Grain from the desert

Help the Egyptian church grow grain in the desert!

The Bible is tells us about a wonderful promise: ‘The desert will bloom.’ We see that happening in Israel, and it is going to happen in Egypt! The plans have already been developed!

Urgency
In the southern part of Egypt is a lot of poverty. Around the city of Al Qusseya, the majority of the population lives even below the poverty line.  Unemployment is huge in this area. About 30% of the population is Christian. These people, like their Muslim neighbors, suffer due to lack of work and income. The situation has worsened greatly in 2022 as food prices have doubled. Everything is imported; the country itself produces far too little food.

Project
The Nile Valley Foundation, under the leadership of founder Jos Strengholt, has been active in Egypt for 30 years. They work intensively with the Coptic Church in the Al Qusseya region. The church is an important ‘player’ in this area. It wants to give substance to poor care in a practical way. In that context, it wants to purchase a total of 189 (!) hectares of desert land with the aim of clearing it into cropland for the cultivation of grain.

‘Your one-time donation will give thousands of our church members in Al Qusseya the help that allows them to survive.’ –  Bisschop Thomas from Al Qusseya

Approach
We are starting with a 21-acre pilot. The dry desert land has already been purchased by the church, a well has been drilled, but now the land needs to be fertilized and an irrigation system installed. We hope to sow in November 2023, to bring in the first major harvest in May 2024. The majority, or 60% will be used to bake bread for the poorest of the poor. The remaining 40% of the harvest will be sold and the proceeds will be used to do necessary repairs to the irrigation system and to buy seeds for the next season.

Impact
Each year, this 21-hectare project will produce 150-180 tons of grain (wheat). With that, 180,000 – 200,000 loaves of bread can be baked! Enough to feed about 1,000 destitute families (about 5,000 people) each year. In the context of food security, this project offers a great perspective. Moreover, through this project 150 farmers will also have work, and be trained in ecologically responsible farming.

Costs
The church has invested in the purchase of the 21 acres of land. To start the project, short-term financing (before June 2023) is needed for the purchase and installation of irrigation systems, and the purchase of seed and fertilizer materials. In addition, there are costs for project supervision, etc. The one-time cost for this project is $125,000. Once the project is up and running and the crops catch on, no more donation money will be needed after the first harvest! So this is a one-time support needed to get the ‘engine’ of grain production going. After that, the project can continue independently and is financially sustainable.

Unique ‘investment’ project!
This project appeals enormously to the imagination: 21 hectares of desert become cropland! Although the first experiences are positive, this project is still a pilot and therefore also ‘exciting’ whether it will eventually be successful. Would you like to ‘invest’ in such a project? With your one-time donation you can make a big change. By doing so, you will help the Coptic brothers and sisters who are already struggling in Egypt to be able to feed their children. Moreover, this pilot will attract more investments in the future as we demonstrate how effective these donations are.

Missioninvest also offers you the opportunity to participate personally in this project. The total donation required is $125,000 or $6,000 per hectare. MissionInvest The Netherlands will raise $30,000 for this project. The remaining part of $95,000 need to be raised through MissionInvest USA.

The beauty of your support for this project is that the donation you sow now will provide a huge harvest year after year!