Previously: Friends of the Poor in South India
COCONUT PLANTAION
We ran a substantial fund-raising campaign for the purchase of this beautiful oasis to provide employment, pride and solidarity for those who tend the trees. The coconut tree is locally called the ‘tree of life’ because every part of the plant is used to provide the essentials of life. Through the sale of the coconuts a sustainable income source is produced which then helps maintain the many other projects run by the team.
The land has now been planted with 404 coconut trees, as well as 33 Guava, 15 mango, 7 lemon and 12 nimbooz fruit trees. The growing plantation is now beginning to make financial returns and we expect annual income from the plantation to reach £5,000 once the trees are fully matured. This will provide sustainable funding to cover most of the day-to-day running costs of our Indian team.
The trees are harvested as many as 5 times each year and each time there’s employment for 20-30 women and 3 men, and this in addition to the ongoing care of the trees through the year. The plantation provides a calming oasis for our women and families who care for the plants and trees.
In 20 years the plantation will have generated as much income as the original donated investment. Added to this, from the start, the money invested in the process of planting and maintaining the plantation has provided training and employment to local people. Each time a coconut yield is harvested it will provide employment for 20-30 women and 3 men, and their are 5 harvests a year.
The plantation provides a calming oasis for our women and families who care for the plants and trees.