Moringa, the Miracle Tree- Meet our Kiva Entrepeneur for April

Have you heard of Moringa?

It’s a ‘supergreen’ - one of the most nutrient-dense plants in the world, with dried leaves outstripping both Kale and Spinach in the level of vitamins, protein, calcium and fibre they contain. As well as the vitamin packed leaves, traditional medicine has used almost every part of Moringa, known as ‘the miracle tree’, including the oil pressed from its seeds, for thousands of years.

It is rocketing in global demand, both as a health food in the developed world, and as an essential resource for humanitarian agencies helping to combat malnutrition in Africa, India and Haiti.

We’re not just sharing this for the good of your health (although that might be a nice side benefit).

Every month we make ‘loans that change lives’ to entrepreneurs without access to traditional banking systems via Kiva.org. This month’s recipient is Salim from Kenya, who is seeking a loan of $300 (around 30,000 Kenyan Shillings) in order to diversify his current farm and start growing Moringa.

In addition to its vast nutritional benefits for humans, Moringa is a seriously smart choice for Kenyan farmers such as Salim. It is a crop which will not only provide him with a healthy return with which to support his seven children, but will also help in the country’s battle against devastating land degradation, drought and desertification; the cause of four major food crises in the last decade alone.

Moringa is fast growing, reaching maturity in 9 months. It is drought-resistant, flourishing in dry, sandy conditions with minimal input. As if all this wasn’t enough, it is also thought to replenish Nitrogen levels in soil, actively improving the ground it grows in.

Moringa truly is a miracle tree, and we are delighted to contribute to its growth in Kenya through lending to Salim. We wish him all the luck in the world with his project- if you feel similarly inspired by his story, follow the link here- https://www.kiva.org/lend/1050765