Please join us in supporting farm communities around the world as they work to grow their own food in a lasting way.
Four international visitors from FRB supported programs in Bolivia, Sierra Lenone and Zambia are arriving in the U.S. for three weeks of travel with FRB staff, volunteers and growing projects. They will arrive in separate locations and travel in the Midwest, East and West Coast before all coming to Des Moines, IA for FRB's 2011 Annual Gathering. They will all arrive July 22nd.
International Visitors and Biographies —
John Mac Lamboi
Sierra Leone – Koinadugu Program
John Mac Lamboi works for Catholic Relief Services (CRS) – Sierra Leone as a field agent in FRB’s Koinadugu program and spends 80% of his time in remote villages making sure that farmers save their money and get loans for agricultural purposes. Lamboi holds an advanced degree in Social Sciences and has worked for international NGOs both in Guinea and Sierra Leone.
Casto Mitha
Bolivia – Potosí Program
Casto Mitha is a farmer who has been very involved in the Bolivia Potosí program since its inception in 2005. He is a livestock promoter and is a natural leader. Don* Casto sees his invitation to the U.S. as a good opportunity to give testimony on the learning he has personally acquired and about the results and impacts on his community through the support of the program in its various phases.
*Don (pronounced Doan), used with a man’s first name, is a signifier of respect or courtesy in Spanish
Scene Mudenda
Zambia - Choma Program
Scene Mudenda is the son of a headman in the Chikanta chiefdom in southern Zambia. He holds the degree of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, with a major in Crop Science. He was works for Brethren in Christ Church-Zambia (BICC-Z) Compassionate Ministry – FRB’s local partner - as a Food Security Officer. Scene works with the program participants to diversify crops and livestock, use conservation farming to increase yield, adopt better storage techniques, learn financial resource and water management, obtain leadership skills, and promote cooperative development and basic health education.
Javier Ramírez
Bolivia— Potosi Program
Javier Ramírez is the Executive Director of Fundación Arado (Ploughshares Foundation), a non-governmental non-profit based in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Supported by FRB and Lutheran World Relief (LWR), Fundación Arado is the local partner in our Bolivia - Potosí Program. Javier is an agronomist with 31 years of professional experience in rural development, He has managed Fundación Arado’s administrative and operational projects for food security and basic sanitation in Potosi since 2005.
Alex Morse - Spanish Translator
Alex Morse is completing a summer internship with FRB and is serving as a translator and guide for Casto Mitha and Javier Ramirez during their visit to the US. He is currently working towards a masters degree in international development at the University of Pittsburgh. He has also worked previously in the Dominican Republic and Haiti with FRB's overseas partner Servicio Social de Iglesias Dominicanas, and with other Dominican organizations.
