Every morning, Mrs Maureen Chauke wakes up early to take care of her animals in Gwanda. The sun feels hot, and there is very little rain where she lives. She used to struggle because her cows did not have enough grass to eat.
Mrs Chauke joined a special farming program called LIPS-Zim. This program helps farmers learn better ways to raise their animals. She learned to grow special plants that can live even when there is little rain. These plants make good food for her cows.
The program teaches farmers to think of their animals as a business. Mrs Chauke learned how to keep track of her money and make smart choices about selling her animals. Before she learned these new ways, her cows made only twelve bottles of milk each day. Today, they make twenty-five bottles of milk every day. She spends less money on food for her cows because she grows it herself.
Mrs Chauke sells her cows for much more money than before. She used to sell them for 350 dollars, but people pay her 700 dollars for each cow today. The people who want to buy her cows come right to her farm, which saves her money on moving them around.
The extra money helps Mrs Chauke send her children to school. One of her children finished university and works at a bank in South Africa. She feels very proud of this. She can buy things for her family and has built a new house.
Other farmers have learned from this program. Mrs Shirley Makoni from Buhera plants special beans next to her corn. When the corn died because there was no rain, the beans stayed alive and fed her cows. Mr Mark Zenda makes better food for his cows, and they give him more milk than before.
The farmers use machines to make food from different plants for their animals. This helps them take care of their cows even when the weather is bad. Mrs Chauke says she can buy many things she needs for her family. She feels happy because her life has changed for the better.
Mrs Chauke joined a special farming program called LIPS-Zim. This program helps farmers learn better ways to raise their animals. She learned to grow special plants that can live even when there is little rain. These plants make good food for her cows.
The program teaches farmers to think of their animals as a business. Mrs Chauke learned how to keep track of her money and make smart choices about selling her animals. Before she learned these new ways, her cows made only twelve bottles of milk each day. Today, they make twenty-five bottles of milk every day. She spends less money on food for her cows because she grows it herself.
Mrs Chauke sells her cows for much more money than before. She used to sell them for 350 dollars, but people pay her 700 dollars for each cow today. The people who want to buy her cows come right to her farm, which saves her money on moving them around.
The extra money helps Mrs Chauke send her children to school. One of her children finished university and works at a bank in South Africa. She feels very proud of this. She can buy things for her family and has built a new house.
Other farmers have learned from this program. Mrs Shirley Makoni from Buhera plants special beans next to her corn. When the corn died because there was no rain, the beans stayed alive and fed her cows. Mr Mark Zenda makes better food for his cows, and they give him more milk than before.
The farmers use machines to make food from different plants for their animals. This helps them take care of their cows even when the weather is bad. Mrs Chauke says she can buy many things she needs for her family. She feels happy because her life has changed for the better.
