Moyenda and Masiye Milazi are recent graduates of the School for Agriculture for Family Independence (SAFI), in the Mtalimanja Village of Malawi, Africa. The couple chose to participate in the two-year program to learn modern farming techniques and help their family improve their standard of living.

Before attending SAFI, the Milazi family harvested 20 to 25 bags of corn on a one-acre parcel of land. On that same portion of land the couple now harvests no less than 60 bags of corn. They have also increased their farming skills to include animal husbandry, beekeeping, mushroom production and the importance of proper nutrition for overall health and well-being.

“As a wife, this training has assisted us because we have enough food, which we didn’t have in the past,” said Masiye. “Now our future is bright. My kids are now healthier because we have enough food.”

Moyenda said he is teaching other farmers in his village the skills he learned at SAFI to improve their harvests. Milazi is encouraging other wives to assist their husbands with rotational gardens and incorporating proper nutrition in each meal. The couple is grateful for their education and encourage donors to keep funding the program so it expands and helps more Malawians achieve independence and self-sufficiency. ■