Madalitso Food Plant

Lumbadzi, Malawi From the far north they came. And up from the south. By plane, by bus, by car, by bicycle, but most came walking to the big event. There were political figures from all three administrations of the Malawi government. Members of the Malawi Parliament came from many regions. Traditional African chiefs came in order to speak and to be in attendance for the event. Business leaders came, as did media representatives from America.

First, the main room filled. Then the side room all the way to the doors, as the people pressed in closer and closer. Then there was only standing room both on the inside and out. They even climbed atop the bags of grain in order to be in attendance on this historic day. As one political figure indicated to the crowd during the ceremony, "It is the first time in the history of Malawi that a production facility of such caliber has ever been built in a village area outside of the cities."

It was November 3, and the day the Madalitso Food Plant opened in Lumbadzi, next to Blessings Hospital.

Construction began in March, 2004. The now-completed plant will produce enough food to feed 24,000 children a day, and reflects the cooperative efforts of a number of international aid organizations. Just two days before the November 3 event, officials from Nu Skin Enterprises, Nourish The Children and the Lee Iacocca Foundation arrived in Malawi aboard a private jet from America. They joined associates already in attendance from Norway and the United States, as well aid agencies that included Feed The Children International, Healing Hands International and The Malawi Project for the dedication and opening of the food plant.

Attendance had been predicted to reach nearly 1,000. In fact, it swelled to over 3,000 as Malawians celebrated this remarkable achievement that had been completed in less than a year from its inception.

A memorial plaque was presented, and a red ribbon cut by the officials in attendance. Many important people had come for the event, but none more important than the construction workers who had committed their blood, sweat and labor during past months to complete the project in record time. They held seats of honor near the front of the auditorium and were awarded with certificates of appreciation, and a live chicken to carry home for family celebrations.

No sooner had the ribbon been removed from the grand opening, and the crowds completed their tours of the facility, than the production workers moved into position and food started coming off the end of the line. In less than a week the workers were able to set a record to be topped; 2000 bags of Vita Meals in a single day. That is enough food to feed 2000 children for 30 days, and it was produced in a single record-setting day.

Plans call for a minimum of 1000 bags a day in production, but the work crew showed management just how far they could stretch the minimum requirements.

Nourish The Children, Feed The Children, Nu Skin Enterprises, Force For Good Foundation, Lee Iacocca Foundation, Healing Hands International, Blessings Hospital, and the Malawi Project joined their efforts into one, and coupled with the cooperation of the Malawi government and local traditional authorities, the plant went from ground breaking to opening in only 10 months. Without the usual problems in trying to carry out a program of this type in a third or fourth world nation, everyone involved could see a Divine Hand involved in the success of the endeavor.

Agriculture programs that now include over 33,000 farmers will help "feed" the needs of the plant in soybeans and maize corn. Vitamins and minerals will be shipped to the plant from Nourish The Children, and Nourish The Children will purchase, and then donate to the Malawi Project the first 24,000 packages of food a month.

The food being produced in this first-of-a-kind facility is not just food to fill stomachs. Each program carried out by the Malawi Project is targeted to be the best it can be, and a program that will be a pace-setting example to other aid organizations. The food plant is an excellent example of this effort to excel. The food that is being produced carries a highly enhanced vitamin and mineral mix that contains the following needed vitamins and minerals for the health of the children eating it. Seldom will these children have a meal that will be as good for their health as the Vita Meals that come from the Madalistso Food Plant.

Plans for the plant will not only focus on distribution of food aid through the programs of Blessings Hospital and the Malawi Project but also will focus on assisting other aid organizations in Malawi, and in the nations surrounding this tiny spot in the sub-Sahara.