Learning About Green Smoothies in East Africa

Amazingly awesome; Valya and Victoria Boutenko of the Raw Family have been in Kenya teaching locals ways to consume the organic greens they have been growing with the help of non-profit Organics 4 Orphans.

Vitamix even donated blenders for the cause. 

Maybe I will carry the torch when we move to Senegal.  This inspires me so much.

I've posted the full article below from their newsletter, because I wasn't able to link to it their site.

From Kenya

Dear Friends.

I am sending you this newsletter from Kenya Africa.

Valya and I are witnessing a great health revolution here. Thousands of African adults and children are learning to grow organic greens and to eat them daily. Several churches are serving green smoothies on Sundays because most people don't have electricity at home.

It all started several years ago, when a Canadian couple, Dale and Linda Bolton, learned that 30 million orphans were starving in Africa. Dale and Linda realized that it was impossible to feed all these children. That is why they co-founded a non profit organization called, "Organics 4 Orphans." (www.organics4orphans.org) Five years ago, they started training African people to grow vegetables organically. They trained several experts in organic biodynamic gardening who continue to constantly train others. In four years, they have created over 120 huge gardens one of which is pictured below.

Every one of these gardens received organic seeds, tools, and training from Organic4Orphans. When it was necessary, this organization helped to drill a well and to repair houses. Each garden is cared for by 6-12 women.

Each of these groups of women takes care of up to 100 orphans ages 2-10. Together they grow predominantly green vegetables.

Last year Dale contacted me asking for help. "How can we inspire the growers to eat their own greens?" he asked. Their organization had taught Africans to grow delicious greens, but they had a hard time teaching them to actually consume those crops. Valya and I decided to fly to Africa. I wrote a letter to the president of Vitamix Corporation and told him about this project. In response, Vitamix generously donated six blenders for this project. Three weeks ago, Valya and I arrived in Kenya and began teaching. Every day we visited numerous farms, schools, and churches.

We met with several African people who reversed many illnesses by simply adding lots of fresh greens to their meals. We asked these people to come and share their stories in front of large audiences. The six blenders became handy. Each time we brought enough smoothies for hundreds of people to taste.

In addition we washed greens and passed them out to our audience. I have never seen anyone munching greens with such positive enthusiasm. When Valya and I teach, our listeners are very attentive and ask lots of questions. Several students from Zambia, Zimbabwe, Congo, and other countries came to study with us.

We are greatly inspired by what we see in Kenya. We hope that this great African healing with greens will bring health to many other countries including North America.

Valya is videotaping our activities. Just wait until we return back home, and she will put together several short videos for you to watch on youtube. Greens are ending poverty and hunger in Africa, and Africa is inspiring the rest of the world to become healthy the natural way.