Canadian Foodgrains Bank – Toonie Tree Support in Action

Nsimire Mugoli’s life is difficult. Years of conflict mean she and her family, including her 8 month old son, Nahuma, have had to move to a displaced persons camp with about 300 other families facing a similar situation.

With the help of Foodgrains Bank member Mennonite Central Committee Canada and their local partner, individual fields and a communal field are rented to the families living in the camp. Nsimire and others are provided with training in sustainable agriculture and vegetable gardening to help them grow enough food to get by. They are also given seeds and tools to work in the fields.

In the most difficult times, Nsimire can access emergency food when it is needed. But now, she is planting maize and beans included with her emergency food ration in a carefully measured grid pattern taught to her by Foodgrains Bank supported agronomists. This method gives optimal spacing to the maize and beans allowing for proper growth and improved yields over the traditional method of scattering the seed by hand.

“I am feeling happy inside,” says Nsimire. “I’m thinking the way I am planting, I will be harvesting soon.”

Through our “Today’s recovery, tomorrow’s security” program, which combines emergency food assistance with long-term development work, families like Nsimire’s are working to move themselves out of poverty, now and in the future.

Your support of our Toonie Tree project will help people like Nsimire achieve a more stable, food secure future. Thank you for helping us meet the needs of Nsimire and others around the world.