Widows striving towards self-sufficiency

Although there are many needy widows in the area. The Bumala Trust agreed to give support to 16 of them.

We firstly provided a workshop for them and the means to make baskets, hats and other items they could sell in the market. They were also given maize and beans monthly and other items when needed.
Our aim ultimately being to help them become self-sufficient, and to help each other.

In 2006 Two Trustee's took out to Bumala a sewing machine, material, cottons etc, and training was given so as to enable the widows to make uniforms and other items to sell.

In 2007 The 16 widows had their fields ploughed, harrowed, fertilised and planted with maize and beans and a pig breeding program was started. Advice was also given freely from a member of One World Development Foundation on animal husbandry and farming.

In 2008 The widows had formed a committee and more members joined, the widows are helping each other and each of the original widows has given piglets to some of the other widows who had joined.
Since reaping their first harvest from when we had ploughed and planted their land, the widows no longer need the monthly ration of maize and beans and have again helped each other.

April 2009 We are happy to report after having a meeting with the widows when we visited Bumala, that they are continuing to help and support each other, those widows who are able, also help and work in the tree nursery, giving something back to the trust.
The problems we have found however is that due to the economic situation and high costs of materials, many of the widows dwellings are in a bad state of affairs, some have had to be abandoned, with some families accommodating other families in their already crowded homes. We aim to help in providing new dwellings on a most needy basis first.

April 2010 Our most needy widow now has a new home, just in time as her old dwelling fell down when she was ready to move in. She is so happy to be in a safe, dry and comfortable dwelling, with her nine grandchildren she is caring for. We met with some of the other widows we had been supporting who would like to start goat keeping, this is not practical at the moment as the cost of suitable housing, grazing and care of them is not within theirs or ours reach, this may become a possibility in the future. There are many widows who take care of their grandchildren, and we do try and support where we see a need, with the cost of medical care and food. Some of the widows have skills that they could teach our less academic children such as dressmaking, they have agreed in return for a small sum of money to teach a few of our girls who are due to leave school and have not reached the grades needed to go to boarding or secondary schools. These girls could then start there own business and make the school uniforms needed for our children.