20 Aug 2017

Backyard gardens are some of the empowerment initiatives that continue to yield positive results in efforts to assist beneficiaries transform their standard of living.
Since its inception those who took it up in a serious manner has a testimony to share.

One such is 58-year-old Ms Sarah Mmusi in Francistown.

When she first heard of the initiative; she was convinced that it would benefit her.

In an interview, Ms Mmusi narrated that she had been engaged with the project for over five years.

All the praises she sang about the positive outcomes she had achieved clearly explains that she is content with her project.
Ms Mmusi said after she was thrown from pillar to post in efforts to search for an employment opportunity, she visited the Social and Community Development with the intention to be enrolled under the food basket ration programme.

However, she was encouraged to try her luck with one of their initiatives so as to stand independent.
“When I settled for a backyard garden I first had doubts that the outcomes would sustain me and I almost gave up,” she said.

Ms Mmusi said with the courage and support she received from S&CD she then developed hope and started digging for her treasure.

She also revealed that upon starting it was a bit strenuous, some of the people she started off with deserted their projects.
 

Ms Mmusi said since she understood well the hardships of lack of financial means, she vowed not to give up.
 

Today Ms Mmusi cultivates different vegetables such as tomatoes, spinach, beetroots and several others depending on the seasons and her profits are satisfying.

Ms Mmusi noted that although they work as a group, each individual has been given plots to attend and when sales are made, profits are given to individuals as per vegetables sold from their plots.

A mother of six does not hide the wonders she benefits from sales profits she makes, besides providing for her family, she is also in a position to pay up her policies and bills and other monetary errands.

Ms Mmusi said ever since she started her project, she has not experienced any challenges of market penetration.

“Individuals often visit in large numbers to buy our products and market days that are always organised by the social workers also gives us an extra mile to boost our sales,” she said.

Ms Mmusi takes her job seriously manner. Her day starts at 8am and ends at 1pm.

Now that her vegetables have matured and ready for sale, she does not have much work except cultivating, watering and thinning.

Since she is a hand on person, when her day at the garden ends, she engages in short term jobs such as laundering and cleaning at a price so as to supplement her profits.

Ms Mmusi also said although she is sometimes faced with challenges of pests, she is happy that social workers are always ready to tackle the challenges. Ends