MINNEAPOLIS, June 4, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Minnesota-based
global NGO MATTER today announced the launch of the Chaya
Kickstarter Campaign, aiming to raise $50,000 to fund the first line of marketable
Chaya products. This initiative will enable women in thriving Chaya
farming cooperatives in Zimbabwe
to turn surplus harvests into sustainable income.
Chaya, a nutrient-dense vegetable, already improving the
nutrition and health of communities in Zimbabwe, is now poised to improve the
economic health of countless families across the country. Through
the newly opened Chidobe Chaya Processing Center in Victoria Falls, women in the farming co-ops will
be able to sell their Chaya to be dried and processed into
marketable products within Zimbabwe and beyond. Initial product
development will include freeze-dried Chaya leaves for use with
meals, as well Chaya protein powder for use in the supplement and
plant protein markets. These products align with the expected
growth of the plant protein market, projected globally to reach USD
$23 billion by 2033, according to
research by Custom Market Insights.
Chris Newhouse, Executive
Director of Sustainability at MATTER, highlighted the dual benefits
of this initiative, "By selling their Chaya, the women in the
co-ops will receive an immediate economic benefit. Additionally, we
are empowering the women working in the Chidobe co-op with the
skills needed to manufacture value-added products at the processing
center, providing them with additional income."
Chaya's importance is underscored by Zimbabwe's recent declaration of a national
disaster on April 3, 2024, given
drought conditions and the resulting food crisis. According to the
World Food Program, 13.6 million people are food insecure at the
crisis level in Southern Africa.
UNICEF reports that nearly a quarter of children under five in
Zimbabwe are affected by stunting,
impacting their physical growth, cognitive development, and school
performance, leading to lifelong consequences. Chaya, not only
drought resistant but also highly nutritious, fights malnutrition
and stunting, offering protein, calcium, iron, and Vitamins A and
C.
Learn more or contribute to this impactful Chaya Kickstarter
Campaign!
About MATTER
MATTER, a Minnesota-based global NGO, brings together
the best companies, experts, problem solvers and above all, doers,
to launch projects that improve communities. This collaborative
movement has inspired solutions in health access, providing
beneficial meals for children and families, regenerative
agriculture, and student-centered education, collectively impacting
more than 51 million lives. MATTER's guiding belief is encapsulated
in the simple yet powerful expression, YOU MATTER. Learn more at
www.matter.ngo.
CONTACT: Brian Numainville
612-467-9141
378547@email4pr.com
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SOURCE MATTER