At Bread and Water for Africa®, we are passionately committed to agriculture and food self-sufficiency. Each year, we empower smallholder farmers in Sierra Leone and beyond, helping to cultivate hope and sustainability for their families.
In 2026, 75 rural women and male youth participated in a week-long farmers’ training program in remote villages in Sierra Leone, where they also learned basic business and management skills.
In addition, they all received agricultural tools and seeds to put their new knowledge to good use thanks to the supporters of Bread and Water for Africa® and our in-country partner, Rural Youth Development Organization-Sierra Leone (RYDO-SL).
Among the recent participants was Musu Marcus, who looks forward to a brighter future.
Musu, 35, a married mother of two in Mokoba Town, manages the rice farm with her husband, but for years they relied on traditional farming methods, which left them struggling.
“Low yields and limited access to improved farming knowledge often made it difficult to produce enough rice to meet their needs and earn additional income,” reported Joseph.
Musu’s and her family’s life “took a new direction” after she participated in a farmers’ training program, “as she and her husband proudly care for a healthy rice field that is developing well,” reported Joseph in June.
“The rice is growing vigorously, with strong plants and good field coverage,” he added.
“Based on the condition of the farm and the farming practices they have applied, they are hopeful that this season will produce one of their best harvests.”
The couple believes that a successful harvest will strengthen their household food security, increase their income, and enable them to invest in future farming activities while providing better opportunities for their two children.
As she walked through the green rice field, Musu shared her excitement and hope with Joseph, saying:
"Whenever I visit our rice farm, I feel encouraged because the crop is growing well.
“The training and the farming tools we received have changed the way my husband and I work together on our farm.
“We are following the improved methods we learned, and we are confident that our rice will produce a good yield.
“We sincerely thank Bread and Water for Africa® and RYDO-SL for believing in farming families like ours.
“We kindly appeal for continued support so that more families can benefit from these opportunities, and so farmers like us can expand our production and improve our lives.
“Your investment is planting seeds of hope that will continue to grow for many years to come."
