161 on the Project Canaan payroll yesterday – employment can bring hope to many

Payday is a great day at Project Canaan.  In Swaziland everyone gets paid once a month and it is on the last workday of the month.  Yesterday Ian prepared payroll for 161 people including farm workers, construction workers and baby home workers. 

In Swaziland it is estimated that each person who is employed is caring for 13 dependents at home.  The unemployment rate is somewhere around 70% causing 65% of all Swazi’s to depend on international food programs to get one meal per day.  Our philosophy is to provide as much employment as we can in order to give a “hand up” rather than a “hand out”. Of course children who have no one caring for them need more help, which is why we use the maize and sugar beans grown by our employees to provide 74,000 hot meals each month through our partner churches all over the country.  It is a beautiful circle that we love to see expanding each month.

Yesterday was a milestone for us because we had had the highest number of people on payroll in three years and if the 13/1 ratio is correct then 1,859 are being cared for through the employee at Project Canaan.

I have included some great photos of people on the farm, harvesting green beans, working in the Lusito Mechanics Shop (shout out to summer intern Danny Comeau from Cape Girardeau, MO), the construction team, the baby home and as of today, the Khutsala Artisans Shop.

I love living at Project Canaan and I love serving God here.  We see His hand each and every day in a mighty way and I am at a loss for words to give sufficient thanks.

Ben and Anthony preparing beans for market.

Stanley and the team harvesting green beans.

Stanley and Anthony do the farm payroll distribution.

Potatoes grown at Project Canaan.

Peter does the construction payroll distribution.

Denis and Danny at the Lusito Mechanics Shop.

Pinky making her first bracelet.

Khosi making beautiful braclets.

Denis helping make some special charms for our jewelry.

Live from Swaziland … employing people can bring home to many.

Janine