Chaba Christian Care Group Activity Report for 2023

It is my heartfelt pleasure to write on what we did in 2023. Before I go any further, I would like to thank God and indeed BHW who enable us to do what we do. Words are not enough to thank them as our heart desires. To God alone be the glory!

We undertook the following activities:
• Farming seminar
• Rice farming and buying project
• Discipleship training in Chaba

Farming Seminars

Thanks once again to BHW for their continued support to this program. There was yet another component added to our farming program, soya beans. Throughout the week we had different groups to be with. We had our seminars from Tuesday 19th – Saturday 23rd September 2023.

The schedule was as follows:
TUESDAY - Rice growers
WEDNESDAY - Maize growers
THURSDAY - Cassava
FRIDAY/SATURDAY - Soya beans pilot group

Rice Growers

The training went well and then we got the data of each farmer’s harvest. The harvest was not very good as compared to last season. Generally, farmers had one reason as to why they dropped in what they had last season - worms and fish ate part of their fields.

Despite this, they were happy. At an average we found that most farmers got 6 to 8 bags of 50kgs rice. The other thing we looked at was the increase of fertilizer. We increased the money to be given to them from K450 to K600. For 40 farmers we had to top up K6,000. We got this money from the rice buying project. 

Rice Buying Project: I am pleased to hereby report to you how this year’s buying and selling of rice went. With the increase in the selling price, I bought less than I did last year. I bought 1,050 gallons which was 70 by 50kg bags of rice. The total cost to purchase, shell and transport the rice was K39,390 (US$1,460).

After shelling 1,050 gallons of rice, we remained with 525 gallons. We sold this at K90 per gallon thus giving us K47,250 (US$1,760) giving us a profit of K7,860 (US$295).

Of this income, we intend to use approximately K37,450 to purchase rice next year and the remaining funds will be used to pay one sales lady, sponsor two students to Samfya Bible School, and cover the increase in funds to the rice farmers for fertilizer. 

Maize Growers

Maize growing is taking ground now, especially the Minswa group, and farmers had a good harvest. It was smiles for most farmers, even the old ones did relatively good. The Chaba farmers average was 4-6 × 50kgs bags of maize per quarter of a lima while the Minswa group had 6-8 × 50kg bags of maize per quarter. 

We had many that came wanting to join their friends to be assisted. I am happy to mention that with the help that you gave us, we were able to assist 20 more people in Minswa where they are doing fine. The rest were told to continue praying that God may open their doors. Should we continue receiving the support, we will definitely consider them next year. I will present the expected budget that we propose so as to cater for these farmers who are pressing to be helped. 

Cassava Growers

This is the easiest part. We trained 20 more cassava growers. I call it easy in that we get the old farmers to give sticks to new trainers. The sticks are multiplying, and a lot of people are benefiting from the same. They are calling these sticks “UMUTAMFYA NSALA” meaning "the sticks that are chasing anger". You can understand why people want to join Chaba Christian Care Group. It is help, help and help either with sticks, money to buy the agricultural inputs, and trainings. 

Soya Bean Training

It was exciting to learn a new course. I took on the necessary precautions and methodology to teach this. Having only 10 people it was easy to monitor their learning. We had a good time learning.

We went to the field and demonstrated how to mark the field, how they should go preparing the land, how to apply inoculant to the seed, and so on and so forth.

The seed has been given to the farmers as I write, together with the inoculant. Compost was started in September and all the ten are ready to work.

It is our prayer that this pilot project will go well so that we can add some more people to this group.  

Discipleship Training

The training went well. We had our graduation on Saturday 28th October 2023. It was a colourful occasion. Leaders from different churches were invited to come and witness their members graduate.

We had 17 who passed to further their studies next year. The best two students were picked to further their studies at Samfya Bible School: Godfrey Mwamba and Abby ton Chipulu. These two will be helped with funds through the rice buying and selling project.

The rest were encouraged to continue their hard work and complete the last part which will equip them in ministry as they will be learning courses like: Bible Interpretation, Preaching etc.

Ideas/Requests for the Future

1) The seminar project as usual is a must. This helps us encourage the farmers and this is where we see how they are doing things. 

2) Some more funding for the Minswa farmers would be good as we would like to help a further 20 people here. Your kind consideration will be a blessing indeed. Then we could be adding from the repayments when farmers return the loans. The more people we have, the more money we could raise from the loan repayments which could inevitably assist 2–6 people which would be a huge benefit to alleviating hunger in that community. 

3) The second year discipleship training as earlier mentioned. 

Stay blessed

Bobo Peter Chomba
Coordinator, Chaba Christian Care Group