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LAURA HORNBY (CANADA)
We recently heard about a great initiative called “Seeds for Food”. It all started when an individual named Dr. Willem VAN COTTHEM was invited by UNICEF Algeria as an advisor for the project “family gardens” and “school gardens” in the Saharawi refugee camps in South-East Algeria. At the camps he was told by the people that he worked with that the seeds needed to plant these gardens were very expensive. Upon returning home to Belgium, he decided to keep all the seeds from the tropical fruits and vegetables that he and his family were eating and invited his friends and neighbours to do the same. When he returned to the refugee camps he brought all the seeds he had collected and helped to start many gardens. His story can be found at www.seedsforfood.org <http://www.seedsforfood.org> . We have decided to follow his example and collect, rinse and air dry seeds from specific fruits and vegetables (melons, watermelons, pumpkins, peppers, avocados, papayas and eggplants) and send them to the address he has provided. We also would like to share this great idea with you and hope you can help too. On a regular basis, seeds from the above mentioned fruits and vegetables can be rinsed off and left to dry and then placed in a labelled envelope. The seeds can be brought to our house (252 Markham Place, Beaconsfield) and we will collect and mail them out or they can be sent directly to:
Prof. Dr. Willem VAN COTTHEM
Beeweg 36
B-9080 ZAFFELARE (Belgique)
You can also group your seeds with friends and send larger packages to the same address.
This wonderful idea has already helped many families. With your help we do even more!!
Thank you so much!
Gilles, Laura, Jacob, Sam and Aaron
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KRISTEN LEPINE (NEWMARKET, ONTARIO)
Sounds good. I work for a conservation area and there are a about 80 people so hopefully I can get some people to participate. Should I use the address below?
Also, I would be interested to talk to you more about your work. I am hoping to start up some initiatives in Northeast Brazil in the arid/ semi arid region. I have been studying permaculture and am hoping to work with some communities there to work on water purification/ access, solar energy and other things that may be of interest to them, in order to bring about self-reliance and community development at the grassroots level. This project is still in its infancy but any resources would be much appreciated.
I am here in Canada and I know there are many consultants for not-for profits, as well as many organizations, but I am not sure where to start! I have lived in Brazil on and off for a while and I would now like to bring some of my environmental work down there to be able to benefit some of the communities in need.
Warm regards,
Kristen Lepine
Early Actions Coordinator
Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority
120 Bayview Parkway, P.O. Box 282
Newmarket, Ontario L3Y 4X1
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RANDAL SMITH
I have often heard that the seeds from hybrid plants do not reproduce very well. Do you want seeds from hybrid plants? My wife and I have for several years wintered in Arizona. We and many of our neighbors would be most willing to collect seeds, but I am concerned about this hybrid issue. I want to collect seeds, which will reproduce and do some good.
Randal Smith
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KIM HAMMEN (MENASHA, WISCONSIN, USA)
I was searching on the internet for a program that supports gardening in the desert with the Saharawi people, when I stumbled upon your website, seedsforfood.org.
I go to Christ the Rock Community Church in Menasha, WI, USA. Janet Lenz, one of the pastors there is very involved in the Saharawi people’s cause. She spoke at the school where I work about what has been going on with the Saharawi, and gave me some brochures on supporting the desert gardens. I am interested in doing something to help with this.
It is my understanding that UNICEF sponsored the garden initiative at one point, but is no longer doing that. Is Food For Seeds part of UNICEF, or something separate? Is it still an active initiative, and if so, how is it being promoted so that people can find out about it? I think it would be a great project to propose to my school or to my children’s schools to support.
I have the brochures Janet gave me at school, so I couldn’t remember the website, thus my web search that led me to you.
I would love to know more about all of the kinds of seeds you would like to collect to see what I can do, even just in my own family.
I look forward to hearing back from you!
Thank you,
Kim Hammen
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