Growing crops for shoes
Seven-year- old Bakari and his family live in eastern Tanzania where they have benefitted from World Vision's programmes to develop effective and sustainable farming practices. Before World Vision began working in the area, Bakari’s father Selemani struggled to provide for his children. However, thanks to World Vision's farming and gardening projects, Selemani is now able to feed his children and pay their school fees. “Farming has helped to change our lives and improve family wellbeing,” he says.
Selemani has always had big dreams for Bakari and his other children, but he was never able to earn enough from his farm to give them a brighter future. “I have been doing farm activities for many years, however my income was never enough to support my family,” he describes sadly. However, he explains, he is now “able to cultivate more, and support my family better, after World Vision taught me how to use proper seeds.”
“My yield of maize has increased dramatically” Selemani comments proudly. “It has gone from just six bags to 10-14 bags per acre. Thanks to the help from World Vision, the food I harvest can provide for my family throughout the year.”
As a father of nine, Selemani had struggled in the past to even grow enough food to feed all his children. Selemani remembers sadly, “Before I joined the World Vision programme, my children had to ask for food from my neighbours because there was not enough food at home.”
Unfortunately, this was not uncommon in Selemani’s community. Many children in their village are so poor that they have to walk to school without shoes. Thankfully, Bakari and his siblings are no longer in this group. “Buying school uniforms and food for my children is no longer the problem it was before,” Selemani declares.
Two of Bakari’s eight siblings are older and married, but Mwanaidi, Tatu, and Hawa are all at primary school with him, and their older brother Mwanahamisi is attending secondary school.
“I am happy with my life because my parents provide me with all I want. I have shoes and a good uniform,” Bakari says proudly. “Over the past two years, I was eating two meals in a day, but nowadays I can eat three proper meals every day,” he explains with a grin.
Bakari is not the only one in the family to see the changes their father’s new farming practices have made. His older sister Mwanaidi has leapfrogged ahead in her studies and in her last exam she came second in her class.
To ensure his family gets a balanced diet, Selemani has also joined a gardening project where World Vision supports farmers with a water pump for irrigation throughout the year. Selemani now grows onions, green papers, cabbages and greens. “Apart from selling vegetables from my garden, I can also ensure that in every meal we have vegetables on our table.”
The projects in the area ensure that Bakari and his siblings are growing up in quite different circumstances than their parents did. Selemani described the other changes the community has experienced, “World Vision has helped our community with health education. Diseases have reduced and women are making and selling tie and dye materials. Thanks to these projects, many families are able to support their families and children.” Selemani concludes.
Like so much other work by World Vision, the agriculture projects that have made such a difference to the lives of Bakari and his siblings would not have been possible without the support of our sponsors and supporters. Thanks to you, Bakari’s family now have a brighter and healthier future. Thank you.