Wednesday, February 17, 2010

PROGRESS REPORT (Jan-Feb)

Moringa project
• Visited Adilisha (company that grows and produces moringa products outside Mwanza)
• Purchased moringa powder and seeds
• Obtained suggested dosage information and health claims from the company; currently seeking
literature and other nutrient information from the company
• Researched nutrient content of Moringa oleifera
• Found fresh moringa grown in Mabatini, harvested some, dried it and ground it
• Combined different amounts of our homemade moringa powder with Fiti yoghurt
• Planning with the Mamas to plant moringa at the Nyamhongolo site
• Completing ethics approval form to send to UWO to cover the whole project
• Arranged a meeting with Dr. Changalucha (NIMR) for this Friday to discuss lab space for testing
viability of GR-1/quality control, etc
• Next steps: mix fresh moringa with the yoghurt, test viability of the GR-1 strain in the fortified
yoghurt with different amounts of moringa added, perform sensory evaluations

Porridge project
• Goal: develop a porridge by fermenting millet, cassava flour, maize
• Located and purchased maize/corn flour, millet, sorghum, and cassava
• Discussed with various locals their methods of making porridge and ugali using different grains
• Next steps: try different fermenting methods, try drying methods for cassava

Joke’s clinical trial

• Having regular meetings with Joke to discuss logistics
• Reviewed task list and roles with Joke
• Olivia’s role: quality control of the supplemented and non- supplemented yoghurt three times per
week throughout the trial
• Steph’s role: assisting with distribution of the yoghurt, follow-up if patients do not show up for
yoghurt intake, checking that all patients receive yoghurt collecting samples and supplies if
needed
• Beginning recruitment on Feb. 23rd (ie flyers and posters around Mabatini and Mlango Moja areas,
etc)

Sensory testing of yoghurt with thickening agents

• purchased gelatin, tapioca flour, potato flour, white rice flour, soy flour, and potato starch in
Canada, and Sensory Testing Methods by Edgar et al
• working on producing homemade sweet potato flour/obtaining information from Roy
• discussed with Ellena her plans for testing with sweet potato flour- she has not begun and may not
be able to
• reviewed Ashley Motrans documents from the sensory testing done with gelatin and MSNF in summer
2009

Tukwamuane Women's Group

• Meetings every Monday with interns, Mamas and Esther
• New leadership positions were filled by election at the first meeting. Mama Joyce is the new
Chairperson, etc. The position of Discipline Chairperson has been introduced
• Visited the Nyamhongolo site, discussed expansion plans, etc
• Noted a need for quality control of the yoghurt. It is consistently lumpy. Community members have
vocalized that they prefer it this way, and we have even heard people ask specifically for lumpy
yoghurt. We think a sensory evaluation could be useful to test the acceptability and preferences
of different consistencies
• Developed tracking sheets for Mamas salaries and hired help salaries, milk collection, sales, etc
as well as a task completion list for each week for the Mamas
• Looked into purchasing an umbrella, table and chairs for yoghurt sales outside the kitchen like
other vendors in town. Received a reduced price offer of 24, 000 Tsh for an umbrella and 9, 000
Tsh per chair. Mamas like this idea.
• Need to hire 3 more Mamas

Yoghurt Packaging

• Investigated Best Pack Ltd thoroughly. They seemed to be an excellent option as the transportation
of the packaging to the kitchen from Arusha would be very inexpensive. The Mamas have decided
however that the packages are too expensive.
• Currently investigating Tetra Pak (Nairobi), Bright Oyat Manufacturer (Mwanza), Dennis Shio
Packaging (Arusha), and Event Solutions (Nairobi)
• Spoke with Roy about the bags and straws used in Oyugis. He is looking into transport options to
Mwanza from Nairobi (where they are manufactured)
• Discovered a huge box of the Oyugis bags at the yoghurt kitchen, as well as a sealer. This was a
shock; no one seemed to know about this
• The sealer works, and the bags hold exactly 250 ml of liquid with enough room to seal properly
• We hope to use this as a temporary option for selling yoghurt in the market until we can either
find a different option or begin ordering more bags from Kenya.

Yoghurt Selling ideas
• Discussed with the Mamas the idea of “junior mamas” and allowing students, volunteers and/or
children of the Mamas to take yoghurt to sell in the market
• Working to develop more ideas to increase sales. There is already a long list of possibilities,
for example the manager at Tunza is interested in having it on their menu. These will all be more
feasible once packaging is established.

Funding $

• Working on the SCF grant that will be submitted ASAP. A budget and expansion plan needs to be
completed
• Mwanza City Council- planning a meeting with Mukama

NIMR (National Institute of Medical Research)

• Spoke with lab staff to arrange lab space to do quality control of yoghurt
• Waiting to meet with Dr. Changalucha to run this by him

SAUT (St. Augustine University)
meeting with Mary Mushi
• Discussed integrating health benefits into course credit for a science or social science course.
Mary agreed to contact the Vice Chancellor to see if there has been any progress with this
• Vice Chancellor needs to be contacted for main campus (social science)- he is out of office
presently. Professor Mongolie is our contact for Bugando campus (medical sciences).
• Discussed interns from SAUT to be matched up with us
• This will have to wait until after exams
• Discussed the WHE account. Account is dormant, accountant is on study leave. A new account may
need to be opened for Esther, pending confirmation
• Discussed having SAUT students help to teach English and Computer skills at Buswelu primary and
Mtoni high school.

Mtoni Secondary School

• Discussed options for the funds from Clark Road, waiting for a decision from the faculty.
• Met with the assistant headmaster, toured the school, compared Mtoni education systems to systems
used in Canada (ie truancy, student government, etc) greeted the student body, discussed making
videos to bring back to Clark Road, etc

Other women’s groups to produce yoghurt

• Discussed possibilities with Maimuna. She mentioned 4 groups that she knows of in rural areas.
• A women’s group called Shedefa is interested in being trained by the TWG Mamas. They are all HIV
positive, they have their own cows and milk supply, a house and resources for cooling, etc.
• Providing assistance to TWG to prepare a budget and/or list of items that Shedefa will need for
production
• Two TWG Mamas will train Shedefa

Awareness/Education

• Shot a video of Mama Paskwalina discussing the benefits of the project in the community, with
Esther translating.
• Star TV looked for the clips from the November steering committee meeting but didn’t find them.
• Identified a need for awareness within the Mwanza community about the benefits of
probiotics/spread of HIV/use of the yoghurt for the general population/importance of ARVs despite
benefits of probiotics, etc

Miscellaneous

• Looked into internet options for the intern apartment
• Tilapia is far and costs 2, 000 Tsh per hour plus transport there (usually 2, 000 Tsh)
• Internet café near apartment closes sporadically for days at a time, and otherwise closes at 7 PM
(end of our work day)
• We are taking Kiswahili lessons from Gaudance for an hour three times per week

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