This November, we collaborated with Foundations for Farming to deliver a three day agricultural training programme in the rural area of Chinhoyi.

Foundations for Farming is an incredible organisation working to help communities become self-sufficient by teaching them effective agricultural practices. Using Foundations for Farming methods, a family of six can feed itself for a whole year from a very small plot of land. That’s one bucket of maize per week, for every week of the year!

This means these families can use the land to turn a profit, so that they can eradicate hunger and have surplus yield to sell and pay their children’s school fees.

Training began early in the hot morning sun with an introduction on the importance of maintaining healthy soil. Participants were taught how to prepare and maintain good soil structure without ploughing. While this method might sound unusual, it actually makes the soil less sensitive to erosion, increases its water absorption capacity and actually increases yields, all at a much lower cost because the soil doesn’t need to be turned. The group also learnt about how to keep a mulch cover on the surface of the soil, a thick ‘blanket’ of fallen leaves and grass which helps reduce soil water losses, suppress weeds and protects against extreme temperature.

Then everyone got to work pegging their own plots, following precise specifications in order to achieve optimal plant populations and give their plants the best chance to thrive. Everyone practiced planting seeds and applying fertilisers, as well as learning about different seed varieties and home remedies for pest control.

Participants were also taught about keeping a farm calendar and how to budget with the help of record books. With the training’s focus on how to make a profit, they learnt how to farm for value. For example, if a certain crop like maize is not fetching good prices on the market, this can be used to keep pigs which can then be sold at a higher price.

It’s possible to reduce the need for or even eradicate the requirement for fertiliser through the use of compost. This results in even lower input costs and a higher standard of living for the family. Participants learnt how to make compost making and “chicken manure soup” for the supply of nitrogen in plants.

Certificates of attendance were issued to the participants and this was the happiest moment of all since they also received 2 seed packs to set up their own “pfumvudza” plots at their homes. Each pack contains enough agricultural lime, specially formulated basal fertiliser, seed maize, and ammonium nitrate needed for an 8m x 39m area of land. Measuring cups and instructions on how to plant and manage the crop are also included.

Participants were so happy that they have all written letters of appreciation to the organisers of the programme.

Whilst shooting “Zimbabwe’s Forgotten Children” in 2010, the film crew came across a very remote rural area school, where they found Obert.

The school allowed them to film a very regular occurrence happening that day – desperate young children being humiliatingly sent away, unable to afford the small fee of $2. Only 10% of the hundreds of children in the area were able to attend school. This was a shocking discovery.

With the donations that flooded in to help these children, we were able to cover many of the most disadvantaged children’s school fees, and get many more access to a UNICEF scheme for school fee assistance. This resulted in over 1000 children going back to school. With the school fees, we have been able to provide essential education materials, build 5 new classrooms, new toilet blocks, install a borehole and water pump flowing with clean water, and provide training and community programs which have benefitted 2,500 people. Today, our school and its pupils are rated at number 13 out of 100 in the district for passing exams.

However, simply paying these fees each year is not a sustainable way to ensure the children in this area continue an enriching and successful education. What’s more, with such a high rate of unemployment in Zimbabwe, we need to leave this community with the ability to provide for themselves.

We work in close partnership with the children, their parents and the teachers. We stretch each child’s levy as far as possible to create a centre of hope and education in healthy survival. Using the research and knowledge we have acquired over the last 5 years – we hope to continue creating sustainable agriculture, water, education and teacher training programs within the school community to get the guardians, school and children to a point where they are receiving a quality education and are able to live independently without the need for aid.