Permaculture Training Takes Root

Luke Beka, Compact’s Field Manager, recently reported that the 21 attendees, including the Group Headman of Ndalama, have shown excellent dedication to the permaculture training. During study time they have covered the 5 principles of permaculture and their purpose while practical sessions have included digging and preparing three compost pits, which will take about 8 weeks to develop, sowing seeds and the planting of fruit trees. Steering away from the standard maize, they now have a demonstration garden with pawpaw, tangerines, peach, mango, banana, pear, and avocado trees. The team demonstrated its enthusiasm by building a fence to protect the garden from straying animals and once Michael’s regular harvest of maize is complete, he intends to implement his newfound knowledge in that area as well. We hope this will set an example to his neighbours’.

“So much of what we have learned is wrong and only over time may they be righted”                          

Eugene Peterson

A Country In Crisis

Image- World Food Program

Malawi has for decades suffered from a lack of investment, exploitation and natural disasters making it amongst the poorest non conflict countries in the world. Mid-2022 saw the spread of cholera which brought added pain to a woefully unhealthy people. March 2023 saw cyclone Freddy hit Malawi and Mozambique with devastating effect. Thankfully the central region where Compact has been working was not badly hit and no projects have been damaged or jeopardized. It does, however, stress the importance of the work Compact does of bringing real life change through strategical implementation of proven environmentally sound farming techniques. Your support is greatly valued.