Ngara, TZ – Kabalenzi Primary School takes Initiative to protect its harvest – 15 Feb 2019

Kabalenzi recently completed a standalone storage project to protect their corn harvest from loss. Using wooden poles, tin sheets, and initiative, the school committee came together along with SODAT to complete their project.

Kabalenzi harvested over 5 acres of corn this year. This corn will go towards feeding their students every day and potentially paying for some of next year’s farming elements. However, one need they had was a place to store this corn in order to protect it. SODAT collaborated with the school to build a low total cost of ownership storage shed using tin sheets and wooden poles.

The storage unit will provide a protected and easily watched space for Kabalenzi to maintain it’s corn store for the remainder of the year. The initiative on part of Kabalenzi School also showed SODAT their commitment to adding value to the school’s breakfast feeding program.

One challenge Kabalenzi is facing is encouraging parents to contribute labor to farming activities. A large cost for farming at each school is labor. Parents and other community member’s asking for payment isn’t entirely uncalled for. Time spent at the school farm, while it will benefit the community in the long run, means they also lose time on other activities that would bring in income.

Kabalenzi’s dream is to upgrade their storage to a more permanent and more secure structure. For now, this storage room goes a long way to protecting all the work the community is doing at the school farm.