There is something to dance about in the villages of Bukuyu and Bula Pamoja in Kenya's Northeast. Under the shade of Acacia trees, women from the Chanathina farmers group are singing praises for the blessing of their farms that are doing well despite the terrible floods of this past May.
Through hard work and cooperation, the people of these communities are becoming food secure as they utilize the methods of conservation agriculture. They are both bringing produce to market and to their tables.
Children having lunch at the CBM feeding program
Bula Pamoja, Kenya
Over the past five years, CBM has been helping to improve nutrition within the community through daily feeding programs in two early childhood centres that we revitalized with the community leaders. As the food security project has grown, village farmers are now able to provide fresh produce like bananas and kales for the children each day.
"The school feeding program has helped to attract and retain the kids to school," shared our colleague Pauline. "This is because most households in the community cannot afford meals during the day due to abject poverty in the area. Since the inception of the school in 2012, twenty-two pupils have graduated to nearby primary schools which are approximately three kms away."
Our colleagues Geoffrey and Pauline visiting the new irrigation pump
provided by CBM's food security project in Garissa.
Bukuyu mother and beneficiary of the CBM food security project
Only a few years ago, this field was thorny scrub bush.
Now it is a source of food and income for a family.
"The empowerment of the community with skills and knowledge on conservation farming has enabled them better farming techniques which has increased their yields. The community has also gained knowledge on the control of pests and diseases which use to be a menace in the area," shared Pauline. " The community has also benefitted with certified seeds of tomatoes, kales, green grams and cowpeas which has increased their yields and they been able to sell for income. It has also helped the community to diversify on the different kinds of crops to improve their diets and nutrition."
We thank God for the fruit of ministry in these communities and for the growing peace of the past year in Garissa. Please join us in praying for continued stability and deepening relationships of mutual trust and respect among the Muslim and Christian communities of this region.
· As the people of Bakuyu are seeing their farms prosper, they are now facing a challenge from wildlife like warthogs and hippopotamus destroying their crops. Please pray for this community as it seeks affordable and effective ways to protect their farms and prevent the destruction of their crops by wild animals.
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