TeamLift’s Sunflower Seed Project

‍ We are excited to launch TeamLift’s sunflower farming and cooking oil initiative, a program that will not only provide employment for women-headed households in the Karonga District, but also offer a consistent revenue stream to support our students at Saint Mary’s Secondary School and our graduates who are in college.

TeamLift recently purchased 125 acres of farmland to grow our first crop of sunflowers. We hired local villagers to clear the land which they planted in early December, coinciding with Malawi’s rainy season. This spring, the farmers harvested 105 bags (50 kgs. each) which TeamLift will process into cooking oil – a commodity every Malawi family uses on a daily basis and is usually imported. We purchased an oil press and equipment from Germany, and are building a small factory for processing and storage. Our first harvest should yield about 2,600 liters of sunflower oil.

TeamLift aims to become a trusted supplier of cooking oil through distribution in local markets and in grocery stores. We are energized by the farmers working with us and the local chiefs who sold us the land at a modest price. This is a wonderful employment program which will continue in future years. In 2027, we will double the land we plant.‍

“Every Drop Helps a Girl Shine”