In the Summer of 2019 TMP’s Board of Directors went to Ghana to see firsthand how the work the organization has been doing, meet with community members and village leaders, host a medical clinic for the entire village, and work with our team on the ground while planning for the future. One of the longer-term goals TMP has is to have our meal program become self sustaining by growing our own crops. The goal is to accomplish this two ways; 1) grow crops that we use in our meals for the students, 2) grow crops that we can sell in the market and use those funds to supplement the cost of goods we need but can not grow.
While we were in Ghana last year, we discussed this plan with the village leadership and they agreed to provide land to begin this farming project. To kick-off this project TMP hired local farmers to prepare the land and have since provided income for weeding and harvesting. In our school farm we’ve begun by planting beans, red pepper, and okra. The harvest of beans and okra will go directly into the school meals. Red pepper is a staple of many Ghanaian meals and it is an important ingredient in meals served at TMP Academy. Our plan is to use a portion of the harvested red pepper in our meals and sell the remaining crop at the market.
All signs point to a great first harvest of the beans and okra (red pepper isn’t ready for harvest yet) and we have already begun to see a benefit to TMP Academy and the meals served each day. Tsipasi community members have been instrumental in making this first round a success and it has been wonderful working alongside them in the interest of the communities children. Stay tuned for more farming updates as we grow and develop the program.