Mary Matiku is a 63-year-old farmer and mother living in Bukabwa Village, Tanzania. In 2009, her life took a devastating turn when her husband passed away, leaving her to navigate overwhelming grief while taking on the responsibility of providing for her family. As a mother of nine children, Mary also endured the heartbreaking loss of three of her children.
Life became increasingly difficult as she struggled to meet her family’s basic needs. She relied on a small plot of land for farming, which produced very limited crops. Mary was especially concerned about her youngest son, Lucas, who was just 12 years old when his father died. Determined to secure a brighter future for him, she faced the ongoing challenge of paying school fees with her limited income.
Driven by resilience, Mary sought ways to improve her family’s livelihood. In 2018, she attended a training session on conservation agriculture offered by World Renew and our local partner, the Africa Inland Church of Tanzania. During the training, Mary learned sustainable farming techniques such as crop rotation, minimal soil disturbance, and maintaining soil cover.
“Inspired by these methods, I decided to adopt them, even though the resources were scarce,” Mary shares.
Within a few growing seasons, Mary’s determination began to pay off. Her crop yields increased, and the health of her land improved. Encouraged by these results, she expanded her farming area to two acres. In 2022, she further diversified her income by starting a poultry business.
Together, conservation agriculture and poultry rearing transformed Mary’s financial situation. She was able to save enough to build a new home and support Lucas in completing his education, culminating in his Bachelor of Arts degree. His graduation marked an important milestone in Mary’s journey—one that reflects her resilience and unwavering commitment to building a better future.
With the support of people like you, Mary and many others around the world are strengthening their livelihoods through sustainable farming practices and creating lasting change for their families.
