With food security being one of the most significant challenges for many in Malawi, Open Arms is excited to have introduced a new, sustainable agricultural programme - designed to help families make the most of their available resources so they can not only grow enough food to eat all year round, but generate a sustainable income that will see them break free from poverty for good!
One of the biggest issues families are facing in Malawi is securing enough to eat. Most of the population, especially those in rural areas, rely on small-scale farming to survive, but the changing climate and increasingly erratic weather are causing more and more harvests to fail - leaving many to go months without food.
Food insecurity and poverty go hand in hand and both impact the health and development of children, as well as their school attendance and future outcomes.
The more the team in Malawi work within communities, the more they can see that empowering the whole family unit is the key to achieving real and lasting change.
So this year, we are piloting a new initiative in Blantyre that will help families successfully grow and diversify their crops - equipping and empowering them to achieve food security as well as long term self-sufficiency.
Josephine's is one of 25 carefully selected families who are participating in this intensive three year programme. She was one of the first babies to be welcomed onto the Community-Based Care Programme and due to her family's economic status, available land and willingness to be active participants in their own progress, they are perfect candidates for the agriculture programme.
Patrick, the newly recruited Agriculture Extension Officer in Malawi, has been working alongside Josephine's grandmother and her family of five (pictured above) - giving advice on clearing and preparing the land, including how to build stronger ridges in the soil, working out the best spacing and getting the most out of their one acre plot.
In the past, they have only managed to produce enough from their annual harvest to provide enough food for 4 months - leaving them hungry and incredibly vulnerable to malnutrition for the remainder of the year.
Right: The family's maize storage, which was empty by June.
But this year, through provision of quality seed and fertilisers as well as mentoring in best practice farming techniques to navigate the whole season, our aim is to help Josephine's family harvest enough maize to feed the entire family all year round.
If successful, by the end of Year 1 there will be no more hunger for the family, and when the three year programme is complete, they will have added new crops (soya beans and groundnuts) to their land, which will not only improve nutrition at home, but generate a maintainable income from selling excess produce.
Patrick and team will help the family to create a sustainable farming business, linking them to local farming cooperatives so they can move on from living below the international poverty line and being dependent on outside support for good.
This will not only create a brighter future for them, but for the generation to come!
Receiving and planting their maize seeds was a huge step not only for the family but also their community. Now planting is complete, their garden has already become a point of interest with members of the community helping with the preparations.
Thanks to the interlinked structures in Malawi, the learning does not just stop with the family, but will benefit the whole village!
Left: Josephine and family (with Chikondi) receiving their pack of maize seeds.
We can't wait to keep you posted on some of the families who are taking part in this transformational programme.
Our dream is to extend this opportunity to many more families in both the Blantyre and Mangochi regions - so if you can, please consider supporting our work through a one-off or regular donation today.
You can also make a life-changing difference and fully sponsor a family like Josephine's through this 3 year programme. If you'd like to find out more, please get in touch with our team.
Thank you!
Your donation will help children in Malawi grow up healthy with the love of a family
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