WICHITA, Kan., Nov. 06, 2006 — Trees for Life — an international non-profit movement headquartered here — has been invited to Ghana to participate in an international workshop focused on the Moringa tree. The workshop, sponsored by the Moringanews network, is set for Nov. 16-18.

Trees for Life (www.treesforlife.org), founded in 1984, has been responsible for the planting of tens of millions of food-bearing trees in developing nations around the world. Trees for Life has been educating people in developing countries about Moringa and helping them grow the trees for more than 20 years.

The Moringa tree's leaves are particularly rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals needed for human nutrition. Moringa is widespread in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Every part of the tree is used as a source of food or folk medicine. It has recently attracted the attention of scientists and has been adopted by non-profit organizations in their nutritional programs.

Trees for Life is considered an expert on the use of Moringa in addressing malnutrition and hunger in poor countries.

Representing Trees for Life at the conference will be Dr. Jed Fahey, editor-in-chief of Trees for Life Journal (www.TFLjournal.org), and Jeffrey Faus, managing editor of the Journal. Trees for Life Journal is a free, open-access electronic forum that acts as a bridge between traditional medicine, field studies and scientific evidence regarding beneficial trees and plants.

Dr. Fahey is a research scientist at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His team at Johns Hopkins has been investigating the reported cancer-preventive properties of Moringa. "Many claims have been made about Moringa’s benefits both nutritionally and medically," Fahey says. "It’s imperative that further studies examine the possibilities."

Both Fahey and Faus will be leading discussions with 60 selected representatives from 21 countries attending the international workshop. "By sharing our experiences — non-profits, scientists and the private sector — we will develop a concrete plan for further investigating Moringa’s potential and sharing knowledge of Moringa with those who need it," Faus says.

About Trees for Life

Founded in 1984 by Wichita businessman Balbir Mathur, Trees for Life is an international non-profit movement that demonstrates that by helping each other, people can unleash extraordinary power that enriches every life. Its mission is to create hope through a movement in which people join hands to break the cycle of poverty and hunger and care for our earth. For more information about Trees for Life, visit www.treesforlife.org.