, Free Up Farm.  He is also advocating for Permaculture and natural practices with the local decision makers on the island which is so great.  Aubrey is so fully dedicated to his mission and it is so uplifting.  We love to see the younger generations passionate about creating these new world hubs.  Check out his website and IG @freeupfarm

www.freeupfarm.com   

In This Episode:

Location of Moringa project?

Dominica

What is your Moringa Project?

We are using Moringa to explore hurricane resiliency, the revitalization of organic agriculture and showcase nutritional and culinary applications of Moringa and the many other fruits and perennial  systems we have at the farm.

When and where did your Moringa journey begin?

I was first introduced to Moringa through traveling through Costa Rica. In 2016 I completed my growers course.

Why did you step onto this path?

Nothing else besides food and water made much sense so through permaculture I began exploring these topics more in-depth.

What keeps you on this path?

So far, permaculture is one of the only things that makes sense.

What do you want Moringa to know about you and your work?

That we are inspired by Morninga’s resilience, adaptability and abundance and that we emulate these attributes.

  In this episode Mariko speaks with Master Brewer Danii Oliver.  Danii is the brewer heading the Moringa Beer project with her brewery Island to Island.  She is truly a pioneer in her field, even creating a new path altogether.  She has a special connection with Moringa from her family roots, and with brewing from her ancestry.

In This Episode:

Danii Oliver is the Owner and Brewer of Island to Island Brewery in the Grandview, Texas.  

What is your Moringa Project? 

Moringa Farming at KIDO Family Ranch and Estate Brewery and making the Moringa Beer prototype.

When and where did your Moringa journey begin? 

In my juicery when my parents and their friends started talking to me about the benefits of moringa and they all brought me bags and bags of seeds from our country. I started do my research and replaced all supplements with this whole food nutritional powerhouse. 

What is your Moringa dream? 

For society to take its benefits seriously. For this whole food to become a welcomed addition to diets. 

Why did you step onto this path? 

It was put in front of me. I walk an invisible line between the beer alcohol world and the health world. The two are not separate. Beer is food. We use real whole food ingredients in the making of beer. 

What keeps you on this path? 

The ability to feed my kids. I set out on this path 14-15 years ago and today I have built a knowledge and network base that allowed me to earn pre-covid. I stay on the path now because it is my belief humanity will find a balance and I want to be there to provide the resources and products. 

What do you want Moringa to know about you and your work? 

That I am here do the work, to bring it forward. 

What one question do you have for her? 

Best growing techniques, things to look for.

Toby has been a long time family friend, and Moringa ally.  In this conversation Mariko speaks with Toby about her journey as a steward of the Earth.  She pioneered some incredible worm composting and recycling projects in her local school system as well as internationally.  

Toby Johnson is a Holistic Health Practitioner based in Southern California. She is a long-time friend and collaborator with Mariko Gifford and Moringa For Life. 

Location of Moringa project?

Valley Center, CA

What is your Moringa Project?

Teaching people best farming practices

When and where did your Moringa journey begin?

Vista California, 25 years ago

What is your Moringa dream?

That people around the globe will learn to grow this amazing plant (and grow it ).....We could abolish hunger

Why did you step onto this path?

It is part of my dharmic fabric

What do you want Moringa to know about you and your work?

She already knows everything

What one question do you have for her?

How long will you be dead before you stop doing this amazing work

Join Mariko in this inspiring conversation with her student and friend, Cindy Johnson.  Cindy is an amazing example of following your hearts guidance, from whispers to block letters, the messages can come in many different ways.  Listen to hear about her divinely guided Moringa journey.

In This Episode:

Company 

Moringa Oasis LLC

Location of Moringa project?

Mobile, AL

What is your Moringa Project?

Online business offering Moringa-infused products.

When and where did your Moringa journey begin?

Brazil. A prophet told me he saw a tree growing out of my back into heaven.

What is your Moringa dream?

To have add to our inventory and offer natural products in a store front & online. My husband wants to grow Moringa in a green house setting as well.

Why did you step onto this path?

Because I was given a vision upon my return from Brazil. I couldn't deny I was being led towards Moringa and then I met Mariko.

What keeps you on this path?

Moringa is truly the Miracle Tree. I spent quite awhile learning and designing labels and figuring out how to market it because I believe it is the healthiest plant on the planet, I don't' want to turn back now. I'm not where I want to be yet, but I have a decent start.

What do you want Moringa to know about you and your work?

I was ill and had major surgery in 2007. Since then I have been on a wellness journey. Moringa is a big part of that.

What one question do you have for her?

You know my business model, what suggestions do you have for next steps?

Website - moringaoasis.com

Instagram: @moringaoasis 

Facebook: Moringa Oasis

  Mariko speaks with her dear friend Jorge Catalan.  Jorge is from Mexico, currently residing in San Miguel de Allende, where he and Mariko met 8 years ago.  Hear about their synchronistic meeting which led to Jorge co-teaching the Moringa Certification Course, and learn more about Jorge’s Moringa journey.

In this Episode:

Jorge's Moringa Questionnaire:

What is your Moringa Project?

I've been lucky and I have connected directly to be able to have a deep dive into the Moringa world. Reality super-passed my expectations hence besides freeze drying Moringa I've been blessed by having the opportunity of sharing knowledge about life, Permaculture, food and nature every year together with our Moringa team. Team that is growing and growing internationally.

When and where did your Moringa journey begin?

It began at my shop by receiving a call from a friend requesting me to wait until she got there with someone that was going to change my life. After waiting some minutes she arrived and introduced me to Mariko and Chris Gifford and after we talked non stop for at least an hour and a half. That is how Moringa got into my life.

What is your Moringa dream?

For people to leave their jobs and go back to growing their own food, reconnecting with nature and understanding that the only source of pure and unconditional love and abundance is life it self through nature.

Why did you step onto this path?

Because I love nature.

What keeps you on this path?

Health, well-being, pleasure, food, serotonin. Knowing that the only possibility to have a future as a specie is to reconnect to our planet and stop acting like extraterrestrials.

What do you want Moringa to know about you and your work?

That there are some of us humans that do care and respect nature and that it hurts us to see so much ignorance guiding our specie. I would like to get the power shown in the movie La Belle Vert and just be reconnecting people non stop.

What one question do you have for her?

Do you know what really happened to human kind. How come are we so stupid.

Twitter: @catalannatural 

Facebook: Jorge Catalan 

Instagram: @bioxorge 

Linkedin: Jorge Catalán

  Dama was a student of the Moringa Certification Course in 2016.  Since then, she has returned to her birth place, Sri Lanka to live full time on her family's land in Trincomalee.  She lived most of her life in Australia with her husband and three children.  Join us in this wonderful conversation about Dama’s Moringa journey.

In This Episode we learn about:

When and where did your Moringa journey begin?

2016 in Australia/ Melbourne, started taking Moringa powder to empower the immune system, and for a holistic wellness. After reading a research paper about the benefits from Moringa leaf. This was mainly given to my daughter in laws mother who was diagnose with Lung cancer.

What is your Moringa dream?

That everyone knows about Moringa benefits in Sri Lanka. Every home  have a tree in their garden  and that they eat from it and share it with everyone.

Why did you step onto this path?

Truly believe that Moringa  can heal the World and it's people..

What keeps you on this path?

The results I have seen,  especially in the young children and older people almost immediately.  The network Moringa  is creating and expanding into world wide. The wellness, Joy and the knowledge it is bringing to connect and gather communities.

What do you want Moringa to know about you and your work?

The Moringa Trees are already responding to our love, the honor we give as we eat, share and teach about its goodness .  To bring us more and more people who wants to grow and educate. Then to provide us more and more land to grow . And to bring many women to harvest and make products.

What one question do you have for her?

Do you trust me with your journey to educate the whole world.