Charity: Farm Africa
Providing aid in the form of food and clothing to poorer and marginalised countries is an invaluable service that many charities provide. It is, however, a temporary one that relies on steady donations and the cost of regular shipping as once a family has eaten the food they have been given, they face hunger once again.
Farm Africa is a multinational charity, which provides long term agricultural solutions to the problems that farmers in Southern and Eastern Africa face. It gives them a sustainable way of earning money themselves, without having to constantly rely on donations.
The Farm Africa programme divides its focuses into three sections and first of these is the development of pasture. There are several million pastoral farmers in the Sub-Saharan Desert moving their livestock season-to-season relying on the milk and meat that their animals provide. Farm Africa allows these farmers to access the education, health care and means of earning that they are denied.
The second section is the management of forestland within the community. Forests in Africa provide a way of life for over a million people, yet only 2% of it remains due to deforestation. Farm Africa helps communities to establish their rights as custodians of these forest, and how they can work together to maintain land.
Lastly, Farm Africa works with communities of smallholder farmers to further the development of farming pasture, reform the land and give new farmers a head start.
Farm Africa’s work began in Kenya in 1986 and was set up by Sir Michael Wood (director of AMREF) and David Campbell (director of Oxfam in East Africa). Since then, this charity’s work has spanned to the countries of Southern Sudan, South Africa, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Uganda.
Anyone can help Farm Africa’s efforts by making regular donations by direct debit. For example, a £27 one off donation is enough to buy a goat for a family that will provide them with milk. Donators can also join in with a fundraising event (e.g. the Flora London marathon, or sponsored climbs up Mount Kilimanjaro) and leave a legacy in a will to help Farm Africa.
Another way to help this charity, whilst buying a unique gift for loved ones is through ‘Farm Friends’. Here donators can buy a camel, sheep, bee, chicken or goat online and their family or friend will receive a model animal while the real thing goes to an African farmer, to help them survive.
Filed under: Third World Charities