Our work

This year, we will help almost 12,000 families along on their journey out of poverty. Each of those will go on to lend a hand to an average of 10 further families, restoring real hope to communities in rural Africa.

Those we work with include women, orphans, child-headed households and people living with HIV/Aids. They have often lived in extreme poverty – despite their hard work. Yet now, with our support, they are starting to feed their families, send their children to school, earn a steady income, and lead happy and fulfilled lives.

Our work has three core strands: strengthening people, farming and animals and caring for the environment.

Working with people in groups, to make use of peer support, we train them in how to use their natural resources wisely to build thriving mixed crop-livestock farms. This includes training in natural – or organic – farming; and in livestock care. Where necessary, we provide good quality animals, seeds and tools to get families started.

As well as being cheap and effective, the farming methods we promote are kind to the environment and are truly 'sustainable' development. Families learn how to combat environmental challenges such as soil erosion and water shortages – often the result of climate change.

It’s an approach that is enabling whole communities in seven African countries* to move towards self-sufficiency. And along the way, they know they can rely on the support of our extension workers.

“Now my family eats three times a day, and we are able to save in case of any future shocks. I am planning to support my kids until they complete school and also to train more farmers.”

Alemu Buka Birra, Ethiopia.

We work in: Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Zambia and Lesotho.