Moshi, TZ – BMB family garden’s success – 31 Dec 2013

Before starting a FAITH Garden the BMB family, like many families in Kahe and across Africa, was getting by on the food and proceeds from their one acre farm. Both parents were farmers and they dreamed of being able to help their children grow up healthy and strong so they could achieve their own dreams in the world. The parents have four children – aged twelve, nine, seven, and three – whom they were raising on an average of 50,000 TZS ( US$32.50 ) per month. The children dreamed of being accountants, farmers, and technicians and the parents knew they would need more resources to help these dreams come true.

In September 2013 the family submitted an application to start an organic Vegetable Garden with Tupendane. The family was accepted based their interest in gardening, their ability to take care of a garden, and their willingness to help others in their community.

Since they started their garden, the family has worked hard to create a beautiful garden and have become an inspiring success story. Despite starting their garden during the dry season, the family maintained their garden by regularly watering it and applying mulch to protect the beds from the sun and retain moisture. These are just a few of the best practices that Tupendane encourages families to employ, and the family is providing proof that these practices are effective. The practices are simple but keeping up with them on a daily basis requires families to be determined to improve their lives.

The MBM family’s determination is paying off. Over the past few months the parents and children have begun to improve their health as they consistently have healthy, organic vegetables to enjoy. The garden is also having a positive effect on the family’s income. They have been selling their excess vegetables and saving money because they do not have to buy vegetables at the market anymore.

In November the family sold 15,600 TZS ( US$9.75 ) in vegetables and saved 7,500 TZS ( US$4.69 ) by not having to buy vegetables at the market. That’s a total positive impact of 23,100 TZS ( US$14.44 ) and a 46% increase in the family’s monthly budget. In December they earned and saved 13,200 TZS (US $8.25 ) and 5,000 TZS ( US$3.13 ) respectively.

The family has also been focused on personal accounting practices. The family understands the importance of tracking household income and expenses and they have kept careful records of these as their garden has grown. This record keeping gave the family the confidence they needed to invest in a small “home shop” – a shop run out of a family home instead of a kiosk or storefront.

They started by selling soap, which they purchased in bulk and then re-packaged for selling to individuals.  They used profits from this business to invest in a crate of soda, which they knew they could sell at a profit. Today, the BMB’s have a small store containing one bucket of soap, two crates of soda, and cooking oil. They plan to continue growing this business by reinvesting profits, using income from their vegetable garden, and applying for a small business loan from Better Lives. Tupendane plans on using the BMB family garden story to inspire other gardeners and show the community the powerful effect  that productive vegetable gardens can have when they are properly tended to.