Imagine an ancient tree considered a lost crop inspiring the creation of a social enterprise in a world of fast-moving technology. Today I introduce you to Beobob Tree and Kaiba, a company with a mission to develop helpful products and to promote economic opportunity in developing countries. Beobob are impressive trees native to the African saveno, Madagascar and Australia. Some trees are anywhere from 500 to several thousand years old. Talk about longevity. You may remember this tree from the Piti Press and the movie Madagascar. The tree belongs to the family of the Bombasiya. Adontsuonia Grandi Diri is slender and tall in grows in Madagascar. Adontsuonia Digitata is short and wide and that's the one I fell in love with is found in Equatorial Africa. The nicknames include monkey tree, tree, magic tree and rat tail tree. The tree is considered the symbol and of mother earth and fertility. In Tanzania women give birth inside the white trunk not only making the tree of life but the tree for a new life. In Kenya legend has it that gods turned the Beobob upside down because it was jealous and whining about the beauty of the Hibiscus and the palm tree. The tree bears fruit once a year large pods hard like coconuts in the size of a football the fruit dehydrates inside the pod and is harvested only when the pods turn brown. The pods are abundance and one tree may carry more than 500 pods which are harvested in a sustainable way. The harvest the pods are pulled off the tree with handmade tools and broken with a machete the seeds are separated and the pulp is pounded into a fine powder. Men harvest and women process. The fruit is loved by kids and tastes naturally sweet and tangy. Medissillin, Beobob fruit powder is used in the treatment of diarrhea, fever and coughs and traditionally it's been used in sauces and preparations such as dawa dawa and drinks such as malambé. In Europe Beobob has been available in France and Italy for several years. I found that it tastes great in smoothies, yogurt, water and even my popcorn. The fruit powder has an incredible antioxidant profile. Six times higher than berries, six times the vitamin C of an orange, four times the potassium of a banana, twice the calcium of a glass of milk, truly making Beobob natures multivitamin tree. In addition research has shown that Beobob fruit increases the growth of beefalow bacteria in the gut, essential probiotics that reduce inflammation, making it and a very important prebiotic. Polyphenols are researched to have antimicrobial, benefits, lower cholesterol and reduce inflammation. The nutrient profile is unique and more concentrated than any fruit I've studied in the past 25 years. Vital nutrients for a strong immune system, a healthy digestion and improved sugar handling. All important in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer. The fruit contains 40% seeds and Beobob actually means many seeds. There are, these are high in protein and fatty acids, consumed fresh, roasted or prepared as a coffee alternative. The precious oil is stable and rich in antioxidants and great for skin care. The leaves use in tea, soups and spinach and spinach like dish like cuca. The medicinal benefits are anti-histaminic, anti-asmatic and anti-inflammatory. I'm truly amazed at how every part of this tree is packed with vital nutrients while growing in one of the driest parts of the world. At first I was only fascinated with the nutrition profile but as soon as I learned more about the history and the legend of this tree, Beobob's magic drew me to Africa. Not only did I realize that it could make a difference for people's health, I realized I could make a difference in the livelihood of people that live in the savannah. So off I went to Ghana. A country located in West Africa, considered a model for democracy by President Obama, one of the top 10 fastest growing countries in Africa, nine other 10 people in the upper northeast of Ghana are very poor and only 9% of children in primary school level 5 and 6 can read. With assistance of Santa Barbara and Thomas Cole, humanitarian and specialist in agriculture development, we developed an initial impact study and visited with community leaders in the area of Baoku. We learned about their needs and the potential impact the Beobob harvest would have on their life. I am happy to report that this year's harvest employed 150 collectors, each with an average of five to seven family members impacting nearly a thousand people. The increased income will allow families to send their children to school, improve their access to health care. We've recently completed three requirements to become USDA organic, ensuring quality, traceability and transparency. We've developed a relationship with the Beobob initiative at Penn State who will providing the special technology to operating communities to mechanically separate the Beobob pod. I'm really excited to bring an academic component to our project. Kaibae. Kaibae means hi. Hello. How are you? In Kusau, the language spoken in the communities we work with. Whenever we would greet people would say Kaibae and they would answer Lafaybae with a big smile. I am strong. I am good. And these are my two little friends, go frets and Belinda. We visit me every morning while in Balda, Gatanga. Kaibae promotes a healthy lifestyle, living good from the inside out, developing quality food and personal care products. Beobob will be available in raw food powder, convenient snacks, which is bars and chews, where a vegan organic non-GMO gluten free company basically completely healthy. Kaibae connects people, our planet and food that really is really good for you. I am very motivated to make a difference. Please join us on our journey and watch us grow. Go Kaibae.com.