Self-Sustaining School Farm in Africa

The “Seeds of Life” Project was launched by Impact Sierra Leone  (US-501c3) in April 2021 to provide nutritional food for 150 primary school children and their families in Foindu Village, Sierra Leone.  Rather than simply asking for food and monetary donations, we wanted to create a self-sustaining farm program that incorporates direct participation from the children and families and integrates an agriculture-based curriculum into the children’s education. We also want to be mindful of culinary preferences and practices and give the community a sense of pride and autonomy over their future.

On April 19th, the launch day of the campaign, Impact Sierra Leone (ISL) staff, along with the students and teachers planted okra and the children were extremely excited. In addition, ISL provided wellness pictures to teach the children about the health benefits of the produce they are growing.  Under the direction of the project director, Martin Sembu Turay, the children have also planted yams, corn, pineapple, cucumbers and ginger.  In the coming months, the students will be planting  peppers, potatoes, rice, cassava and sweet berries. ISL donated the farm tools and fertilizer to jumpstart this project.

We need to raise $5,000 for the following:

1.  Purchase equipment including; farming tools, installation of  a simple irrigation system, food processing machines, seeds, seedbeds (infrastructure).

2.  Development of a seed recycling program that will help to sustain the project and provide funds to purchase school supplies and textbooks. 

3.  Development of an effective and replicable model that can be implemented at other schools in rural communities of Sierra Leone.

4.  Development of an agricultural-based curriculum for children and staff, centered around indigenous agricultural history and culture blended with modern technology and practices that are sustainable.

5.  Work with allies to promote and support sustainable agriculture and development in Sierra Leone.

About Impact (ISL)

Impact Sierra Leone  was founded in 2019 in the United States to address the needs of communities in Sierra Leone facing socio-economic challenges with an emphasis on women and girls.  Its founder, Adama Kalokoh had a desire to build on her parents’ legacy by making meaningful contributions to her ancestral homeland. In just two years, under the leadership of Mrs. Kalokoh, we have been able to provide; food, hygiene and school-supplies for girls, support to rural farmers and training and education materials for community leaders and residents in over a dozen rural communities in Sierra Leone. 

About Foindu

Foindu Village is in Northern Sierra Leone, West Africa.  It has a high illiteracy rate, limited access to markets, very few job opportunities, poor health facilities - all of which contribute to limited sustainable development opportunities. Yet, it is surrounded by vast agricultural land, beautiful waters and people who truly desire a better community with hopes for a brighter future. In Foindu, there is only one primary school, Ansarul Primary School. Behind the school is where the primary farm-site is located.  Additional private residential land is also used.  Altogether, there are approximately 22 acres of land.  After some discussion, planning and a site visit, we agreed to tackle food insecurity. The school’s approximately 180 students and Foindu’s approximately 300 adults suffer from hunger and inadequate nutrition. School staff do what they can to ensure students get at least one-two meals a day, but often fall short due to the lack of funding and other resources.  This project will provide produce for students and their families at the end of the harvest season. 

Intended Outcomes

Impact Sierra Leone’s goals for the “Seeds of Life” project are to:

1.  Promote health and wellness through education and training.

2.  Increase access to nutritious food for the primary school students and the community.

3.   Increase academic performance.

4.    Decrease the dependence on food aid and outside markets.

5.    Decrease poverty and build a solid foundation for economic stability now and for the future of Foindu Village. 

By donating to our campaign, you are investing in the future of agriculture and are personally contributing to developing the tools needed to educate and sustain the next generation of farmers in Foindu and stewards of the community.

                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                        Start-up Budget

Budget Item                                                                                                                Description                                                                          Total Cost*

Soil Preparation, tools and materials                   Hoes, Watering Cans, gardening tape, cutlasses, etc.                           $800

Seeds                                                                                 **Cucumber, pawpaw, okra pineapples, mangos, ginger                             $400
                                                                                                                                 kushi nut, lime, guava
                                                                                                                        ***Rice, potatoes, cassava

Irrigation System                                                                                 Drip Irrigation materials
                                                                                                                                and cooling system                                                                           $300                                               

Transportation                                                                                              2 Bikes, petrol, cab fare                                                                $300         
 
Curriculum                                                                                              Agricultural lesson plans and                                                            $300
                                                                                                                           related instructional aids.                                                                  

Electricity                                                                                                       ---                                                                                                                 $400

Machinery                                                                                    cassava and yam cutting machine,                                                            $1200
                                                                                                                   rice processing machine


Seasonal Clothing                                                                 Rainboots, gloves, blankets, raincoats,
etc.                                            $500

Packaging                                                                                      storage and distribution            

$200


Labor and Administration                                                         Farm workers, staff                                                                                     $600
                                                                                                     (3 months, ISL will be applying for and expecting
                                                                                                additional funding as the campaign progresses)

Total: $5,000
*These are approximate figures.

**permanent crops

***Temporary crops