Climate Smart Aquacultural STEM Education Bridges the Gender Gap, brings Financial resilience and Economic empowerment among marginalized girls/women in Zambia – Funded by FREE STEM FUND, UK.

We are most proud and grateful to FREE STEM FUND and Women Win for the grant support which has enabled us to achieve the following results/successes and impact in the last 12 months of this project:

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  50 marginalized black indigenous rural girls introduced to computer science for the first time and have been trained in basic computer science and software repair. It is most exciting to see village girls drive computers successfully and teach others.

Ø   16 other black indigenous marginalized girls have learnt “Computer Basics” from the 50 girls directly trained through STEM project

Ø   Procured 5 computers and 1 printer for training the 50 girls in computer science.

Ø   56 women/girls trained and empowered in Mono-sex Aquaculture Technology and value chain marketing and these beneficiaries spearhead community fish breeding at the fish breeding HUB and in the community.

Ø   38 women and girls have established their own fish ponds so they can create sustainable financial resilience through value chain fish enterprise whilst breeding fish for other girls/women in the community.

Ø   96 women/girls trained and empowered in Banana Tissue Culture Technology.

Ø   32, 971 Tissue Cultured Williams Bananas successfully cultured and still planting,

Ø   8 Banana fields integrated with horticulture established.

Ø   3 women groups have started earning income: K58, 630 (€3, 257) from integrated Banana Tissue Culture and Horticulture – paving the way to Financial Empowerment, resilience and sustainability among marginalized indigenous girls/women.

Ø   22, 890 cement blocks, 34 tons of Building sand, 50 tons of River sand procured, using revenue from Aquaculture and Banana Tissue Culture, to establish a Restaurant as Value Chain marketing of Aquaculture Enterprise to enhance organization sustainability and project, scale-up and  continuum.

Ø   K73,540 (€4,085) revenue raised from Climate Smart Aquacultural STEM Livelihoods

Ø   1 Motor cycle procured, using the revenue earned from Climate Smart Aquaculture and Banana Tissue Culture Technology Enterprises, to be transport girls daily to Mkowe Secondary schools (more than 24 kilometers away) from their homes.

Ø   12 double beds procured using revenue from Aquacultural STEM for girls accommodation during incoming STEM Trainings

Ø   34 women and girls have established “Family-Owned Banana Plantations” to enhance Family economic empowerment and Financial resilience

Ø   10 women/girls trained and empowered in installation and repair of Climate Smart Solar irrigation systems have successfully installed 4 solar systems at: PAZESA Horticultural Community, 1 at Chingaipe village and 2 at Tazwela village.

Ø   12 female headed households/families with a total of 124 women and children are benefiting from the STEM Skills of 10 women/girls through solar horticulture installed by girls/women.

Ø   137 women and girls have started earning income from integrated Solar Horticulture and Banana Tissue Culture Plantation -  installed and run by women and funded by FREE STEM FUND/Women Win

 

Fish raised on this organic feed and conditions grows 60% faster, is tastier and increases household income from living on less than US$0.3/day to US$10/day within 1 year. Thus reducing poverty and creating descent self-sufficient jobs for marginalized people. Amaranthus (Amaranths) is high in edible proteins (16%), amino acids, vitamins, Omega 3 and 6, natural “ovaprim” (molecular formula C₁₈H₁₀₉CIN₂₄O₁₄) and Cytokinin which promotes rapid fish breeding and growth with improved fish fillet at 4-6 months of age for Tilapia {Rendalli (Red Breast Breams), Andersonii and Niloticus} and Cat-Fish (Clarias Gariepinus). Ovaprim is a potent ovulating/spermiating agent used to promote and facilitate reproduction of many species of fish.  Ovaprim is a stable solution that contains OvaRH and a dopamine inhibitor.  Ovaprim utilizes the fish’s own endocrine system to safely induce maturation and coordinate spawning dates.  When used in the normal spawning cycle, Ovaprim can synchronize and coordinate maturation in treated fish by inducing maturation without affecting viability or fecundity, resulting in highly predictable ovulation, with high egg fertility and viability.

Efficacy and Effectiveness of Amaranthus Biomass fortified Fish Feed

Amaranthus Biomass fortified feed is highly cost effective, 70% cheaper, 98% effective and readily available than Commercial feed and can be produced at the farm using Eco-friendly locally available raw materials. Use natural Ovaprim found in Amaranthus:

·      Induces maturation within a spawning season

·      Advances spawning date

·      Coordinates and synchronize spawning times

·      Increases milt production including increased sperm count

·      Induces maturation in difficult species

·      Induces spawning in the most important and difficult to spawn species

Thank you:

 

 and

 for financial support