Norma's Letter from Jos: 28 December 2011

Note: Norma runs Zamani Farms near Jos, serving customers with fresh produce in Abuja and nearby areas.  Earlier in the year she proposed leaving the Jos area because of chronic unrest since Jnauary 2010.  In this letter, she seems to have had a rethink.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

From: Norma, Zamani Farms 

Hello customers,

I hope you have all had a relatively good Christmas holiday, given the various bomb attacks around Abuja and Jos, as well as violence in Borno and Yobe states. We have decided that since there seem to be problems everywhere, we will try to make a go of things at our present site in Plateau state, in the expectation that eventually we will have some peace. So, with the exception of Christmas day, we have been at the farm every day, working hard for many hours, so that we can get the farm in shape for the new year. We are determined that in 2012 we will get the farm fully back into production, and make it a model of sustainable organic production that will set standards of quality for others to emulate.

Unfortunately we had a set back today, when our workers that come from Wareng village were unable to get to the farm. There was an attack on a village lying between their residence and our farm, in which a family of three, including an infant, was killed. Our workers could not get through to the farm, and in any case had to attend the funeral for the victims. So things are not entirely peaceful in Plateau State, but I guess we will just have to see how we can continue to operate in the circumstances until things improve.

At the farm, things are looking up, and we have lots of really beautiful produce for you for next week, or whenever you get back from holiday....