Farming

Zambia is one of 22 African countries with the highest number of under-nourished children under five years old. Thousands of children and women suffer from one or more forms of malnutrition, including low birth weight, wasting, stunting, underweight, and multiple micro-nutrient deficiencies. (source)

Malnourished children have substantially lower chances of survival than children who are well nourished. They are much more likely to suffer from a serious infection and die from common childhood diseases such as diarrhea, pneumonia, measles, and malaria. (source)

The 65 acre HHY farm is key to alleviating poverty in our community and enlarging our children's futures. The farmland is being used to grow soybeans, maize, sunflowers, and other vegetables, as well as supporting a small orchard. We also raise pigs, goats, and chickens. We work as a family to plant and sow the fields, tend the orchard, and care for the animals. All farming is done by hand, using hoes and rakes—there are no tractors, no plows, etc. The children learn a strong work ethic, and excess crops and meat are sold in market for income.

HHY cultivates sustainable farming practices
that provide both nutrition & ongoing income.

The Soybean Project

Soybeans are currently a cash crop in Zambia that is bringing in a good return on the investment of planting. HHY is in process of raising funds to plant soybeans to profit to help manage some of our operational costs. It is estimated that about $3000 per year will be needed to cultivate, plant, manage with fertilizer and weed spray, harvest, and market the soybeans. The return for this investment is anticipate to be approximately $6500, allowing for reinvestment the next growing season while also providing funds for the ministry. Growing season is from November through April, but donations to assist us are accepted year-round.

In addition to the soybeans, HHY is planting a “garden” of maize, which will be harvested and ground into mealie meal using a hammer mill. The mealie meal is boiled with water to make nshima—the staple food in Zambia—and eaten at least twice daily. Growing our own maize helps to reduce the cost of food purchase to feed the HHY family.

We are also experimenting with growing sunflowers and having the seeds pressed to produce cooking oil. Most foods in Zambia are prepared with cooking oil, and the cost of the oil in the stores has increased 3-fold in the past 10 years. Producing our own oil will also help to reduce the cost of food purchase to feed the family.

Help us grow our crops to help us grow our self-sustainability.

SHARE OF SOYBEANS $250 (GOAL $3,000)

Pigs & Goats

Keeping animals like pigs and goats on the farm provides nourishing protein for the children, as well as sustainable income in the market.

HHY currently has an active piggery with over 20 pigs. Female pigs are kept for breeding; while some of the male pigs are also kept for breeding, most are sold for income when they reach the desired size. The piggery is in process of being expanded to house a larger number of pigs, as raising pigs for resale is proving to provide a strong return on investment and will help us reach out sustainability goals.

Give nourishment and sustainability.

Your gift of $100 provides 1 pig.
Your gift of $50 provides 1 goat.

Chickens

To raise money to continue our clinic services at the farm beyond 2021, HHY is raising and selling chickens. These chickens are known as “roasters”, as they are raised for rapid growth and resale after 8-10 weeks.