Our delegate for today is Yasinta Mtambo from Malawi. She will be one of our guest bloggers next week!
Yasinta Mtambo is the Community Development Coordinator for the Anglican Diocese of Southern Malawi and has coordinated the Love’s Harvest programs there for 4 years. Love’s Harvest promotes sustainable agriculture in rural communities by educating people about a practice called Permaculture, which establishes a natural, sustainable method of food production. Permaculture methods reduce dependence on expensive imported fertilizer and mono-cropping, and create a more sustainable, natural and nutritious method of raising crops of perennials, fruit trees, and vegetables together with animals in kitchen and community gardens. Malawi is a nation of subsistence farmers, with agricultural industries centered on corn, tea and tobacco.
Yasinta has also coordinated the work of the Mother’s Union throughout the Diocese of Southern Malawi for the last nine years. This work has included establishing Permaculture kitchen gardens and animal projects as well as ongoing training to sustain the work. She has also trained many women in microenterprise by setting up savings and credit groups of women and providing revolving microloans among the women in the diocese. Currently, Yasinta is studying for her Advanced Diploma in Community Development at Polytechnic under the University of Malawi. She will be making her first trip to the United States to attend this year’s UNCSW and is eager to learn as much as possible at this year’s Commission.