JustSpirulina
Centers in Africa
RWANDA
JustSpirulina collaborated with the Municipality of Kigali, the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rwanda and the NGO YaLa Africa in a project aimed at incorporating Spirulina in the school feeding scheme, thus providing it directly and easily to as many children as possible.
A Spirulina growing and training center has been established at Gatenga Health and Nutrition Center in Kigali, where nutritionists, agronomists, health care professionals and mothers learned about Spirulina's nutritional value.
Spirulina growing sites have been established at schools in Kigali: College St. Andre; Masaka Groupe Scholaire; and Kimironko - where in October 2015 students from Hertzliya Hebrew Gymnasium in Tel Aviv trained students from these schools in Spirulina growing, harvesting and consuming.
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
 |  |
SOUTH AFRICA
In February 2014 the JustSpirulina team embarked on its first journey outside Israel, intent on passing the Spirulina knowledge to students in the Cape Town area, thus creating another link in our CHAIN OF NUTRITION AND SOLIDARITY.
JustSpirulina partnered with Learning Academy Worldwide and students from Hertzliya Hebrew Gymnasium in Tel Aviv taught students from 5 schools in the Cape Town area: Cape Academy for Maths, Science and Technology; Grabouw High School; Groenberg Secondary School; De Rust Futura Academy; Heathfield High School.
Extraordinarily, these youngsters were able – just by their enthusiasm and energy – to overcome the skepticism and cynicism that the adults – teachers and principals – were in many instances inhibited by.
Their energies were “contagious”. The kids were actually the ones to persuade even the most stubborn principals to join the project. A year later, in March 2015, a group from Cape Academy for Maths, Science and Technology presented the Spirulina project in a national contest for innovation in education and won first prize.
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
 |
Watch a video created by a Learning Academy Worldwide South Africa on their Collaborative with Herzliya Gymnasium.
CONGO
The JustSpirulina training trip to Rwanda in 2015 was also the beginning of a journey aimed at bringing Spirulina to the Democratic Republic of Congo and the genesis of a partnership with Africa 2030, Pole Pole Foundation (DRC) and Centre de Recherche en Sciences Naturelles de Lwiro (DRC).
In September 2015 students from Hertzliya Hebrew Gymnasium in Tel Aviv trained students and teachers from Anga-POPOF school (Miti, DRC), researchers from CRSN-Lwiro Research Institute and Pole Pole Foundation founder and managers.
The groups spent a week together in Kigali, Rwanda, where they exchanged knowledge and thoughts about Spirulina and malnutrition. Upon returning home, the Congo delegation established Spirulina growing sites at CRSN-Lwiro Research Institute and at Anga-POPOF school.
The Spirulina grown at these sited is provided to malnourished children in the area and clinical studies are conducted on its effects. Evidence gathered through these studies show remarkable results, proving Spirulina to be as effective as World Health Organization protocols for treating severe malnutrition in addition to being a sustainable solution for preventing malnutrition.
Students at Anga-POPOF school who study Spirulina farming go on to training students from other schools in the region. The JustSpirulina peer-training model enables 'bottom up' scaling up, introducing Spirulina to more and more communities.
In the fall of 2018 Pole Pole Foundation leaders came to Israel to prepare the scaling up of Spirulina cultivation in DRC. Marine biologist and Spirulina specialist Baruch Dach shared his extensive knowledge and experience with them and continues to provide ongoing support. Upon returning to DRC, Pole Pole Foundation, together with Africa 2030, established the third - substantially larger - Spirulina cultivation center in Miti-Mululu.
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |
| | |
|---|---|---|
|
ETHIOPIA
In March 2018 the JustSpirulina team visited Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with the aim of starting Spirulina cultivation in the country.
JustSpirulina students provided training and knowhow to the Tiruzer Ethiopia for Africa (TEA) team, as well as to partners at the University of Addis Ababa and the University of Gambella.
Together, we established the first Spirulina cultivation center at TEA compound, where Spirulina is now being successfully cultivated with the aim of providing it to malnourished children and starting another center at Gambella University.
Other Projects by JustSpirulina:
