Profile | Rachel Zedeck

Viv... fabulous story! Sorry i didn't write sooner but have been a little busy here in Kenya. Management of 3,000 farmers is a huge success! Have they published any social impact studies on the program documenting increased technical capacity, income generation, gender empowerment etc??? If yes, I would love to read the material. I would also love to exchange ideas with Rob Small on training materials. I do wish they weren't spraying the crops with a hose but using drip irrigation. this may simply be a question of expense. If you email me direct, I will be happy to share our designs with you. If they do have some funding we can get them our drip at cost but if not, they can buy PE lines in SA and produce a more informal system. Also ask if they would like any materials on rainwater harvesting ? grow@backpackfarm.org

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.

This is an awesome project. I wish there was something like this when I was young but I lived in the dark ages (hee hee). It really motivates me to be taking & posting more pics and eventually videos. Your story really comes alive because people get to know you are personalities in the videos. I'm also going to forward this story to my friend Val who is working with a group of young teens filming a series of 1 minute videos letting youth tell their stories of Kibera Slums in Nairobi (Larges slum in the world and not a very nice place to grow up). It may not be as high tech but I know your energy will inspire and infect her group with new ideas on how to work together and express themselves.