Farming Project in Serenje

In April 2015, I travelled to Zambia for four weeks on my own. I spent a few days out in Mpongwe, then Serenje.

Mpongwe Group

In April 2015, I, Marianne Stamm, travelled to Zambia for four weeks on my own. I spent a few days out in Mpongwe, then Serenje.visiting with some of the farmers that are recipients of the microloans that the initial funds sent from Canada, some of them through Charis, funded. Fields in Mpongwe are looking quite poorly due to the poor rainfall pattern this rainy season. For the first time in many years, some families will be looking at a decisive short fall in food security. I noticed one especially poor field, and remembered that when we first toured the fields, most of them looked like that. Now they mostly look good, except that the yield is poor because of the rains. Some things have definitely changed for the better. Loan repayment has become more of an issue, especially in the last three years since new farmers were added. It looks like inadequate training, especially on the financial side, is part of the problem. When asked to list those who profited from the loans, leaders David Muwalya and Jessy Mpupulwa, to their own surprise, came up with about 20 names of people who have definitely moved forward. That would mean that half of the farmers helped have improved. In a discussion with one of the most successful small farmers, Jasinta, that was confirmed. That’s not a bad rate of success. (picture: field tour in Serenje)

Serenje Farm Program:

Jessy, his wife Loveness, and myself spent a day with the Serenje farmers, first meeting together at the church, where their leader July gave a report of the microloans program since its inception in the farming year of 2010/11. The leaders in Serenje also struggle with the repayment of loans. Interest is mostly paid but not principal. The Serenje fields though, looked really good, even this year. Touring a few of their farms, I could see a marked growth, especially with Ben, who started farming the year the microloans were first given out. He’s really moved ahead, even managing to send his oldest children to grade 12, his fields have grown too. But he too has only repaid the interest on the loan each year. So a lot of ‘why’ was asked among the leaders and myself. One thing we all had to see was that we grossly overestimate the ability of most farmers to understand money, to deal with it. We think we teach them how to budget, but one day is not going to change very many people’s lives, especially if they hardly read or write. It takes a long time. Also, many people are preselling their next harvest in January at far below cost, to get money to pay school fees in a period where money is scarce. When they harvest, the money is already gone. Few seem to understand that they would have been better off not to plant.

Things are rarely cut and dried and easy to understand. There are good reasons for all behaviour, if one takes the time to dig deeply enough. It’s up to the leaders at Mpongwe/Serenje to work out the problems. It’s been their program for some time now, not ours, but they still want our input and feel accountable to us. That is probably not a bad thing.

I certainly enjoyed my time in Zambia immensely. It was great to be with friends, and especially gratifying to visit those who have really moved forward since we first had input in their lives. It's those people we keep going back for.

Marianne Stamm

Hope to Kitwe Women

In May, 2014, two Zambian friends introduced me to a disturbing piece of life I’ve only ever heard about – prostitution.

Bringing Hope to Women in Kitwe

Background: In May, 2014, two Zambian friends introduced me to a disturbing piece of life I’ve only ever heard about – prostitution. Eva and Irene are working with a group of prostitutes in the copper mining city of Kitwe, where Robert and I stay when in Zambia. Irene has been inviting the women to her home weekly for over a year. She provides them with a meal, a safe place to relax and interact with each other and with her, and invites them to attend church with her. I was invited to join in a meal and then visit two women in their homes.
These women see no other way to provide for themselves and their children. They have little formal education. Some of their mothers were already prostitutes. Some are widowed and left with nothing but their children. Other family members are dependent on their provision. Prostitution is a dangerous job. The women are often beaten or raped. Many times they work all night and are not paid. The women in this group desperately want to leave prostitution but it’s not that easy.

Project Proposal:

For the women to exit prostitution, they need an alternative income source. Irene and Eva have set up a program beginning with six women that will give them the skills and start up capital for a small business such as trading fish or beans, or baking and selling goods. Just as important as financial help to the women is good training, both of business/entrepreneur skills, and life skills. An established NGO in Kitwe, PLAEP (ProLife Advancement and Education Project) – will provide the training and mentoring for the first year, using the GROW concept (Grassroots building Our Wealth). The women will then form a group that meets weekly and is accountable to each other.

Most of the women have children. Experience shows that a successful rehabilitation program must also incorporate them. Many children are in the streets instead of school because their families cannot afford school fees and uniforms. As education is vital to help children towards a better future than that of their mothers, we will also strive to help with school fees.  Linda (name changed to protect identity)is a young mother of a ten-year old son and a toddler, Janie. Like most of the other prostitutes in the group, Linda is HIV positive. This is especially disturbing as most clients of prostitutes are married men. Linda struggles to provide the basics for her children. Most evenings she goes out to work, trying to stay sober towards morning. She needs to be home in time so her son, who sleeps with Janie in the only bed in the tiny apartment, can go to school. Then she needs to sleep too. So that Janie is quiet, she gives her an adult dose of an antihistamine.

Esther (name changed)is practically deaf due to an illness and was desperate to get out of prostitution. Eva and Irene were able to provide Esther with enough capital to start a small business so she can now provide the necessities for herself. She is still short the school fees for her daughter, but is determined to make her way without going back to prostitution.

I am looking for people to partner with me to help these women. Research shows that as women are able to provide for themselves with an alternative income to prostitution, they become more self-confident and are more likely to stay free of it, especially if their children are also helped.

The project is registered with the Zambian government and has its own bank account. Charis Global Community Aid, of Innisfail AB, is a Canadian registered charity and will take donations towards the project.

Marianne Stamm