More than just a food source, Raymond's garden harvests hope

The lush vegetable garden that Raymond tends has always been a source of food for his family. But the small harvest was never enough to draw an income from or put his children through school. His fortunes changed when he learned the skills of market gardening through a World Vision programme.

World Vision ran sessions on vegetable farming in Raymond’s community and provided participants with seeds to grow more vegetables. For Raymond, it meant he could expand his market garden from 12 beds with an income of 50,000 Congolese francs (FC) (~US$19), to 48 beds earning more than 200,000FC (~US$75).

‘Before, I had no knowledge of vegetable farming that could make me a lot of money’, says Raymond, a father from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He explains that he ‘was only [maintaining a garden for food] to eat – it was not [producing] enough to pay for my children's education or to provide for them’. Improving his agriculture skills through this training helped Raymond increase his household income, transforming his life and making a difference in the lives of his children.

The boosted pay has meant Raymond can now not only provide for his family and educate his children, but has enabled him to also set his daughter up with her own business.  

“At present, market gardening has become the main source of my income, it allows me to feed my children and pay for their studies. The market gardening has paid for my daughter's studies who has just obtained her state diploma in cutting and sewing. I bought her a sewing machine and another one for overlocking. The income from these two machines and the income from the market gardening also help to pay for the studies of her brothers who are at the university.”

Raymond says he is now ‘very happy’, as he is earning more and can meet his family’s needs. “My dream is that all my children finish their studies and that each one is able to fly with their own wings.”