Chaya Tree Project

EMPOWERING WOMEN. FEEDING FAMILIES.

A Little Leaf with a Big Mission

What if we could put a dent in malnutrition?

In Sub-Saharan Africa, one in three children under five live in food poverty, according to Unicef estimates. It’s not just about hunger, it’s about futures lost. And while the world searches for answers, the solution might already be in the ground. Something small and simple. Something that grows.

The Chaya Tree is one of the most powerful plants most people have never heard of. A fast-growing, drought-resistant tree packed with more protein, vitamins, and minerals than almost any other leafy green on the planet. Chaya thrives where other crops fail. And it can keep feeding families year after year.

It’s not just a superfood. It’s a local, sustainable, and scalable solution. We’re planting Chaya in schools, clinics, and cooperative orchards, training farmers, empowering women, and feeding kids. It’s simple. It works. And it’s already changing lives.

It’s not flashy. But it’s bold. And if we scale it together, it just might change everything.

This is Chaya.

A little leaf with a big mission.

End of Decade Goals

50,000

people fed

20,000

students educated in nutrition

100

chaya orchards planted

Choose Your Impact

The Story

When MATTER donor Sandi Young first learned about Chaya, she saw more than a superfood, she saw a solution. With its unmatched nutrition and ability to grow in even the harshest conditions, Chaya had the potential to fight malnutrition and empower women.

What started with one idea, and the first tree planted, has grown into orchards, co-ops, school meals, and a scalable strategy to nourish communities from the ground up.

Now, you can be part of that story.

Help us plant the next orchard. Feed the next child. Put a dent in malnutrition.

“It’s a privilege to work with MATTER to do all this. There’s some amazing talent on the team. We’re just going to keep trying to make it better and better. Hopefully we can take this to countries beyond Zimbabwe and solve nutritional issues in other areas. The prospect of all that is very inspiring.”
– Sandi Young

Why Chaya?

Chaya is more than a superfood, it’s a solution.

Known as “the green meat,” Chaya has one of the highest protein contents of any leafy green, along with vitamins A, B, and C, calcium, iron, and powerful antioxidants. Traditionally used to manage diabetes, inflammation, and anemia, its dense nutrients are uniquely suited to treat malnutrition.

And it’s built for where it’s needed most. Chaya thrives in hot, dry climates. It’s drought-resistant, low-maintenance, and regenerates after every harvest, producing leaves year-round with little water or care.

Nutrient-dense. Climate-resilient. Community-powered.

Learn more about Chaya nutrition facts

The Chaya Project

Rooted in local partnerships and powered by a resilient super plant, The Chaya Project is transforming how communities nourish, educate, and empower themselves.

1. School Feeding & Nutrition Education

Chaya is integrated into school lunch programs as a nutrient-rich relish, helping students receive the protein and vitamins they need to grow strong and stay focused. Alongside meals, students are educated with hands-on nutrition curriculum to teach them healthy eating.

2. Planting Chaya Orchards

We work with schools, clinics, and women’s farming cooperatives to plant Chaya Orchards, building long-term, local nutritious food sources.

3. Economic Empowerment

A local processing center will allow women’s cooperatives to produce and package Chaya teas, powders, and other botanical products – creating jobs, building ownership, and making the project financially sustainable.

4. Scaling the Impact

With a proven model and a powerful plant, we’re creating a Chaya playbook for scaling in other countries – partnering with governments, schools, and NGOs to take this local solution global.

This is more than food security. It’s health, dignity, and opportunity, rooted in one powerful plant.

Partner With Us

Whether you’re a brand looking to integrate Chaya into your products, or an organization ready to help scale this solution across new communities, we’d love to collaborate.
Let’s grow something powerful, together.

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