As a result of wonderful support to date, we now have an opportunity to improve the sustainability and long term future of our charitable project. The proposal to help the school set up a self-running farm which would provide milk, maize and beans for the girls was brought to the school PTA and management committee in September 2016. The idea was met with great enthusiasm. As well as sustaining a meal program for years to come, the members of the PTA felt that the farm could also be used to teach farming skills as vocational training. 

Since 2016, SLK supporters have raised enough money for a large piece of land to be purchased – 10 acres of fertile soil, about 10km from the school. (It is quite difficult to find large tracts of farmland for sale since most families run very small croft-type farms, so we are fortunate to have found and bought this land.) Engineers have surveyed the land and a plan of drainage ditches made for a wetter part of it. Shelters for workers and animals have been built and a farm manager appointed. An early crop of maize has been harvested.

There is still much work to do: the land should be fenced off to protect the crops from grazing animals. Animals need to be purchased. We know that around 10 cows are needed to provide milk for all pupils every day. Each cow costs £500.  It is possible that more grazing land will be required.

We hope that over the next 5 years the produce and proceeds from the farm will allow diminution of donated funds for the lunch program, so that eventually St Theresa’s school will be able to independently manage to feed all of the girls.