Rachel  Zedeck

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BPF Corn towers above the rest
Carrotzilla attacks helpless Nokia
Backpack Farming
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Back Pack Farm ~ Sustainable Farming
Back Pack Farm ~ Sustainable Farming
BPF Corn towers above the rest
BPF Corn towers above the rest
Carrotzilla attacks helpless Nokia
Carrotzilla attacks helpless Nokia
Backpack Farming
Backpack Farming
Women Farmers
Women Farmers
Orphans in Kenya
Orphans in Kenya
USA Food Aid
USA Food Aid
The "Hut" Training Meeting
The "Hut" Training Meeting

A Farm in a Backpack - Working with Eco-Friendly Farming to Help Africans to Feed Africa

I work in East Africa on a personal mission to incubate projects which will help feed Africa and then the rest of the world. My projects include the Backpack Farm Program, a canvas backpack filled with eco-friendly agriculture inputs and training a rural farmer needs to triple the quantity and quality of food they produce. I believe it is possible to end the food crisis in Sub Saharan Africa using eco-friendly models of development.

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Rachel Zedeck The Dark Side of Working in Africa

Mar 12, 2010 08:44 am

Hello fellow Change Agents ....       To start with the climax; on Wednesday evening, I and a member of my volunteer team Sara were hijacked by 10 men with machetes.  Yes, a machete is a big knife used to cut through the bush in Africa.  In a split second, I watched a gang of men emerge from the bush, surround us an... Continue reading The Dark Side of Working in Africa

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Jen_Changents
March 12, 2010 - 3:31pm
Rachel it is so good to hear that you are okay. Thank god. This is an amazing and moving story and keeps the reality fresh in our minds that you are working in Africa where everyday happenings there are far from our minds and where we live. I really appreciate you sharing this story. My heart goes out to you and your friends. You're doing such wonderful things for the people there and I know those women you're helping will NEVER forget your good work. I hope you can get some rest.
Alex
March 12, 2010 - 9:13pm
Rachel, over the years when speaking of Change Agents, Deron and I have often used the phrase "life on the line." To us, that has broadly meant Change Agents putting their personal well-being - physical, financial, family, reputation, career, etc. - at risk in the interest of furthering the good they are pursuing in the world. That said, the experience you've related here is the real deal. Very dangerous, very life threatening, very scary. It's a blessing that all you and your friends lost were possessions (albeit important to your work). I also like to say that doing good is the hardest job anyone will every undertake. Don't you know it! Thank you for maintaining your courage and commitment. If there is anything the Changents team can do to help, don't hesitate to let us know.
Andy Laties
March 12, 2010 - 9:39pm
You are so brave. This blogpost makes me want to crawl under the covers.
RachelKenya
March 13, 2010 - 1:23am
Thank you for the supportive comments but I am not a superhuman or saint. I have simply invested too much time and money to leave everything behind. Don't get me wrong, I cried like a baby when my father called me yesterday and I told him I was going home, "screw Africa!" He told me to breathe but would support whatever decision I made and reminded me there are only 2 true emotions; fear and love. After everything I have experienced and invested in Africa (both good and bad) I refuse to walk away in fear, not when there is so much work to be done and I am so close to not being poor. Maybe I am simply being a practical humanist.
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Rachel 's organization

  • Backpack Farm Agricultural Program
  • www.backpackfarm.org
  • Bottom of the pyramid value chains targeting small landholder farmers’ production models with cutting edge technology, programming and market development.

Fast Facts

  • Managing Director
  • Nairobi , Kenya
  • Posted: Oct 20, 2009
  • Last Updated: Mar 13, 2010
  • Focus Area: Hunger
  • Website: www.Backpackfarm.org

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  • 126 Clicks to Backpack Farm Agricultural Program
  • 22 Backers for Rachel
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