Meet the beneficiaries
So far Nourish Fund has raised enough money to feed over 15,000 children for a week and we are only just getting started!
Read on to meet some of the people in the communities that Nourish Fund was founded to help.
Matthews and Emily
Matthews is married to Emily and they have four children, Shepherd, Angela, Gabrielle and Priyanka. He is one of 10 members of a Fruit Tree Community Club where Ripple Africa are teaching him, and his fellow club members, to grow a variety of fruit trees and learn new farming skills.
Last year, as a Community Club, they raised 1,500 fruit tree seedlings. Some of these were distributed to local schools but Matthews planted 30 seedlings at his home.
The papaya trees produce fruit within six months of planting. Matthews said, “We are now able to provide our children with breakfast before they go to school, and because we have 21 papaya trees, we have sold some of the fruits as each tree gives us around 100 papayas.
“With this money we have paid the Primary School Development Fund fees, bought new school uniforms, notebooks and pens, and we have saved some money. This money will buy additional food items like rice and maize flour, and pay transport costs to the clinic if anyone is ill.”
This year they are teaching Matthews how to set up a vegetable and chicken business, and from the fruit tree training he has already received, he is independently growing 140 seedlings at home so he can set up his own fruit farm.
Dawira
Modester and Flora
Dawira is farming improved sweet potato vines to earn an income and provide for his family. Last year was the first time he was a multiplication farmer. He said, “I have land in a fertile area and wanted to maximise it to earn money to support my family. After growing and harvesting the vines, I was able to do lots of things with the money I earnt.”
Living in such a remote area with limited transport, he bought a bicycle. He also bought two pressure sprayers, two sacks of fertiliser and three blankets.
He continued, “I was able to pay for my son and daughter to attend secondary school but we live far so they stay away from home. We have to pay rent, food, transportation and anything else they need.”
Dawira explained that there wasn’t any space in the school boarding house so he worries about his daughter. He said, “Next year I will earn more money so I can transfer my daughter to a better school where she can safely live at the school. I want to buy a motorcycle so I can visit my children too. The motorcycle will provide my community with affordable transport especially for those that are sick and need to get to a hospital.”
Dawira’s ambition is incredible and seeing his face light up as he talks about how he is helping his children and his community is heartwarming. As his youngest child sits with him and other farmers listen to his plans, it is clear that everyone is proud of him.
When new varieties of a fruit are introduced, it is always important to see how they grow. Over a year ago Ripple Africa introduced a hybrid variety of paw paw. Traditionally paw paw trees grow extremely tall which makes it difficult to harvest the fruit. However, the hybrid variety does not grow as tall but still produce quality fruits.
Modester is 10 and lives with her grandmother, Flora, a member of Chiomba Fruit Tree Club. She is one of so many children excited that their parents and grandparents are growing this hybrid variety.
Modester said, “I am glad my grandmother is growing fruits and the tree is shorter so I can pick a paw paw and have breakfast before school.”
Modester demonstrated the challenges of trying to harvest from the tall tree and the fruit that subsequently gets damaged as it hits the ground. She then went to their new papaya trees and showed how easy it is for children to pick papayas.
Her grandmother Flora said, "This is much better. We are really pleased to not only have a great harvest but that the children can pick them so that they can enjoy fruit before school.”