- The leaves contain:
- 7 times the vitamin C oranges
- 4 times the calcium in milk
- 4 times the vitamin A in carrots
- 3 times the potassium in bananas
- 2 times the protein in yoghurt
The moringa tree is doing real good in South Africa, bringing sustainable business as well as uplifting the health and feeding of communities. The moringa tree, also known as the horseradish tree is being called the miracle or magic tree.
The trees are being planted in Tooseng in the Limpopo province by a brave and dedicated woman, Mavis Mathabatha, who currently feeds approximately 320 schoolchildren, she has been feeding them for the past six years. These children are mostly on government grants and live with their grandparents or a grandparent. Mavis gives them a breakfast in the morning and a meal after school.
She discovered the benefits of this tree after being shown it on the internet, she was so impressed that she decided to plant the trees alongside the kitchen garden she also grows. She has been so impressed by the results that can be seen within seven days. She says the children are visibly more alert and healthy with no more signs of fainting at school or lack of energy. The dark green leaves are chopped and cooked into the meals just as you would with spinach with the flavour being quite tasty and acceptable to all who eat it.
Mavis has started a secondary business where the leaves are dried, crushed and packed into 90 gram bags for sale, she has had calls for the powder from far and wide around the country. The leaves contain more vitamins and nutrition than anything else known and scientists are still busy carrying out tests for other uses and values of the leaves. Uses found so far include human malnutrition and health benefits, livestock weight gain and milk production, livestock fodder and plant growth.
We wish Mavis all the good luck and hope she goes from strength to strength in her ability to grow and sustain this business. The news needs to spread across all the poor communities across the world so that they too can benefit from this powerhouse of a tree.
NB: It is to be noted that there are serious scamsters out there and the product should only be bought from regulated sellers. For interesting reading also see the following medical insights. http://www.malunggay-propagation.com/Jed_Fahey_text_GB.pdf
Patunia is a pat-of-all trades. She can cook like nobody's business one minute and spend the rest of the afternoon in the garden pruning roses or talking to birds the next. She loves living in Cape Town with her family, four dogs and two cats. And some goldfish. And those birds we mentioned earlier. She's not afraid of getting her hands dirty in potting soil or with new technology, and this blog is where she spills the beans on her adventures and experiences along the way.
Welcome to Everything, a blog about living life in South Africa and everything that goes with it. The ups, the downs, the shops, the scenery, the opportunities, the technology, the frustrations, the people, the food, the experiences, the animals, the politics, the adventures, the entertainment and everything else in between. 
Moringa “miracle” tree growing the health of Limpopo
The impact of late rains and large failures in yields has put significant strain on a small village in Limpopo, who started looking elsewhere for food and what they found was purely a miracle.
The impact of late rains and large failures in yields has put significant strain on a small village in Limpopo, who started looking elsewhere for food and what they found was purely a miracle.
The rural village of Tooseng on the eastern border of Limpopo, South Africa has seen little rainfall during the year and this has put significant strain on a community already dependent on grants and welfare.
In recent years the community started planting Moringa and using the dry powder to sprinkle over their food. The most incredible discovery was the effect Moringa leaves have on HIV patients. Patients affected with the virus, showed a visible difference in their immune system after receiving Moringa for seven days.
Moringa contains other vitamins and minerals such as calcium equivalent to four glasses of milk, the vitamin C content of seven oranges, the potassium of three bananas, three times the amount of iron in spinach, four times the amount of vitamin A found in a carrot and twice the amount of protein in milk.
Moringa Oleifera has changed the nourishment of the community and what started out as a subsidiary project, the community is now making a profit from selling the Moringa leaves.
The community aims to sell Moringa to the rest of South Africa and support other villages and communities with similar needs.
http://www.insightgroupplc.wordpress.com/
Be aware of fake moringa sellers…
I heard about miracles done by moringa trees. Where in limpopo maybe around lebowakgomo or polokwane can i get moringa seedlings to plant in my yard.
Hi all. I have seeds for sale at R2 ea, and will have plantlets for sale by February 2013. Mail me at wsmjvz@telkomsa.net.
Johan I can get seed for 40c each. This is not a get rich scheme.
Where does one obtain the plants. It fits in so well with our ongoing efforts to look for alternative methods and eco friendly products?
We are a special school where the majority of our learners come from low socio economic background. Please let me know where we can buy these plants so that we can incorporate it into our food gaden at school.
It would really be appreciated.
Kind regards.
Gwen
Hie There,
We have supply quality Moringa seeds at 35cents per seed and Moringa powder 30 for 100g.
You can buy from us and re-sale. We have the most competitive price in the SADC region.
Contact me: 0844192219
Thanks for this article, I’m investigating a business selling Moringa online and making it available for rural people to grow, consume and supply like Mavis is doing. She’s an inspiration…
@ Haroun
Please keep me in the loop.
I have seed and will be planting very soon down in the Western Cape.
[...] Everything South Africa – Moringa tree brings health to the poor [...]
Moringa is the best plant ever, I think I need to start my own farm and sell the plant to large pharmaceutical firms. I’m not doing this for money but for the well being of South African communities.
[...] We got our information from this article on Everything South Africa. [...]
Moringa could safe million South Africans if is availability can become accessible to everyone.
Is it possible therefore that Mavis Mathabatha be given a show on the radio or tv channel to share this God send miracle tree with everyone interested.
A million of SA’s nutrition and health sufficience can be boasted by this miracle tree/plant.
Mavis shud consult her lawyers and patent this wonderful plant or else the vultures would seize the opportunity. I am in Johannesburg, where can I get the seeds?
Hi Iris, Thank you for your sincere concerns. We are in no way connected to the issuing of seed or plants, we have just written about it as something South Africans should know about. If you read some of the other comments under this post you will find some people who are offering seed. We cannot vouch for them at all but you should check out their credentials to see that they are serious registered dealers. Have a great day. Regards
Patunia
She mustnt patent it. She is doing a wonderful job yes but she is not the one who invented this plant. Its a God given plant that all who want to grow it for either personal or business benefits shld do so at easy. Well done Marvis