Changed Lives Change Communities
Bosko, a farmer and fisherman, is seeing his life – and that of his community – change for the better. It all started when he was invited to a Village Savings and Lending Association (VSLA) meeting sponsored by local partner Anglican Diocese of Niassa. VSLAs are self-formed groups which encourage members to save money, invest it in their farms and businesses, and take out loans to improve their families’ circumstances.
Bosko quickly joined the group of 30 participants. He says, “With my first loan, I fixed the fishing boat my family has owned for generations. After I paid it off, another loan allowed me to buy quality fishing nets to catch bigger fish and sell them at a higher price to the hotels on Likoma Island.”
Bosko wasn’t initially interested in the agriculture program, since he’d been growing cassava his entire life. “But when the leaders mentioned that they would be teaching a new production technique, I wanted to know more,” he confesses.
The group members elected Bosko as a lead farmer. He learned the practices, received a new variety of cassava seeds, and prepared a plot of land for planting. Success! He now holds outdoor classes for his neighbors once a month. “I enjoy learning and sharing what I know with others,” Bosko says.
“Thanks to God and these interventions,” says Bosko, “my own life and my neighbors’ lives are changing for the better. I’ve doubled the income I get from my fishing business. I’ve been able to repair my house with that extra money. I am also helping my neighbors learn new farming techniques for cassava. When we use them and the improved plant varieties, our yields go up, we have more food, and we can store our surplus against times of need. As you can imagine, all of this improves our diets, our resilience, and our food security.”
Mozambique North Program
Led by World Renew and Local Partner Anglican Diocese of Niassa