Beauty Drafta - one year on

When Beauty Drafta first got involved with the CCPM, she faced big challenges, struggling to grow enough food and have money to pay school fees for her four children. Now, one year on, things have changed for the better.

The mother of four who lives near the Mozambique border in Chikwawa region believes the extensive training she has received through the programme “has improved my life, my family’s life and the lives of the whole community.”

“I was trained in new farming techniques, like intercropping, that have helped me triple the amount of food I’ve grown this year compared to last year, because we’re growing a variety of crops on the same land. Another thing we have learned is how to mix up the leaf of the Neem tree with water, to make a paste that kills off Fall Army Worm when we apply it to maize.”

This success has caused people in her community to take notice.

“People are highly interested in the project. I tell them to copy me, do as I do, and it has created a positive atmosphere in the community.”

She’s also received conservation training, on how to manage the local forest.

“This has really changed the behaviour in how we deal with the forest here. It’s stopped people just chopping down trees. Instead, we’ve been trained in how to get firewood, without killing the tree and how to make fire breaks to stop wildfires. It is very important to conserve the environment for ourselves and for the future.”

Another positive impact has been the creation of a Village Savings and Loan Group, that encourages good financial management.

“This has been very good, It’s enabled people to get small loans when they need them and we’ve had training in how to start small businesses. I no longer worry about having enough school fees for the children.”

When Chikwawa was hit by serious flooding in March, she was in a position to help others.

 “My grandmother’s house was completely destroyed by the floods, but we had enough to take her in, so she could stay with us.”

Now Beauty feels secure enough to plan for the future.

“I would like to have a big house, connected to electricity, a successful business that would support me and my family, and a car that I could use for business and to drop the children at school. I am confident now, and I think these changes are possible.”