Groasis – Waterboxx

Groasis is the technology and manufacturing arm of our proprietary Waterboxx project. ISI has waterbox projects in Wukrpo Ethiopia, Sonoma CA, and several other test sites in the United States, including Kentucky, Colorado, and New Mexico. The following is an example of one of our projects.

ETHIOPIA-USA COLLABORATIVE GROASIS WATERBOXX FOOD BY YOUTH PROJECT

The central purpose of this continuing project is to develop, through direct action and personal involvement, a practical methodology that enhances the understanding and capability of children, both in the United States and Ethiopia. The students are learning to grow and produce plants, with a reduced dependence on water sources, in order to to provide some portion of their food needs.

OVERVIEW AND DESCRIPTION OF THE FOOD BY YOUTH PROJECT

The Food by Youth Project is a Tree-planting program involving 100 students from the El Verano Elementary School in Sonoma, CA USA and 100 students from the Selam Elementary School in Wukro, Ethiopia. Each student receives one Groasis waterboxx and one fruit tree. They plant their tree in proximity to their home, in the school compound or on the nearest beekeeping training site/nursery associated with this project.

In the USA, the Project is implemented by the El Verano Elementary School in Sonoma, CA. In Ethiopia the Project is lead by ‘Mums for Mums’ Executive Director Ashenafi Asmelash and the Mums for Mums staff. The Ethiopian part of the project is monitored and assisted by Ms. Zewdi Abadi.

A selection of ten different and compatible fruit tree species are planted in each country. Each school employs the Groasis Waterboxx technology and teach the students how to plant using this resource. After training, the students are provided with a Waterboxx and tree to take to their homes/school site. After the planting process is accomplished, typically within a week, the staff from the MUMs and the school evaluate the plantings and undertake data collection and a control process for the plants at each home/site. Success and failure rates of planting quality are recorded. Incorrect plantings are� replanted under the supervision of the staff but with the student undertaking this replanting process.

Throughout the subsequent year, the condition and growth of each plant is� monitored and recorded. At year’s end, the condition of the tree and the survival rate of all of the plantings are documented. The students may retain the boxes for further use. In this manner, the practical side of producing food is conveyed and retained by each student. The participating students also receive further science-based information pertaining to specific aspects of plant production including: condensation, photo-synthesis, water capillary processes, plant nutrition, growing mediums, fertilizer and related topics.

The project enhances each participant’s understanding and appreciation of the scientific and practical aspects of producing food, as well as the� benefits derived from eating organic, fresh and local whole food. The Project especially focuses on the social and cultural challenges that occur when transferring knowledge from teachers to students and how this knowledge is then� usefully and functionally transferred to the child’s parents.