Monica Lambert spends a lot of time thinking about food as a Peace Corps volunteer in Madagascar.
‘Volunteers are always thinking about or talking to each other about food, myself included,? said Lambert via e-mail from the world’s fourth-largest island nation, located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa. ‘What did you eat last night? What kind of food did you get in your care package? I miss ____ food. My mom always makes ____ kind of food… One of the things that I miss is bread/sandwiches. What I wouldn’t give for a Jimmy John’s vegetarian sandwich right now as I type this…?
Now the 2006 Brandon High School graduate who earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and pre-law from Northern Michigan University in 2010, is working to make fresh bread a reality for her fellow volunteers, as well as tourists, and provide a business income through the staple for natives.
Since 1960, more than 200,000 Peace Corps volunteers have served in 139 developing countries around the world in various capacities, including education, agriculture, construction and more. The Peace Corps has a mission to promote world peace and friendships through three primary goals? to help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women; to promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the people served; and to promote a better understanding of other people on the part of Americans.
After serving in AmeriCorps in Cape Cod, Mass., for nearly a year, Lambert began her Peace Corps position in Madagascar in March 2013. The country is environmentally diverse, with mountains, rainforests, ocean and desert. She serves the village of Andisibe, with a population of about 15,000, famous for many kinds of orchids, chameleons, geckos, and tree species that are specific to the town, which also has five species of lemurs, including the Indri, which Lambert said has an interesting group of calls that sounds like a whale singing. The Indri’s call is what she wakes up to daily.
The people are friendly and happy in spite of dire poverty.
‘They keep on keepin? on, because that’s all they can do,? she said. ‘There’s poverty everywhere, but people just rise above it… I’ve realized that there are so many traits in people that are just human: a parent taking care of their child, gossip, or the sense of pride one feels when they dress up and have confidence. The sheer joy a child at play feels.?
Agriculture is the main industry outside of large cities, and farmers may have a variety of crops, but always rice.
‘This is the way you eat,? she said, noting that the population survives on rice and side dishes of beans, beef, fish, pork, chicken, cooked greens, potatoes, and cassava, all with a sauce, often tomato-based. ‘This is the way you make money, by selling rice. If you don’t own land, chances are you are going to be very poor and will have to find a job outside of the family home to make money to buy your rice. There are ways to improve rice harvests which is often what Peace Corps volunteers teach.?
In the past year-and-a-half, Lambert has done a number of projects, including helping farmers harvest rice and teaching English. Through a farming cooperative, she has provided training on composting, mulching and companion plantings and discussed tips with farmers for increasing harvests and dealing with pests. She created a garden at the local elementary school and works with students weekly planting vegetables. She has also built beehives with local farmers.
Malaria is a concern in Madagascar and Lambert and her fellow PC volunteers have also educated students on malaria prevention through various activities.
Tourism is very important in Andisibe, which has three protected areas, including a national park. Lambert took the tourism into consideration when formulating a business plan project for the locals.
Lambert came up with an idea to help a Malagasy family to start a Brick Oven Bakery, helping them learn new skills and become more food secure.
‘I want them to be able to make enough money from the bread business to buy meat for every meal of the day,? she said. ‘The family that I will be working with is a very motivated group of people and I wanted to give them the opportunity to build capacity and show off their strong work ethic… Another goal of this project is to inspire other members of the community to think creatively about business opportunities and how to generate income for their families. There are many approaches to development, but the one that Peace Corps advocates is sustainability. We have written this grant and developed the project to be self-sustaining by month three of production.?
The business will make French baguettes and market them to local hotels, shops and tourists. Bread in the area is currently made from cassava flour, is of poor quality, and because it is only delivered two or three times per week, is almost always stale.
Lambert did extensive research for the grant budget, going over a logistics and materials list with a builder. She visited an operational brick oven and has arranged for a group to teach bread baking techniques to the Malagasy family. About 10 people will be trained to bake bread and two or three will receive business skills training in budgeting and marketing.
‘Since we are trying for a better quality bread than what’s currently around, we will market the bread to tourists, hotels, and shopkeepers,? she said. ‘I live in a protected forest called Parc Mitsinjo and I live across the street from the Andasibe-Mantadia National Park? so yes, I live in the rain forest! There is a small cafe/greasy spoon across from the Andasibe Mantadia National Park where many guides and drivers wait for tourists who are visiting the park.?
‘Since people get up at 4:30 am to start their cook fires and have eaten breakfast by 6 a.m., by 10 a.m. they are ready for a snack. One of the common snacks I see people eating is a sandwich! The only bread that people eat here is a baguette, by the way. Often times people eat a ground beef, mayonnaise, carrot slaw, and pasta sandwich. It sounds weird, but all the flavors mixed together aren’t too bad! In one day, I was approached by several different people who were either bummed out that Andasibe was out of bread or tourists who were looking for something a bit nicer. I think our Brick Oven Bakery will be a great success!?
She raised funds through the Peace Corps website to fund the project’s start-up cost of a little over $3,000, which includes enough supplies like wood, flour and baking powder for two months. As part of grant conditions, the community had to contribute a quarter of the overall cost. A large part of the community’s contribution was housing the trainers and builders and providing shelter for the oven.