Samoan Women's Farming Calendar - Fundraiser to support Organic Cocoa Growers
Help our women farmers build better facilities to process their cocoa for export, which directly supports the NZ Chocolate/Food sector.
Auckland
Ms Sunshine Organic Farms Charitable Trust is based in Samoa, but we work across the Pacific region to support women farming initiatives that improve the Livelihoods of Pacific Women Farmers. Currently we have a Cocoa Project in Samoa which brought together 12 women champion growers, who are featured in this Women's Farming Calendar initiative.
Our Collective is raising funds to build cocoa drying houses and purchase fermenting equipment to improve our on-farm processes for export-quality beans.
We published this amazing calendar in June this year, hoping to sell it in Samoa, New Zealand, Australia and American Samoa, to get the support of our community through our markets and Pacific spaces. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 lockdowns have impacted our project both in NZ and Australia, where we had retail outlets that have been closed since August.
The only way we can reach our goal at this late stage, is by fundraising, but still send out the calendar to all our donors.
These women are role-modeling for the next generation of women growers in the Pacific, because we all have to eat and we all need a farmer to grow our food.
Please Donate $20 before the end of January and we will send you a calendar within NZ. If you are outside NZ please donate $40 to get a copy. Fa'afetai tele lava.
Use of funds
Funds will build each farmer a cocoa dry house and purchase/build fermenting boxes and equipment to improve their on-farm processes for export quality cocoa beans. Beans are for export to New Zealand and Australian organic and premium markets.
Latest update
NZD$22,100 RAISED FOR SAMOAN WOMEN FARMERS 30 May 2022
Last week we closed off our Fundraiser activities at Blessed Earth Plantation in Saleimoa, the home our members Suela and Tausala Cook. Despite the restrictions of Covid-19 lockdowns which highly impacted our activities, we still managed to raise NZD$22,100. We didn't reach our goal of SAT$60,000, but at least with something...the women could start to purchase materials and begin building their dry-houses.
The women actually worked for this money by having their photo taken, setting up markets, attending promotional evenings and meeting together to run trainings, and plan activities to improve their farm and livelihoods.
As a result of this 1-year initiative, seven of our women export their cocoa; a permanent market for 3-days has been set up for their produce to be sold locally; all farms now have a regular online presence to promote their activities, and we continue to support each other on the ground.
This initiator of the Calendar; Ms Sunshine Organic Farms Charitable Trust is also the creator and producer of the upcoming show @pacificcacaoandchocolate in Auckland, on July 23rd. (www.pacificcacao.org.nz).
Five of our group are exhibiting to represent Samoa at this inaugural Pacific cocoa event.
We continue to be supported by our major partners SPS Biosecurity, Grow Asia Pacific and MFAT NZ.
But our deepest appreciation goes out to all our donors for helping to make this happen. Fa'afetai tele lava le Alofa ma le agalelei.
If you wish to meet our farming group please come to the Pacific Cacao & Chocolate 2022 Show. Book on; https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/pacific-cacao-chocolate-show-2022-tickets-297454052077
Our Samoan Booth is especially Sponsored by our Fairtrade and Organic partner https://fairtradeanz.org/. Thank you for your support of women farmers.
Latest donations
Thank you again. Please allow me to send you a few more calendars while I'm still stuck in NZ for another week.
Thanks for your kind donation. God bless.
Thank you for your continued support. Bless.
Thank you so much!
Thank you for your kind donation. where can I send you the calendars please?
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