Help young lives learn how to farm in Africa

Did you know? Hunger is the fire that drives a man to seek nourishment. Even the mightiest of warriors become weak when their bellies are hollow. NASLA's small seeds of love and hope through our RootBiz outreach program is bringing smiles and hope to many youths in Cameroon. Thanks to all our family of supporters, because of you this change is possible. 

Today, we want to share the exciting testimony of one of our beneficiary, 'Herman', an unemployed school dropout now a fantastic vegetable (pepper) farmer, who grows his own vegetables for food, while generating income to take care of his basic needs and send his sister to school. 

Herman's Testimony:

My name is Herman, a native of Tudig Village currently residing as an Internally Displace Person (IDP) in Bessi-fomukong village in Mbengwi Subdivision. I am 27 years old. 

Like many of my peers, I found myself facing the challenge of No Job (unemployment) and an uncertain future after I droped out of school in 2017 due to the current anglophone crises affecting the two English speaking regions of Cameroon (NW & SW). Because many youth in our area are a target to the arm groups, I decided to move to Bessi village to live with a family friend. With limited opportunities in the village, and from a poor background, my family couldn't afford to sponsor me to go to the city where I could continue schooling or get a job, I felt disheartened and unsure of what path to pursue.

However, I had always possessed a deep love for nature and had fond childhood memories of helping my grandparents tend to our small garden behind the house, take care of goats, and pigs. This connection to nature, and the financial hardship of my family sparked a glimmer of hope within me. I decided to follow my passion and explore the world of farming since farming in the village is the highest practice and less cost demanding to start if you can access a land..

Driven by a thirst for knowledge, in 2021, The Network of Agric and Sustainable Leaders for Africa (NASLA) came to Bessi Village with the RootBiz workshop. I decided to attend the first workshop which was on sustainable farming and livestock (pig) agriculture, then in 2022 they came again with another training on poultry and vegetable farming, which I also attended. These trainings provided me with practical skills in sustainable farming methods, simple soil building techniques using organic compost around, and crop cultivation techniques and above all it also ignited in me the zeal to farm.  

With determination and a small plot of land provided by my supportive family in Bessi, I started my own farm journey into pepper production. Though I faced numerous challenges, including unfavorable weather conditions, lack of some tools and also no enough money, I didn't  stop what i wanted to do because i had no other option. I persevered, learning from each setback and adapting my methods accordingly until June when I was selected by NASLA’s follow-up team that visited our farms and supported us with some farm tools,(cutlass and watering cane).

As time goes on, my dedication and hard work has begin to bear fruit. My pepper farm is in the 2^nd harvest now abd from the produce I am sure to pay my sisters fees in the primary school and also sure to afford basic food items for our home consumption.

My excitement is even different now as other community members are beginning to be inspired through my farm and my commitment to farming without fertilizers (chemicals) as we were taught in the training. .

Driven by my success and a desire to contribute to the needs of my family, today, my farm stands as a testament to the power of determination, resilience, and the unwavering belief in oneself. And my all appreciation to NASLA and the RootBiz program and I pray that they continue to invest in my community, sharing knowledge and helping to create a brighter future for other unemployed youth. Thank you people so much.