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URBANDALE, Iowa
- After traveling more than 8,700 miles across land
and ocean, a shipment of textured soy protein (TSP) from Cedar Rapids,
Iowa has reached its southern Africa destination in Zimbabwe. The 348
bags of TSP will provide 200,000 servings of high-protein food for orphans,
pregnant women, people living with HIV and others in need.  The
donation was made possible by Cargill, Rotary International and the World
Initiative for Soy in Human Health (WISHH) Program that is supported by
the Iowa Soybean Promotion Board (ISPB). Cargill donated the TSP while
Rotary Clubs in Odebolt and Rockwell City, Iowa, as well as their Rotary
District and Rotary International raised more than $6,000 for the transportation
costs. The opportunity to share the protein-rich soy with needy people
in Zimbabwe resulted from the ISPB’s support of WISHH, a program
that works with food aid organizations in developing countries.“It is great to see that U.S. soy can make a difference in lives around the world,” says Curt Raasch, a director on the United Soybean Board and soybean grower from Odebolt, Iowa. Raasch helped organize the donation with his colleagues at the Rotary Club. “U.S. food assistance creates friends for America in general and American farmers who produce high-quality soy protein.” TSP is well suited for integration into diverse diets around the world, according to Gregg Nelson, market manager for Cargill’s soy protein business. “TSP provides nutrients without affecting taste, so it can be incorporated into foods that are already liked by local communities,” Nelson says. “It is gratifying to have the opportunity to make this donation because it aligns so closely with Cargill’s stated purpose to be the global leader in nourishing people.”  Development
Aid from People to People (DAPP) was the organization to receive and distribute
the TSP donation in Zimbabwe. DAPP is a member and co-founder of Humana
People to People’s Federation. Their Zimbabwe Chairman Ib Hansen
expressed appreciation for the soy donation, which will couple with his
organization’s “Total Control of the Epidemic” (TCE)
education program to stem the spread ofHIV/AIDS. An estimated 24.6 percent
of Zimbabwe’s adult population is HIV infected. TCE’s health
educators will distribute the soy, along with educational materials on
HIV/AIDS to community volunteers who are trained in the practical preparation
of soy. “Some of them go and start up soy restaurants,” Hansen
says. “Others do soy promotion within the families.Editors: Two photos, showing African aid workers unloading the TSP shipment, are available by request. Please e-mail Keesia Wirt at kwirt@iasoybeans.com for information. Background on WISHH: U.S. soybean organizations, including Iowa’s board, launched WISHH in 2000. It was designed to find new opportunities for U.S. soy in programs that help feed the hungry as well as stimulate economies for long-term sustainable development. To learn more about WISHH, visit www.wishh.org or call Karen Edwards at 703-281-7600. To learn more about Cargill, an international provider of food, agricultural and risk management products and services, visit www.Cargill.com. |
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