By Llywellenie Mpasa:
A treadle pump may be a simple and relatively low-cost irrigation technology, but for vulnerable communities, it can become a powerful tool for securing food, generating income and supporting education.
Reliable access to water for small-scale farming can help families and organisations produce food throughout the year, sell surplus crops and use the proceeds to meet essential needs such as school fees, learning materials and other household expenses.
The 97 orphans and street-connected children at Courageous Kids Foundation in Namphonela Village, T/A Chikumbu in Mpemba, Blantyre, see the treadle pump as an opportunity to turn a small piece of land into a source of food, income, practical education and, ultimately, hope for a more secure future.
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Founder of Courageous Kids Foundation Courageous Musasa says the irrigation project was part of efforts to reduce dependence on donations and establish sustainable ways of supporting the children.
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“The vegetables and green maize that we produce are not only for feeding the children, but we also sell some of the produce to raise money to support them in school,” Musasa says.
To support the agricultural initiative, Emmanuel TV Partners Malawi, under the Synagogue Church of All Nations (Scoan), donated a treadle pump to the children’s home.
Musasa described it as “more than a simple farming tool”.
The children and caregivers previously relied on buckets to carry water from Nsau River to their gardens, a laborious task that limited the amount of land they could cultivate.
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“We hope the treadle pump will ease the burden, expand production and ensure that the children have a more reliable source of food,” Musasa says.
Increased production will also provide surplus vegetables for sale, creating an additional source of income to support the children’s education and other daily needs.
The foundation has engaged in small-scale irrigation farming, growing vegetables and green maize for consumption while selling surplus produce to raise money for the children’s education and other basic needs.
Musasa says the children could gain practical lessons in budgeting, saving, reinvesting profits and managing limited resources through their participation in the farming activities.
“For example, income from one farming cycle could help purchase seeds and other inputs for the next cycle, while another portion could contribute towards education and household needs,” she adds.
Musasa further states that the foundation is already raising resources to complement donations and meet the educational and other needs of the children.
“Through the sale of vegetables and green maize, we are able to raise resources that would complement donations and help meet educational and other needs of the 97 children,” she says.
She has since urged other organisations caring for vulnerable children to explore sustainable initiatives that can continue benefiting them even when external assistance is unavailable.
Chairperson of Trustees-Fundraising for the Emmanuel TV Partners Chichiri Viewing Centre, Gloria Likupe, said their intervention was motivated by love and the desire to make a meaningful difference in the lives of vulnerable children.
“We want the foundation to work with less effort as they cater for their food and income ventures. Our support is meant to make their work easier while helping the children continue with their education,” Likupe said.
At face value, a treadle pump may appear to be a modest intervention. Its value, however, can extend far beyond improving access to water.
Income from the sale of surplus produce can complement donations and help the foundation meet expenses such as school requirements, learning materials, clothing and other basic necessities.
Perhaps the greatest value, however, lies in the lessons the children learn through participating in farming activities.
Agriculture becomes a classroom without walls.
By taking part in preparing land, planting, watering, weeding, harvesting and marketing produce, the children can learn that food does not simply appear on a plate. It is the result of planning, labour, patience and responsible use of resources.
Such lessons can help develop a culture of hard work and responsibility.
The long-term value of the initiative could be even more significant.
The children can acquire practical agricultural knowledge and skills that they may use later in life, whether they choose farming as a career, establish their own gardens or apply the principles of enterprise and resource management to other businesses.
The project can teach them the importance of starting with available resources and gradually building something sustainable.
Instead of viewing vulnerable children only as beneficiaries of assistance, sustainable agriculture can help position them as future contributors to their families and communities.
“This is about giving the children a sustainable life. We want them to have food, go to school and acquire skills that they can use in the future,” Musasa says.
She adds that the experience could also introduce the children to basic entrepreneurship.
“When they see that vegetables grown for consumption can also be sold to generate money, they learn the relationship between production and income,” she says.
Commenting on the initiative, Scoan member Fyness Njobvu, who attended the event, said sustainable agriculture was not simply about producing crops repeatedly.
“It is about ensuring that production can continue without destroying the resources on which it depends. This presents another important lesson for the children,” she said.
Njobvu said the children could learn the importance of conserving water, maintaining soil fertility, protecting the environment and using agricultural inputs responsibly.
“The treadle pump itself can demonstrate how appropriate, relatively simple technology can help communities make productive use of available water without necessarily relying on expensive systems. The project could also become a demonstration centre for surrounding communities,” she said.
Njobvu further said faith organisations have a role to play in creating communities of responsible citizens by supporting vulnerable people and creating opportunities for children to develop skills.
“Faith organisations can help create a community of responsible citizens by showing love, supporting education and giving vulnerable children opportunities to learn and develop. These children are part of our community and their future is our responsibility,” she said.
She said the donation provided an immediate solution to an agricultural challenge while potentially opening the door to a longer-term model of self-reliance.
“Following the teachings of Prophet T.B. Joshua, we believe that love should be demonstrated through action. When we help someone, we are showing love and giving hope to that person,” she said.
