The Impact of Farming projects are bringing hope and changing lives
In order to provide a solution, we started some farming projects, that has developed into a Community Farm, now managed and run by Life Link Rwanda.
We originally rented plots of land providing the opportunity for farm girls to grow crops together. This was either single mothers or widows from the local community. After a few years we purchased the land. This is now registered under the name of Life Link Rwanda along with all farming initiatives.
Ladies continue to come together to work the land, growing maize, beans, peas and Irish potatoes in different seasons or sorghum. Each woman provides their own hoe. The goal remains the same,to provide enough food for their own families and enough to sell to others. This is happening, and the widows have now come together to start a lending scheme being managed within the group.
This helps each to pay for their health insurance that is required by the Government. These groups are visited, and it wonderful to hear of the discipleship and community group continuing. In 2020 we purchased a pregnant Sow, who has had three sets of piglets, the female piglets were given to people highlighted in the community to raise, while the male piglets were sold, to purchase goats for widows.
After monitoring this project over a trial period with a local vet it was decided that this project was not sustainable for many of the single widows. The cost of pig food was expensive creating more of a burden for the family rather than relieving it.
Where there was good vegetation, there were success stories, and these families wish to continue but we are moving away from the provision of piglets on the Life Link farm. The pig pens are going to be converted and extended to house further cows, with the vision to not only provide milk for the children in the nursery daily but also to provide milk that can also be collected daily by the milk board in a large truck and then sold.
It is hoped that the additional finance will enable the project to become self-sustaining. There are now two cows and three calves on the farm. One of the pregnant heifers was generously donated by a young British farmer @ Mootrition – wanting to give to make a difference in a community. Mo has now given birth to a lovely little calf. We named them Mo and Moo!!
Some of the land is being cultivated for grasses for feeding the cattle and the manure produced is being utilised for the crops or sold.
Approximately 35% of Rwandans practice subsistence farming.
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