Moshi, TZ – BMB family garden – 20 Dec 2013

Mama BMB inspecting her vegetables.

There is a saying that, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” There is, perhaps, no area in our lives where this is truer than personal finances. No matter who we are, to improve our situation we must measure where we are and how we can improve.

The BMB family has taken this wisdom very seriously. From the day they started their garden they wanted to measure and manage the impact it would have on their life. They began keeping very close records of all of the benefits they were gaining from their garden. This included saving money on food each week and selling vegetables to make additional income. They also kept track of other sources of income and expenses in their lives. This is a difficult task when pen and paper are hard to come by, so Deo – manager of Tupendane – provided the family with an accounting book and pens.

By working hard to maintain their garden and keeping track of exactly what they were doing with their money, the family was able to raise enough money to start a small shop selling soaps and soda. As the family continues to manage their money wisely, they will be able to expand this business and continue to improve their lives.