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Here’s how Canadian egg farmers are bringing hope to Eswatini


Longtime readers will have heard about Heart for Africa (Canada) and their vital work in Eswatini. Project Canaan, their development project in the heart of one of the world’s poorest countries, is 2,500 acres of land where expertise and resources come together to fight poverty. One of the core activities is agriculture, including egg and dairy farming, all to help feed hungry communities nearby. With more than 280 people employed at Project Canaan, each responsible for feeding an average of 13 people at home, this group is making an enormous impact on the ground.

When Egg Farmers of Canada found out about the work they were doing, we had to help. The story of our partnership to build and manage an egg barn—bringing a desperately needed source of protein to this community—is a story worth telling. Now three years into our partnership, we asked one of the key players to share an update and tell us more about the impact of eggs on the community: Ian Maxwell, who co-founded Heart for Africa (Canada) alongside his wife Janine.

“We have thirty partners all over Eswatini that we deliver eggs to once every two weeks. It takes us ten days and 3,500 kilometres to deliver all these eggs. It’s such an important source of protein for these kids,” says Ian. He tells the story of one Swazi homestead where a group of kids were found lying lethargic in the grass.

“They hadn’t eaten for three days,” Ian describes, “but after helping them eat an egg, they were running around like kids again within fifteen minutes.”

Through these eggs and Project Canaan’s other initiatives, Ian and Janine help feed 3,200 children every week.

The progress made in Eswatini in just a few years is thanks to the dedication of volunteers. Today Project Canaan produces 4,000 fresh eggs each day for the community and supplements 880,000 meals each year to rural parts of Eswatini. Each meal includes local eggs, which provide nutrients needed to fight disease, as well as build an effective immune response to life-saving vaccinations.

“Before the egg barn,” says Ian, “we used to put together a rice pack with all the vitamins and minerals a person would need… but it didn’t address the issue of protein deficiency. Eggs did. They’re the perfect protein. This has been a huge advancement for our program.”

Building the egg barns was an incredible achievement, but our job isn’t done yet. Egg Farmers of Canada has committed to helping Project Canaan for years to come, but to do it we need to fundraise. Every dollar donated helps us cover the ongoing operating costs of the egg barn—and helps this community in Eswatini.

Join us in giving nutritious eggs, and a better chance at life, to kids in need

Your generous monthly or annual donation will help bring about lasting, positive change. Click here to add your support to our egg project or to learn how you can become involved. Every dollar helps us feed more children and brings more hope to a place that needs it. Thank you!