School Business Shortlisted for Grant

Traditional O'Brien Moringa Medicine has been short-listed for the Pan-African Awards for Entrepreneurship! This student-run business helps the local community by meeting an important need for nutrition while teaching motivated students entrepreneurial skills.

ABOUT THE BUSINESS

The school has over 20 moringa trees, which are also known as "miracle trees." Almost every part of the tree can be used for food, nutritional supplements, or traditional medicine. Countries all over the world have made use of moringa trees for perhaps centuries, and extensive research has been done to prove the trees' many benefits. Products made from the tree are growing in popularity in developed and developing countries alike for their many nutritional benefits and even for their potential to be made into beauty products.

The business is run by the school's Gardening Club, pictured below. Currently they sell moringa seeds and a highly nutritious powder made from moringa leaves. Every year they grow over 400 saplings to hand out to all of their fellow students. Starting this year, the Gardening Club will also teach each class the benefits of the tree, so that students can share these facts with their families, further educating the community and also promoting the business. In the past the school has also partnered with Trees 4 Kilimanjaro, an environmental organization focused on reforestation in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania to help combat rising temperatures melting the glaciers on Mt. Kilimanjaro.

THE SHORT LIST

The Pan-African Awards for Entrepreneurship received over 480 applications this year and only 50 organizations made it onto the short list. Traditional O'Brien Moringa Medicine (listed as O'Brien School for the Maasai) is honored to be recognized, and want to congratulate all other organizations on the list, as well as everyone who applied. We look forward to see who makes it to the next round!