The first PurposeBOX!

What started as a casual lunch conversation over a year ago developed into the first PurposeBOX! It took some time to match a need in Rwanda, a solution to meet that need and a willing sponsor.

The need, Lakeside Fish Farm is a thriving operation that seeks to support their community by raising and selling both fingerling and mature harvested Tilapia. They offer aquaculture studies to local farmers, have established a high school and serve the needs in their surrounding community. Lakeside's largest expense has been imported fish food. The operators knew that with the proper equipment they could produce much of the fish food themselves. This operational savings would allow them to expand their programs and support of the local community.

The solution was to take a 40ft shipping container outfitted with the components needed to produce fish feed pellets. This process requires dryers, extractors, grinds and pelletizers. Additionally the fish food has to be stores in a temperature controlled room to prevent spoilage, this was also built into the container. Finally. although Lakeside has their own power generation system a bank of solar panels and a roof mounting system were also included. All of this was collected, assembled and made ready for the ocean voyage to Rwanda.

The sponsorship came from a group of friends in the Bay Area South Bay who have been active supporters of Lakeside for more than 10 years. Together they stepped up made this task a realty!

Today we are watching the container arrive and begin it's first steps to becoming an integral element in this work that is transforming lives in Rwanda!