By Yusuph Emmanuel
The outlook is bleak for far too many people in the remote villages of Tanzania. There is no hope for a different life, let alone a better life, and dreaming about the future seems foolish when every day is a fight for survival.
The severe drought that hit East Africa last year has significantly impacted harvests and resulted in a steep increase in the prices of cereals and other staple foods. This has become a significant challenge for impoverished households in Bukabwa and Kome Island communities, who may depend on a single daily meal for survival.
Twelve21 Global currently operates two schools in these communities with 404 active students. However, these poor harvests and growing food costs have left our students and their communities vulnerable.
The saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child,” but creating a farm that can provide a school and community with their primary food source and potentially lead to long-term sustainability requires additional effort. Small-scale farming is a common practice in the villages of Bukabwa and Kome Island. Still, many struggle to achieve sustainable harvests due to a lack of access to quality farming inputs and technology, water scarcity, unpredictable rainfall and the emergence of crop diseases.
Twelve21 Global aims to establish a sustainable food source that can benefit our two schools and the communities we serve for years to come. We hope to pass on this knowledge to future generations by adopting better agricultural practices. This project will:
■ Reduce the monthly cost of purchasing food for our schools.
■ Create job opportunities for families of the children in our schools.
■ Generate sustainable income for the
ministry through the sale of excess produce.
■ Educate parents on modern agricultural practices, empowering them to establish a
long-term sustainable practice.
Yusuph Emmanuel is the Founder and CEO of Twelve21 Global. Learn more at twelve21global.org.