In Budu village of rural Malawi, Jamiya has always worked hard to support her family. Married with two children, she manages their small plot of land while her husband works in South Africa to send money home. Like most farmers in the village, Jamiya grows maize, but it’s never enough to feed her family year-round or sell for income.

Before the Self-Reliance for Food Prosperity Project, Jamiya couldn’t afford chemical fertilizers and struggled to maximize her land’s potential. But when she joined the project, she was eager to learn and apply new techniques. The Project’s workshops taught methods that would help her grow more food, improve soil quality, and protect crops during dry spells.

One of the most useful things Jamiya learned was how to make her own organic fertilizers. This allowed her to improve her soil without spending money on expensive chemicals. She also learned techniques to preserve moisture in her fields, which became crucial when the rains didn’t come as expected. During the last rainy season, Jamiya applied what she had learned, and while her maize didn’t yield as much as she hoped, the crops survived the dry spells. Without these methods, her maize would have been devastated, and her family would have faced even more hunger.

Jamiya also started a small home garden. She grew vegetables like pumpkin, peanuts, and legumes, which provided fresh food for her family. No longer did they have to buy vegetables from the market, saving money that could be used for other essentials. Jamiya also learned that it was possible to grow vegetables during the dry winter months, which is typically a fallow period for farmers. Last season, she earned a net profit of 350,000 kwacha, or $200, selling tomatoes, a sum that helped her buy basic items like soap and support her children’s education.

For Jamiya, the project has been life-changing. She no longer feels helpless during dry spells and now has the confidence to grow food year-round. The skills she’s learned have not only helped feed her family but also brought them hope for a better future.