April is the month of the passion fruit!
When our generous supporter Sumru Erkut bought 100 passion fruit seedlings for the village last June, the plants were barely knee-high. Now, despite the drought and heat they’ve weathered this season, they are producing big, sweet, juicy fruits! The trees began producing last month, and over two hundred fruits are expected to be harvested and sold in April – an impressive number for young plants in a tough growing environment. Passion fruits usually reflower and fruit again after the first harvest, so the bounty is expected to continue well into May.
Village resident Veronica manages the passion fruit project, and each morning and evening she picks the fruits that fall from the trees. She is negotiating with women traders in Tororo town market to sell some of the fruits, generating both food and income for her community. We’re excited by the self-sustaining income that this project has the potential to generate for the girls and families in the village, and we hope to expand and replicate it as time goes on.
If you’d like to donate additional passion fruit seedlings, pineapple seedlings, or other seeds to the families of our mentees, you can send funds designated specifically for this purpose in any amount, and we will ensure they are utilized for the purchase of seeds/seedlings. Look at the lasting impact Sumru’s seedlings have had for the entire village – even the smallest plant or donation can make an enormous difference!
Like the passion fruit seedlings, the girls we support are striving to grow, flourish, and develop everything they need to support themselves. A little water and sunshine go a long way for a tenacious seedling, and your support means the world to a determined girl striving for the life she’s always dreamed of.