MATTER

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We help people launch projects that improve communities. One of the biggest challenges we face today is the lack of access to health.

MATTER is a movement of people, companies, and organizations who believe they have the power to solve some of the world’s greatest challenges right in their own two hands. All humankind, regardless of race, income, religion, or s*x, can have the same access to a full and healthy life. It is only then that we can create a world where we all matter.

09/23/2026

Please join us in congratulating two of our MATTER Africa team members, Faith (Lead TEAL+ Facilitator) and Roddy (Network and Device Administrator), on their wedding! 🎉

They went from friends to colleagues to partners, and now husband and wife. For Faith and Roddy, the best part of the day was the people: two families becoming one, friends and colleagues celebrating together, and heartfelt speeches they'll treasure forever.

Congratulations, Faith and Roddy! Here's to your next chapter together. ❤️

09/21/2026

Three big days for school nutrition in Lupane District!

Our Chaya Team had an incredible week bringing nutrition, gardening skills, and food security education to schools across the district.

16 September — We kicked off with a combined training for Eco-Clubs from Mtshibini Primary, AMR Sisters Primary, and Kusile Primary, training 105 Chaya Champions and feeding 1,796 students and guests. Eco-Club members learned about Chaya's nutrition, drought resilience, and medicinal value, then planted fresh Chaya gardens at each school. The day was capped with a live cooking demo — and a special highlight: the Lupane District School Inspector joined every session, tasted the dishes, and gave full endorsement to expand the program to more rural schools! 🎉

17 September — We kept the momentum going with Eco-Club members of Lupane, Ndlovu, and Phumakanye primary schools, training 90 more Champions and feeding 906 students and guests. After a theory session on Chaya's benefits, students got hands-on with soil preparation and planting directly in their school gardens, followed by a Chaya tasting to showcase its culinary value. 🍽️

18 September — Wrapped up at Makhovula Primary, joined by neighboring Mpofu Primary: 62 Champions, 500 fed. This closing session equipped both schools to maintain their Chaya gardens, run their own feeding programs, and train peer champions going forward.

Across 3 days: 257 Champions trained and 3,202 people fed! 💚

None of this would be possible without the incredible support of Children in the Wilderness (CITW), whose vision for empowering local youth continues to inspire our work. Together, we're laying a strong foundation for sustainable nutrition and environmental education across these communities.

With our Lupane objectives fully achieved, we're now setting our sights on Tsholotsho District — building on everything we've learned here as we begin pre-training assessments and establish the next cluster of Chaya Food Gardens. The journey continues! 🍃

Thank you to every student, teacher, and inspector who made last week so impactful! 🍃

09/15/2026

A comedian AND a badza professional!

During a visit to his home country of Zimbabwe, Learnmore Jonasi stopped in his hometown of Chimanimani to perform the town’s first-ever comedy show and to give back to his community. While there, he planted the first of several chaya gardens he’s helping bring to local schools, which will support school feeding programs in the area.

Chaya is a fast-growing, drought-resistant tree whose leaves are rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals. It’s a powerful tool for improving nutrition for school children and communities around the world!

LEARN MORE about the Chaya Project by visiting the link in MATTER’s bio.

Thank you, Learnmore, for giving back to your community while filling the world with laughter!

YOU MATTER.

08/31/2026

What does impact look like?

Sometimes it’s an entrepreneur getting the capital to grow a business and create jobs.

Sometimes it’s 74 coworkers packing 2,000 Snack Packs for their community.

Sometimes it’s a student planting Chaya and becoming a champion for better nutrition.

And sometimes it’s a young woman discovering a path into a career in technology.

These are just a few of the stories in the August edition of MATTER Moments.

From the Basa Fund and MATTERbox to Chaya and MATTER Education, each story reflects the same belief: when people are given opportunity, resources and someone who believes in them, possibility grows.

Read the newest MATTER Moments and see what’s happening across MATTER 👉 https://www.matter.ngo/matter-moments-august-2026/

08/21/2026

MATTER EDUCATION SUCCESS STORY:

Meet Belinda Sithole! From uncertainty after school to a career in tech as a full stack developer and Program Analyst 1 at Mains'l. As part of the second MCRI cohort, Belinda and her fellow cohort members helped pave the way for the program, learning not just how to code but the soft skills that carry a career forward. Her advice to her 19-year-old self: "Trust the process. Everything is going to be okay."

08/12/2026

The wait is over...our 2027 Zimbabwe Insight Trip dates are here! 🇿🇼

Thank you to everyone who tuned in to our livestream this morning! Here's where you can find us in 2027:

February 27 – March 7, 2027
Insight Trip exploring all aspects of MATTER's work

May 20 – 31, 2027
Chaya Insight Trip with our Chaya Champion, Sandi Young

May 25 – June 5, 2027
Chaya Insight Trip with our Chaya Champion, Sandi Young

August 13 – 22, 2027
Insight Trip exploring all aspects of MATTER's work

From Victoria Falls to sunset safaris to meeting the people building a better future for their communities, this is a trip that will change the way you see the world.

Spots are limited. Reach out to learn more and reserve your seat. 🌍

08/11/2026

This is what's waiting for you in Zimbabwe. 🇿🇼

Victoria Falls. Sunset safaris. People, stories, and communities being changed from the inside out. An adventure that gives back the moment you show up. Go and see.

This isn't just a trip, it's an Insight Trip, and 2027 dates are dropping tomorrow, LIVE with our host Blessing.

Tune in on our Instagram, LinkedIn or Youtube channel. Wednesday (August 12) 9am CT.

08/10/2026

Big news is coming. 🇿🇼

Our 2027 Zimbabwe Insight Trip dates are dropping this Wednesday at 9am CT, and we're announcing them LIVE with our friend and host, Blessing.

Blessing has welcomed travelers to Zimbabwe for years, guiding them past the postcard views of Victoria Falls and into the heart of what makes this country unforgettable: the people, the projects, and the communities creating real change.

Be the first to know when you can experience it for yourself.

Wednesday (August 12) 9am CT

Set a reminder. You don't want to miss this one.

08/03/2026

We recently had to say goodbye to a team member and friend, Noah Elhardt.

Noah had the kindest soul. He had a way of caring for everything around him. People. Plants. Animals. Even the littlest ones.

If you spent time with Noah, you noticed those little things. He'd stop to look at a plant. Pick up an insect. Ask a stranger how they were really doing. He had this gentle way of moving through the world that made you believe every creation had value. He always left places healthier than he found them.

That's probably why the Chaya Tree Project fit him so well.

When we first started dreaming about planting Chaya in Zimbabwe, Noah was there. He taught us. He encouraged us. He got his hands dirty. He believed that a tiny cutting planted in the ground could one day feed a family. Then a community. Then thousands of children.

Turns out he was right.

The trees growing across Zimbabwe today are part of his story. So are the kids learning about and eating Chaya in schools. And the families whose lives have changed because one person chose to plant something that would outlive him.

The world feels a little quieter without him in it. We'll miss his kindness. We'll miss his wisdom. We'll miss his gentle presence.

Thank you, Noah. Your life mattered. And because of you, countless others will too.

07/24/2026

MATTER EDUCATION SUCCESS STORY:

Meet Marshal. He's 21 years old and an Associate Content Engineer at Jamf (nearing his one-year mark), plus a musician, singer, and producer. He got into tech through the Jamf- sponsored MATTER Innovation Hub at Mosi High School, which exposed him to new technologies and the broader possibilities of engineering. Though he'd already secured a university spot, he grew passionate about the MATTER Education program and earned a spot at MCRI (MATTER Career Readiness Institute), which he credits with shaping his career.

If he had gone the traditional university path, he calculates he wouldn't have a secure job until age 26...if he could find one in a job-scarce market. Through the MATTER Education program, he secured a job at 21 instead, and can now take on more family responsibility, help out at home, and start his life and career.

In Marshal's words: "Greatness is not determined by being a soloist. However, it's determined by the number of people you choose to be with who uplift you, and that you uplift."

Keep up the hard work, Marshal!

Address

7005 Oxford Street
Saint Louis Park, MN
55426

Telephone

+19525008652

Website

http://www.matter.ngo/

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