SCIAF's Ash donates Zambian peanut-butter

Aisling Gallacher, SCIAF’s Zambia Programme Officer, visited Zambia to host a workshop for our partners and to monitor the progress of SCIAF-supported projects at the beginning of November. She wrote a blog about her trip and the people she met while she was there. 

After hosting the workshop, I travelled north to Solwezi to learn about the Vyelu project. This project is implemented by SCIAF’s partner Caritas Solwezi and is working with over 250 families to provide skills training that builds resilience to climate change. Solwezi is one of the wettest places in Zambia and traditionally has rich soils. But the conditions are changing. Soils are being stripped of nutrients by chemical fertilisers making it difficult to grow crops; and the past five rainy seasons have been too poor to grow enough maize for families to rely upon. 

This project is improving the lives of families by teaching them the skills they need to thrive. It promotes the use of organic manure and pesticides; it encourages farmers to start growing crops like sweet potatoes, cassava, and millet – that are more drought resistant than maize; and it is helping individuals manage their money better in a community savings and loans group. People have also received goats for manure production and income generation. 

Additionally, the project has helped people to grow peanuts and sunflowers and has provided training and materials to allow them to make peanut butter and cooking oil to sell.  

I spoke to members of the community who have participated in this project. 

Eric explained:  

“The project is very beneficial, some of the challenges we were facing have been cleared by the project, we really appreciate all the support we have had.”  

Janet said:

“The farming methods are the most important thing I have learnt. They will help me grow more and will mean that my children and grandchildren will have food. We are really happy that Caritas has brought this project here. God sent you to us and we are so happy to have you. Together we can uplift our lives.” 

Others told me about making peanut butter and cooking oil and about their plans for the money they’ve made. Most of the money will be saved to support their future plans but some will be used to build a storage unit and grow their business. 

Many project participants have seen their lives improve, so have started to help others within the community. They are currently paying the school fees for five children in the community, whose families are not part of the project, and they are also providing peanut butter and cooking oil to older community members and families with children who are underweight.  

At the end of my visit, I was presented with some generous gifts, including the peanut butter they have been producing.  

It was so generous of the project participants to present gifts to me and the Caritas Solwezi team. This is a real indication that the project has had a positive impact and that they are now doing well, before the project they wouldn’t have been in a position to give anything away. The participants are working incredibly hard to transform their lives and to make real and lasting change for their communities. 

I am delighted to announce that I have donated this peanut butter as a raffle prize at our upcoming carol concert.  

Please come along to enjoy an evening of beautiful singing and Christmas cheer in support of our Advent Appeal – with a chance to win some delicious Zambian peanut-butter!