The rain begins...

Francis writes after I sent £150 last week:

"With the money which you sent I bought 21 bags of fertiliser, 2 x 50kgs of maize seed and the remaining money I used to buy Chitenjes."

He tells me the seed is enough for 50 families. The rains have started. I spoke to him this morning and he said it is raining well.

The village committee prioritised buying seed and fertilizer and has developed a project with the help of an agricultural advisor to build a demonstration poultry house or "Khola" in Chichewa. To stock this with 250 broiler chickens will cost about 100 pounds, which they can start to eat or sell after 6 weeks. Their plan is to re-stock this every 3 weeks. So after the first couple of cycles it becomes self sustaining.

He is sending me a few chitenjes - the traditional cotton wrap skirts - which I will put up for sale to raise money for the village.

At the same time, even though the rains have started, there is little food. So with the 100 pounds I can send today, this will be split between buying maize, targetting the orphans living with elderly relatives, and the chicken project.

To help contribute, please see my eBay sale or email me to make another arrangement.

Francis writes...

I used the money to buy six bags of maize. I thought it is best at this time for the people. The villagers are happy to receive the help.

The Government has subsidised the fertiliser prices to MK950 to those who cannot afford to buy fertiliser at recommended price of MK2700. The poorest received coupons to buy fertiliser. This fertiliser will help them to prepare for a good harvest next year so that the people should be free from hunger.

A family needs 2 bags of "1 NPK" fertiliser for first application while the maize is very small. Another bag is for maturity (cob making).

We had a nice meeting including the village headman and over 200 people in attendance. We discussed issues concerning hunger and poverty. We concluded that if we can apply fertilizer this year we will get more harvest next year and if we can be keeping chickens and goats we will have manure next year and poverty will be deminished. But we need an agriculture advisor to assist us in looking after the poultry and goats farming as well as advising us on our fields.

For your information all the expenditure is on receipts and as well as my note book.

The money which is needed now is for fertiliser as the rains are promising, so that we can apply for first fertilizer in good time.

Lastly I am looking forward to hear from you. God be with you all and to those who assist you with the money.