Report Following Visit by Anthony Chitambala (ZAM18b)

Key person: Norman Tonga

Recent Events

Farm Plot

Last year, they cleared about 3 acres of land on the 9 acre plot they bought. The resources to pay for labor and all the work done on the land was paid by Norman Tonga and his elder brother, all from their own pockets. They had also received support from the church, the orphans and their parents who helped a lot with manpower. 

They planted soya beans on the 3 acres of land and harvested 17 bags of 50 kgs each. These bags have been kept since to use them as seed to give to the farmers in this current farming season. Currently the number of farmers stands at 69. 

21 farmers were given 25 kgs (each worth K500) to bring back 125 kg of soya
48 farmers got 12.5 kgs (each worth K250) to bring back 62.5 kg of soya

The idea is that if they do this for the next two years, keeping all the harvest to use for the next season as seed, by the time they reach the third year there will be a lot of farmers to pay back the loans and this will result in a lot of soya beans to sell and a greater profit to be made.

The soya beans they have and are giving farmers are coming from Share Africa Zambia whose presence at the moment is big in Eastern Province.

Since all the seed was given as a loan, they were asking about the possibility of them being supported to plant soya beans on the remaining 6 acres of land. The amount they are asking for is K3000 (US$145) which will cover herbicides, sprayers and labor (oxcarts). They have already cut the trees that were standing in the way of doing some good farming. They also have plans to build a house there so that during times of farming, one can even stay there for some days to do a good job or use the house for shelter when it is raining. They also hope that one day they can find a farm caretaker.  

Honey

There was funding that Norman Tonga and the team received for bee hives which were meant to be used to make honey. For some time they had challenges with the team tasked to make the bee hives. This resulted in a delay to make the hives but they are now being made and are almost finished. 

Orphans 

I had the privilege of interviewing eight orphans in the area who are being supported with school resources such as tuition fees, uniforms and books. At the moment the project is supporting 25 orphans.

Onester Lungu (15 years old), in Grade 4. Her mother died a long time ago. There are six altogether in the family.

Nicholas Banda, 14, is in Grade 3. He stays with his grandmother. He hopes that when he finishes school he can become a teacher.

Judith (18 yrs) in photo and Sarah Phiri (20) both in Grade 8 are sisters who are staying with Norman Tonga. Their mother was a widow staying at the farm in some remote village known as Kaongo, in Chief Chinunda’s area. She had no help from the family to look after her children. When Norman learnt of her situation, he picked up two of her daughters and brought them to stay with him as their own daughters.

Rebecca Nyirongo (16 yrs) is in Grade 7. She has a history of having attempted suicide because of being depressed from the harsh words people use to speak about her at the time when she used to stay with her grandmother just after her mother died. Norman Tonga involved some brothers at church to counsel her and pray for her. She was then brought into Norman’s house so she can have a home that is safe from other people’s harsh words towards her. 

Alice Nyirongo (8 yrs) on right is in Grade 2. She is the young sister to Rebecca. 

Alick Phiri is 12 years old and an orphan staying with his mother, a widow. He is HIV positive and the mother is too. Due to his health challenges, he took a long time to start school. This year, by God’s grace, he started school and seems to love school a lot. He plans on becoming a teacher should things go well with him that he is able to finish school. The mother has been privileged to be on the loan program for soya seeds.

James Musoba was made vulnerable some years ago due to his parent’s divorce. He was picked to become part of the program two years ago when he was in Grade 10 to help him finish high school. This year indeed by God’s grace, he is finishing school. 

Ideas for the Future

New Land Acquisition

This year they were privileged to be given land by the headman (4-6 acres) barely 500 meters away from Norman’s house. The land will be used to put the bee hives because it has some good trees. There are plans to fence it off, set up a borehole with pump and do different crops along with keeping livestock. If the problem of water can be sorted out at this land, then they will be able to even do some irrigation. All these ideas are to help them raise their own support for the work of the Lord.

Oxcarts

Norman has been thinking of how difficult it is to go to the other farm they bought some time back. He thinks that buying oxcarts would in the meantime be helpful because they will serve the purpose of transport as well as farming. Although this is not the fastest mode of transport, it will help because they have to cover a long distance walking.  

Current Issues and Challenges

Hammer Mill

There is a plot that was given to them a while ago by the Chief to set up a hammer mill. According to Norman, the place was secure. They had hoped that BHW would help with the hammer mill but later they were told it was not going to be possible at the time. Since they have not been doing anything on that land the possibility is high that the Chief might end up repossessing the land as the rule is if land bought is not developed for some years.