Marie speaking to women in her community. Credit: Narcisse K Chibangu / Oxfam
Stories of hope
Sowing joy in DR Congo
On the eastern border of DR Congo, most people in South Kivu rely on farming to make a living. However, climate shocks, regional conflict and limited access to land has made it increasingly difficult for small-scale farmers to feed themselves and their families.
A grassroots community project run by local partner APDIK and Oxfam is working with farmers in the region to build stronger and more resilient incomes.
Marie's story
Narcisse K Chibangu / Oxfam
Marie and her pigs in Tshazi, DR Congo.
Marie, a local farmer and businesswoman, has become a leader in her community after attending training carried out by Oxfam partners. Her mission is now to share what she's learned with others.
"I live here in the locality of Tchazi with my two children. I grew up here, was born here, and studied here until I got married. I am a very active small business woman.
"Since I was a child, my mother taught me how to cultivate. She would show us how to plant beans, maize, and all kinds of seeds when we came back from school. Mum used to teach us and we have continued with plantation step by step until today."
Narcisse K Chibangu / Oxfam
Marie spreading potato seeds at the newly constructed potato and corn seed storage facility.
"Oxfam gave us all kinds of seeds – beans, potatoes, maize, tomatoes, onions, cabbage – and tools like spades, watering cans, sprayers. They even gave us pigs! We are planting everything they gave us until now and it has given us so much joy.
"Look at my bean plantation and harvest! I was given 10kg of bean seeds. I planted it all and harvested 150kg! I kept 50kg for my family's food, sold 50kg which really helped increase my business money, and planted the other 50kg here again."
Narcisse K Chibangu / Oxfam
Before, I was just a small business woman selling flour to feed my kids with a little profit. But now I have taught 10 other women my business too.”
Marie in DR Congo talking to women in her community about her work.
“I need to teach others about [these techniques] too before I die, so they are not left in hunger... and [I will] tell my own children all about it as well."
The project reached 17,000 households and over 100,000 people:
- supporting local leadership
- teaching farming skills
- enabling farmers in the region to create more stable incomes for themselves, on their own terms
In the aftermath of devastating regional conflict, projects like this one are collaborating with communities to build the foundations for a fairer and more financially-secure future.