Enough to Share
In Liberia, Youth Agriculture Groups initiated by local partner West Africa Initiative are helping families learn new farming methods to better provide for themselves and their neighbors.
Rebecca has been a member of the group in her village for five years. She grows rice and hot peppers. Through the training, she has learned how to preserve her harvest and how to use the food she grows to cook healthy meals for her family. She received some help with seeds and tools and has also made use of the community food storage facilities started through the program.
“The store helped our harvest to last for a longer time to provide food and to save seeds for the next planting year. I am blessed. I’m happy to be member of this farming group and I thank God and the program sponsors. My life has improved through the safe water well they built in my village, and through the nutrition and home gardening training.”
Rebecca uses part of her harvest to feed her family, shares some with neighbors, and sells some to buy the other things they need like clothes and school fees. She’s also saving some for their future.
Augustus is the general secretary of another youth farming group, where he’s been participating for six years. He and his wife have five daughters and three sons to provide for – a lot of mouths to feed.
“I have benefited a lot. I was trained how to produce more food for my family and I have also learned how to share with others, especially my neighbors who are in need. I’ve been taught how to preserve my harvest and my wife has been taught how to use the food we grow to cook healthy meals for our family. More importantly, the program has taught me about gender-based violence and how I should treat my wife and children at home.”
Augustus has also learned beekeeping skills, using some of the resulting honey to earn additional income and enjoying the rest with his family. Thanks to their participation in the program, they’ve earned sufficient income to allow their daughters to stay in school.
Sierra Leone Liberia Youth
Led by Presbyterian Church (USA) and local partners Agricultural Missions, West Africa Initiative of Liberia, Village to Village Federation (Sierra Leone)