May 2025 Having laid the foundations of our multipurpose building in November, we were able to purchase enough bricks for another two layers of construction in April. While it may seem strange to buy bricks before being able to use them, this is a common practice in Tanzania - when money is available, bricks are bought and stored. It also makes life more manageable for the local brick maker who would be overwhelmed by a request for 7,500 bricks all at once! We would love to be able to order another 2,000 bricks in September when some of the UK team will be visiting Lamaiti. We calculate that to be in the region of £1,360.00 (68p per brick).

May 2025 One of the tremendous advantages of having our own plot in Lamaiti is that we can now demonstrate what we are teaching. This year, sunflowers were sown in February. These can grow beyond the end of the rainy season because they will root as deep as 80cm to find moisture. In April we bought seeds to grow Kunde (Cow pea) which were sown between the rows of sunflowers. The kunde is a nitrogen fixer so will improve the sunflower’s growth as well as providing edible leaves and then peas. Removing agricultural monocultures also improves biodiversity and soil health, both vital for a resilient future.

May 2025 A visit to Lamaiti in April was an opportunity to offer seminars about climate change resilient farming methods in surrounding villages as well as Lamaiti. What added real value this time was to have a local man, Johnny, who had tried intercropping his maize and peanuts and seen an improvement in the yield of both, to share his story. This feels like definite progress.

May 2025 Our small English speaking pre-school seeks to provide a range of learning opportunities so rather than just bring toys from the UK, we asked the local carpenter to make some wooden blocks for the children to use, thus supporting the local economy. This kind of toy develops dexterity, imagination, problem solving and fosters working collaboratively, and the children love them

16 April 2025

16 April 2025 [Jemma] Already the Empowering the Future plot is growing produce. These sunflowers are being grown in order to press the seeds for oil. It’s the most delicious sunflower oil, grown with no inputs at all, and not refined or processed in any other way. It smells of sunflower. Here we have just down Kunde (Cow Pea) in between the rows of sunflower. This is a nitrogen fixer, will help to cover the soil, keep living roots in the soil and produce food in the form of the leaves even if they don’t produce peas (we're asking them to grow into the dry season). Win:win.

16 April 2025 [Jemma] If you haven’t seen them before, the little blobs on the roots of these karanga (peanut) plants are where the bacteria which fix nitrogen make their home. This nitrogen benefits other plants grown in the vicinity, hence the improved yields of both mahindi (maize) and karanga when they are intercropped.

15 April 2025 [Jemma] Our seminar in Miondo had to be rescheduled twice, but eventually on Saturday afternoon we were able to share knowledge about climate smart farming with about 20 people. They are keen that we return…

15 April 2025 [Jemma] In the face of an insufficient maize harvest, Empowering the Future offered people in Lamaiti vegetable seeds at quarter of their usual price. The hope is they will be able to eat some and also sell some in order to buy maize when they need it. Here is the little ‘shop’ where we packed down bulk bought seeds, and some customers. Hoping this may be the start of a community ‘seed club’.

5 April 2025 [Jemma] Just after dawn- my favourite Baobab tree on the corner of the Empowering plot, with our first crop - sunflowers, and a new stack of bricks ready for another layer of the building. We will plant Cow Pea between the sunflowers asap - they are nitrogen fixers, make nutritious beans and leaves

26 November 2024 [Jemma] Goats in Lamaiti with their kids

Updates from Empowering the Future

Updates from Dodoma, Tanzania