Village Churches Unite Under Joseph Project
Chandiwo Village, Malawi … North of the Mponela Trading Center, and about 12 kilometers south of Madizi, thirteen churches have organized their members into a farm co-operative at Chandiwo Village. The intention is to participate in the Malawi Project’s Joseph Project, a program designed to bring joint community cooperation to raise additional farm crops and store them in community warehouses against possible famine.
Periodically weather conditions throughout sub-Saharan Africa bring catastrophic famine to a large number of the nations south of the Desert. In nations like Malawi the largest segment of the population lives in tiny, mud-hut villages scattered throughout the countryside. Past practices and the difficulty associated with land cultivation, storage, and ready markets make it difficult to integrate new procedures into the traditional one crop a year cultures.
The Malawi Project has instituted two programs called the Joseph Projects, intended to break the cycle of famine through increased crop production, community cooperation, and ample storage to hold harvests from good years in reserve against several shortages years.
Construction is underway on a large storage facility sponsored by 13 area churches.
Preparation for the Joseph Projects started over a year ago when 10,000 booklets called “Prepare” outlined the famine problems, and offered a solution through following the Biblical example of Joseph in the Old Testament when he persuaded Egyptian officials to take measures to prepare for an upcoming famine.