b'140 women farmers joined training programmesthe project. Seeds and fertilisers for each of the at the Mwihoko Womens training centre. Withwomen farmers proved sufficient for one acre of an improved demonstration plot for farming, aland. water tank was also installed. Training coveredWith 1,300 trees planted, the quality of the soil methods of sustainable farming, includingimproved, and continues to improve overtime. clean seed production, conservation agriculture,The women, now better educated in processes greenhouse training, and multi-story gardening.and solutions to cope and mitigate the impact The centre was equipped with demonstrationof climate changes, both drought and heavy kits for drip irrigation, energy saving devicesrains, grow maize, beans, vegetables and herbs; including stoves and cooking baskets, and solarsunflowers, pineapples, strawberries, and lanterns, in addition to multi-story vegetablebananas. Specialised storage bags for maize gardens. Security was also increased with thewere provided to the Mwihoko women, and installation of fencing, a gate, and electricity.the surplus is now being sold at neighbouring Teaching aids were purchased such as amarkets. With increased income and armed blackboard, whiteboard, a flip chart, and writingwith new marketing skills and a better material. Income generating tools were alsoawareness of demand and pricing, women are developed to sustain the centre going forward,utilising this information to make decisions including 10 beehives, and a kitchen was alsoon what to grow, sell and at what price; constructed to be used for center activities.women becoming both efficient, and effective The greenhouse was erected to promote waterentrepreneurs. smart farming and pest control, and two waterThroughout the project women were pans collected rainwater for irrigation. Seedencouraged to raise their voices, to learn and nurseries were established, and two open dripsucceed when negotiating with authorities, and irrigation systems installed, together with anto understand their rights, their responsibilities, array of wonderful fruit trees. and to increase their confidence and ability to In several farms the soil was tested, and treeget things done. and vegetable seedlings distributed, with the farmers investing 20% of the funds required for soroptimistinternational.org 23'