December 2021 Update

When we first met Magret and Simon in 2019, their garden helped them save enough money to join a village savings banking group. For the first time, they could plan for the future — an exciting, new luxury for tho

se accustomed to living hand-to-mouth.

Since 2019, however, floods, high winds, and crop infestations have pummeled their village. Furthermore, Covid restrictions limited F2F’s travel to see villagers, and no other material or monetary support was distributed to them. Given the barrage of challenges they and other families faced, it wouldn’t be surprising if Magret and Simon had quit their garden and reverted back to old ways.

This October, we were happy to find the couple had improved the quality of the garden, expanded it, and planted fruit and indigenous trees. The children are healthy, and Simon rarely needs to do strenuous labor work like he did before when money was scarce.

Simon and Magret recognize the dangers of dependence on maize or outside aid. They now know that challenges can be overcome by minimizing risk and — crucially — relying on themselves. Bucking tradition, the couple are reducing their maize crop and replacing it with sweet potato, tomatoes, beans, and pumpkins. They continue to save money every week, a little at a time. Simon and Magret have changed their mindsets, and we’re confident they’ll never look back. They’re lifting themselves out of poverty, one small, sure and steady step at a time.