Project: Peanut Butter Project

Description of the Project

Epilepsy Support Foundation of Zimbabwe has been provided with financial support to establish a peanut butter processing project that will benefit 70 rural dwelling people and 30 city dwellers, all of whom have epilepsy.

The Epilepsy Centre provides the ideal location for the workshop, providing a clinic, social support and is located in Harare, Zimbabwe’s largest commercial zone.

Objectives of the Project

• Improve income generation skills of 100 unemployed breadwinners with epilepsy.
• Provide an opportunity for the trained breadwinners to use their new skills to earn income to support their families.
• Provide an opportunity for rural people with epilepsy to earn income.

Activities of the Project

• Train the breadwinners in peanut butter making and trading for 2 months.
• Renovate an existing building at the Epilepsy Centre into a training and employment workshop.
• Employ trained breadwinners at the new workshop.
• Train the rural members in peanut production and trading.
• Purchase peanuts for the workshop from trained rural people with epilepsy.

Monitoring and Evaluation

A quality of life (QOL) study will be used to recruit into the project, candidates whose QOL is below 40% (using the Epilepsy Support Foundation QOL index). The variables measured by the research instrument will be biased towards the economic life of the individuals. Afterwards, QOL studies for all candidates at the workshop will be carried and analyzed repeatedly. Those who make positive achievements will be recommended for self projects at home if their QOL is rated above 70%. A control group of 100 more candidates will be used to compare QOL results. Overall, this project expects to improve the quality of life of candidates and their families by a very big margin averaging 75%. The income of candidates is expected to rise from US$5 per month to US$60 per month, enough to take them above the poverty datum line.

Project Partners

• Zelco Cellular: donation of 5 peanut butter machines.
• Tanroy Engineering: contribution with training in machine use and repairs.
• ESF trustees: contribution with training in trading, pit sand and small stones for construction and a peanut butter maker (part-time).
• Zimbabwe League Against Epilepsy: Assistance with Occupational Therapy and health
• Quality of Life Studies – Institute of Social Development