Report from BHW Zambia Partnership Facilitators Following Visit

Key people: Peter Chomba and Judas Chomba

We met with Peter in Samfya to discuss the Chaba partnership. Unfortunately, Judas could not make it as he had been admitted to hospital with chest pains and difficulty breathing. Thankfully in the following week they communicated that he was out of danger and was recovering at home.

Recent Events

Farming

Last year they held a seminar in September to train new farmers and encourage those that had already been trained. This was again a success, and the farmers are encouraged by how the crops of maize, rice and cassava are looking. Harvest will be in June/July and the yields will be recorded and sent.

They also added the area of Minswa where Peter says the pioneers did a very good job. Judas Junior has been going there and monitoring fields, encouraging them to weed. They are also expecting a good yield that side.

The four demonstration plots that were planted in strategic locations to show people what is possible have gone well. The idea was to fund these demo plots and for very careful attention to all the parts of Foundations for Farming. These maize plots have grown very well and have people talking. The big focus was the use of compost, rather than fertilizer, as the availability and cost of fertilizer has really affected many farmers this year.

One request has been given to set up a programme of farming soyabeans. Peter has requested to go to visit Norman Tonga in Chipata OVC (ZAM23) to learn the growing systems. Then they want to grow some demonstration plots in Chaba. This will greatly help the farmers, re having a legume crop to enable good crop rotation. The aim is to set up 10 farmers to grow 1 lima (50m x 50m) each, with loans. 

Discipleship Training

The first year of a new course has started in February. The have had two meetings so far and are seeing some great potential in the people attending the courses. Peter has his eye on two or three people that may benefit from being sent to Samfya Bible School to complete the one-year course there.

One of the orphans that was originally on the programme, Lazarus Chanda, and who attended the church discipleship programme, went on to complete the Samfya Bible School course and then was sponsored to go to Central African University in Kitwe to study Theology. He will finish this year in December and has proved himself to be one of the top students.

Rice Mill (ZAM16a)

The rice mill has not been so good in the last year as the fanbelt broke at the time of rice harvest. It took a long time to fix it with a replacement, so not much rice was milled last season.

They are hopeful for the next season that things will be ok.

Rice Trading

Rice that was purchased in June 2022 was shelled and repacked for sale, producing a profit of 11,210ZMK (US$600). The profit made was used to help the project, assisting with inputs for ten rice farmers. 

Plans for the Future

Request for Peter and Judas Junior to travel to Chipata for training in soyabean production, and to add some funds for soyabean demonstration inputs.

Continue to input into the Mwinsa area for farming loans and trainings.

Continue to fund the church discipleship programme.