A Heartfelt Thank you to RF supporters from the Founder of the APAA, a local NGO based in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
🌿 From China to Congo: A New Seed Oil Press Arrives in Uvira
Thanks to a $5,000 grant from the Foundation for Sustainability and Innovation and a generous matching contribution from the Woka Foundation, Regenerative Farms is proud to announce the successful delivery of a customized seed oil press to our partners at APAA (Association des Paysans Agriculteurs d’Uvira) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
This milestone represents more than the arrival of a machine — it marks the birth of a new local processing hub that will empower women farmers, restore degraded lands, and improve family nutrition through regenerative agriculture.
📦 The Journey of the Machine
The order was placed in November 2024 and carefully customized to match the voltage and electricity needs of the rural site in Uvira, South Kivu Province.
Its journey was no small feat:
By sea from China to the Port of Mombasa
By road to Nairobi, Kenya
By air via Ethiopian Airlines, routed through Addis Ababa to Bujumbura, Burundi
And finally by truck across the border into eastern DRC
The 400 kg machine, encased in a custom wooden crate, was handled with care and finally welcomed by community members — who helped transport it into a newly constructed building by APAA, specifically designed to house this vital equipment.
🛠 A Hub for Regeneration and Empowerment
This oil press will form the heart of APAA’s new crop aggregation and processing center, serving:
Women farmers growing sunflowers, moringa, sesame, and groundnuts
Families involved in regenerative land restoration and permaculture-based food systems
Girls and women seeking economic empowerment and improved nutrition
By providing an income-generating value chain from seed to oil, this tool directly strengthens food sovereignty, women’s economic resilience, and the region’s long-term capacity to regenerate soil, restore forests, and nourish children.
💬 A Heartfelt Thank You from the Field
“This machine is not just for helping local women to grow and consumer their own nutritious cooking oil; it’s a symbol of hope, of dignity, and of family health for our community. We thank Regenerative Farms and the donors for believing in our regeneration work and helping us turn local seeds into healthy children, sustainable income for women farmers, and into a brighter future we can grow ourselves.” – Aaron Kalala Karumba, Founder, APAA
South Kivu is home to extraordinary biodiversity — from mountain gorillas and chimpanzees in the Itombwe forest to the endangered okapi and Congo peacock. But decades of conflict, poverty, and deforestation have left the region fragile, especially for rural women and children.
🌱 8 out of 10 rural women in the region farm degraded land with no access to machinery or markets.
🚺 Girls often drop out of school early due to food insecurity, early marriage, or unpaid caregiving labor.
🧒🏽 Over 40% of children under five in Uvira suffer from chronic malnutrition.
This is why regenerative agriculture — using permaculture principles, local seeds, and women-led enterprises — is such a powerful lever for change.
By standing with Aaron and the Nutritious Trees Project, you enable more than just a farm or a training center—you bring opportunity, ecological restoration, and lasting change to a region long overlooked. Together, we can help local communities grow stronger, feed their families, and protect the Congo Basin’s precious biodiversity for generations to come.
Join Us in Making a Difference
By donating to Regenerative Farms, you contribute to a future where every child has access to nutritious food and a safe, resilient and restored environment. Thank you for being a part of our journey to end child hunger with regenerative farming and, innovative ecosystem restoration solutions. Your support is invaluable in making this vision a reality. Together, we can plant the seeds of hope and ensure a brighter future for children and their families everywhere.
Help Grow Support for APAA
Help us spread the word among friends, school groups, teams, and churches. Together, we can create a future where women farmers can survive and flourish. Share our stories on your social media and connect with us on Instagram and Facebook.
Ways to give to Regenerative Farms to Support our work and the Hubs run by our Partners:
Introduce us to your favorite 1% for the Planet business or employer asking them to commit their corporate donation or employer match in support of our work
Trust and Transparency are Important to Everyone. Our non-profit Employer ID number is 86.2475402. Verify our MA Attorney General’s charity registration details here. Our latest audited financials and IRS 990 forms are available on our website and upon request.
✨ Thank You to All Our Supporters
To our community of funders, volunteers, and advocates — thank you for making this milestone possible. The seed oil press now humming in Uvira is not just pressing oil — it is pressing forward a new era of self-sufficiency, community health, and dignity.
Stay tuned as we support the first batch of oil pressing and expand this model to other regeneration hubs across the region.
With gratitude, Mary Johnson Founder, Regenerative Farms
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