Permaculture Equips Families to Provide for Their Children and Fight Food Insecurity
Bernadette, Former Farm Assistant at Neema, in the permaculture field
Next to our new campus are three acres of land that is now a vibrant permaculture farm. This innovative farm is diversifying and enriching the nutritional value of the 150 meals we prepare each day for our students, children, and staff. It is also a living classroom where our students learn the principles of permaculture. By mimicking natural ecosystems, it increases biodiversity and yields. Earlier this summer, our students took home kale—a staple food in the region where Neema is located—to grow in cement bags, bringing more fresh vegetables to their families' tables.
Many of our students’ families live hand to mouth, relying on wages from casual labor and making less than $2/day which often leads to food insecurity. But those who graduate from Neema typically end up supporting their families, and with their income, support an average of eight other individuals including parents, siblings, grandparents, children, and more.
Along with other students, Brenda, Class of 2024, has learned how to operate a permaculture farm. Listen to her share how this will help equip her to provide for herself and her son in the future.
But families aren’t the only ones benefiting from Neema’s new campus. The local community is also gaining a number of immediate benefits as well. Through its borehole, Neema is providing clean water to more than 500 individuals from the community. And by doubling the number of students we accept, we’re also doubling the number of guardians who will receive free permaculture training as a method of farming to combat food insecurity.
Traditional farming practices have suffered from weather changes, soil erosion, and nutrient depletion. Realizing this urgent need, we started teaching permaculture to our students’ guardians. By using healthy soil practices, it leads to increased yields and encourages efficient use of space, allowing families to cultivate a wider variety of nutritious crops on a smaller area.
Students and their guardians are learning how to grow kale and other vegetables in cement bags, allowing them to grow fresh vegetables even without much land.
Now families are equipped with permaculture education to start small-scale businesses that boost household income and improve their children's futures. From their new crops, families are improving nutrition, generating income from selling extra produce, and cutting expenses on produce. This not only alleviates food insecurity, but also empowers families to send their children to school. When families can afford to pay school fees, children will access a higher education level that can empower them out of poverty.
Mercy, Class of 2024, with her son Jayden at Neema’s new campus
“The permaculture knowledge I learned will help my family and me in various ways,” says Mercy, Class of 2024. “Since we don’t have a big piece of land, I will be able to plant vegetables, tomatoes, and even Irish potatoes in cement bags or buckets. I have learned how to use natural animal manure rather than artificial fertilizers, so we will be able to consume food free from chemicals and avoid diseases that are caused by chemicals. We will also be able to take better care of the soil by building swales and berms and planting different crops. This will help reduce my family’s expenditure and raise our income since we will be able to sell fruits and vegetables to the community.”
By investing in farming skills alongside dressmaking and catering, we're ensuring a healthier, more self-sufficient future for our students and their families.
Make a donation today to help our students’ families!
$125 covers the cost of one half-day training session for community members to learn the fundamentals of permaculture farming.
$50 covers the cost of basic equipment to get families started with permaculture farming including cement bags, buckets, seedlings, and more.
$25 covers the cost for our Farm Manager to visit one family and give them personal instruction on how to improve their farming techniques.