News About the Work of Church World Service 

            November 8, 2000, NEW YORK CITY – Discovery Health Channel this month will feature Church World Service’s successful work to end malnutrition in West Africa by extending cultivation of the highly nutritive Moringa tree – a natural, local and sustainable solution to the region’s high rate of infant mortality. 

            The “Moringa” segment will air November 21 at 8 and 11 p.m. (Eastern) and on November 26 at 4 p.m. (Eastern) as part of an hour-long program entitled “Traditional Plants and Medicine.”  Part of the Discovery Health Channel’s “Alternatives Uncovered” series, the program also includes segments entitled “Cancer” and “Traditional Native American Medicine.” 

The scruffy looking, fast-growing, drought-resistant Moringa Oleifera tree is edible, tasty and highly nutritious in all its parts.  High in iron, calcium, protein, various vitamins (including A and C) and essential amino acids, Moringa products are so effective against malnutrition that many call it the “miracle tree.” 

Church World Service and its Senegalese partner, AGADA, in collaboration with government health services and local health posts, proved Moringa leaf powder’s effectiveness in preventing/curing malnutrition in infants and pregnant and nursing mothers and are extending its cultivation across Senegal and beyond. 

The Discovery Health Channel program features testimony from CWS West Africa Representative Lowell Fuglie (a Minnesota native and member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Americ), clinicians, mothers and botanists about this highly successful program to save children’s lives.  Mr. Fuglie served as a resource to Dan and Susanne Birman of Birman Productions, who produced the segment.

Dan Birman has written saying the “Moringa” story is “quite the ‘darling’ segment of the new series!  ‘Discovery’ is quite pleased with it.  We really enjoyed producing this segment.  It has heart.”   The Discovery Health Channel is available to those who subscribe to digital cable service. 

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