Visit to FRED’S FARM (FF)  11- 24 January 2025
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The minor rainy season begins in the first weeks of the new year. It's a shorter growing season, so it's more essential for "survival cultivation" that rain starts early enough, so crops are ready for harvesting in May before the dry season starts. As we check the weather forecast for the coming week, on the Norwegian "YR" forecast, the locals look to the sky, giving us a short term but very accurate weather prognosis!
​         On arrival in Rwanda, beans and maize were being harvested, and ground prepared for planting the next crop. At the farm, planting of mulching materials had begun but had stopped as no rain had come. Shade trees and fodder tree seedlings were carefully stored in the shade and watered daily, waiting patiently for "the right time" for planting out. At the end our first week, one morning 2 of the staff climbed nimbly onto the roof of, the house to fix loose tiles...... "the rain will come soon"! Two hours later, the wind blew up and the rain lashed down. On with our rain jackets and umbrellas in hand - the new drainage canals, improved during the past year functioned well, others are needed, the guttering on the outhouses needed adjusting, more trees must be planted here and there to help hold the soil, windbreak trees near the macadamia are still not big enough to "break the wind" but they're growing, more need to be planted....     
        The life of those who cultivate for survival doesn't always leave room for seeing solutions which can help reduce the impact of changing weather conditions. In a very local context, work at FRED'S FARM tries to demonstrate different measures to become more robust in the presence of life-threatening climate change.  Dairy goats need less fodder than cows pr. litre milk. Moringa trees have deep drought-resistent roots and once established produce edible, nourishing leaves year after year, in addition to holding soil. Hence trying methodically over time and eventually "succeeding" with these 2 initiatives, has been a "success story" we can now tell with pride. 

The Goats
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Our efforts to find a suitable model to "roll out" dairy goats in the community has over the past years encountered various obstacles. To find yet another model was top priority on this visit. Last year, the principal of Kizi school expressed the wish to have dairy goat/s at the school. There were two goals; to improve the nutritional status of the youngest pupils by providing goat milk, and to sensitize parents to using goat milk.  
           On our arrival, the farming club at the school had already built a goat pen and the school animal tender was ready to receive the dairy goat:) On day 5, our goatherd, Daniel, had to drag a pregnant, unwilling purebred dairy goat to the school. It was obvious this doe did NOT want to leave Daniel who has looked after her since she came to the farm!  In addition,  we gave the school a 50% purebred female. Having the 50% purebred at the school, enables FF to follow up at close hand how much milk this 50% can produce, and in time also breed a 75% purebred. 
       Recently, a well respected, honoured and resourceful neighbour contacted FF to discuss the possibility of borrowing a dairy goat to introduce into the local community. We visited, saw first hand there was suitable housing, enough feed and staff to care for the animals. So a few days later, we brought a mother and daughter purebred duo, to this farm. Both these does are pregnant. 
​      Cyprien, the district vet, is actively interested in the process of dairy goat introduction. The knowledge we have gained and documented well, through both "failure" and "success", helps us guide others who are interested in trying dairy goats. Over the past years, many individuals, Rwandan and international NGOs and educational institutions have contacted FF about dairy goats: can we sell goats? do we sell milk? do we sell cheese? can they come on educational visits? etc etc. 

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​Kizi School

All the initiatives connected to the school are moving forwards. The school principal, the farming and sports teachers are key partners in these processes. 
 

School lunch
​The moringa trees at the school is now producing enough leaves to be used in the school lunch, improving its nutritional value.   
An area on FRED'S FARM is now set aside so the school can cultivate more food for use in the school meal. Preparation of this plot will soon begin.   

Solar Lamp library  
The lamp library was started 5 years ago to enable final year students to study in the evening. This has in general worked as planned. Pupils have told us how the lamps have  made it possible for them to read and study after nightfall (approx. 6pm). Most of the initial solar lamps have now stopped working. These have been collected and will be disposed in a responsible way. Over the past two years, 16 new lamps have been supplied. 

Football team
For the past 2 years, FRED'S FARM has supported the school girls football teams with football boots and balls, after a generous donation for this purpose. This is a way to empower the girls, something the school works actively towards.
        We were invited to attend a football match between two girls teams. Impressive strength and stamina! Only one set of boots was worn. The explanation was that last years boots were worn out as they had been  used by all the teams at the school! 6 - 8 competing teams:)  

Health initiatives

On our first day at the farm, Ishimwe came to the farm to meet us, and thank. Last year 2 of her children were treated for jiggers. In addition we offered her baby goat's milk and moringa leaves for herself. Throughout the past year she has worked hard to ensure the childrens' feet and hands are almost totally better, and she managed to motivate her husband to come for treatment this year. She was looking healthy and her baby is now out of the defined "malnourished" zone:)
12 children and 2 adults came for treatment. The health volunteers told us that all who have been treated for jiggers over the past years through FRED'S FARM, have prevented  relapse. This is  a very big step forward. 
Dried moringa from FRED'S FARM was supplied to the Twa village. Alice, the village leader, ensured this was given regularly to nursing mothers as long as the supply lasted. They reported increased milk production. 

​On  the Farm
​There are always possibilities for improvements, and this year we prioritized installing a small solar system to have 2 outdoor lamps as a security measure.  General maintenance is usually carried out during the dry season, but after severe storms recently, a repair job was carried out on the roof by our best handymen, Pascal and Damescene, the 2 coffee specialists:) 
Drying facilities for moringa leaves was also improved. 

​The way forward 

How can FRED'S FARM in time be independent of support from Norway?
The most important preparation is to have a good team in place in Rwanda and cash crops to finance the most essential activities. In addition, we also need to find local individuals and/or organisations who are capable and motivated to continue activities. This process has started and we are planning to have a model in place in 2 years time.
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​As always, we thank all of you who have given willingly to support FRED’S FARM in different ways!        



PS!  We brought 20 kg coffee also this time and it will be ready for sale around 20 mars 

Hanne and Sten
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 Your contribution is making the difference:) ​

    

Jack's words "Now the rain is coming, so happy as it bring life to our plants that was bad" (pictures above)

The dry season is drawing to a close and the biggest issue during that season is water access. This year our own water systems worked well and there were no off-site burst pipes of consequence, so we could concentrate on more constructive work than fetching water from the valley. Keeping young and vulnerable plants alive is the main task during this season. 

Despite little rain, the activity level is increasing on the farm. The picture below shows farmer training. The farmers are learning to make compost. This compost is made and used primarily on the coffee terraces. Farmers are invited to the farm, paid for a day's work and learn to make compost, a win-win situation. 
As the farm is organic we need large amounts of compost and liquid fertilizer. To help increase our supply of necessary nutrients for the various plants, we constructed another "worm tea bed", vermiculture. 

​Macadamia

The yield from the 214 Macadamia trees on the farm is increasing. Macadamia produces nuts throughout the year and once mature these fall to the ground. Collecting the nuts while fresh is essential for best quality and to prevent possible rodent damage. So Joseline, our macadamia specialist, "nut hunts", collects and records on a weekly basis. 
      It has been a real challenge to find a company to buy our nuts, but we have persevered, and last month we delivered our first batch to "Rwanda Nut Company" (see pictures below). This company offers an advisory and support system to improve our management, and we can also choose to have a formal contract. Nuts are sold without the outer shell, but with the intact inner shell. 
      The farm gate price (what the farmer/producer receives) for macadamia nuts is low at present, and has gone down in Rwanda in the past year. The world demand is high and not met, so we sincerely hope this will increase in the coming years. 
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​The Dairy Goats

The buck on the farm, bought in June, died after a short illness. In August Jacques made the long journey to our supplier, Napthal. Our buck is now settled in his new surroundings:) 
The school is preparing to receive a female dairy goat from FRED'S FARM. They will soon start to build a suitable pen for it at the school. The school leadership and farming teachers are highly motivated to make this work. This will be a great way to get the children introduced to milking goats.

Modeste and Calise, 2 neighbouring farmers, have now received 2 bucks. These bucks are offspring from our herd. They will provide free of charge "servicing" to local female goats that will have kids that can be milked and in this way increase the milking capasity of the local goats.
    

The School 
The initiatives at the schools in the area continue. We have have also some new that we are in discussion with school about.

First and most important, this year a record of 14 kids from the TWA village have started school, 4 more than last school year. When the microsavings initiative began 7 years ago, no children attended. Our farm foreman, Providence, motivates and encourages both parents and children. It is thanks to Providence, with Jacques support, that it is possible to get this to work. FRED'S FARM covers half of the cost for uniforms, exercise books  and pencils, and school lunch. The microsavings initiative and individual parents cover the other half. 

Picture above: The TWA kids ready for school with their exercise books. Some school uniforms weren't finished being sewn when this photo was taken. ​

The solar lamps in the lamp library are now lent out to a new set of final year students:) This really help the kids to do their schoolwork in the evenings.

Our interns from the school worked on the farm during the summer. Some of the  knowledge from the work at the farm, like moringa,  they take home to their families and started planting at home. We also encourage them to introduce moringa to friends and neighbours. So slowly, moringa is getting established.

Pictures above: To the left one intern watering papaya and to the right a group of interns get instruction from Pascasie, our moringa specialist 

​So again thank you for your support
to able us to increase the capasity of  the local community
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We are  looking forward  going to school again
​Thank you for making it possible​ 🙂

The growing season is coming to an end and with that, less activities on the farm. The coming 3 months are hot and dry, so nothing is planted and the ground is covered to hold moisture. Villagers from the TWA village (picture above) have worked on FRED'S FARM to supply mulching materials, now they look for work elsewhere during the dry season.
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​Top left: Local doe with 2 crossbreed kids, 1 male & 1 female
Middle right: Local farmer, Vincent, looks after one of the pure breed bucks from FF, & provides free "servicing" for local does.
Middle left: the goat record book.
Bottom left and right: thriving moringa saplings at the Twa village.

The Farm

​There is an improvement in both coffee and macadamia harvest. This is essential as in the future, this is where cash for the project is going to be generated.
Here too we have changed how we follow-up the daily work. One permanent member of staff has responsibility for macadamia, one for young coffee and one for established coffee trees. So, similar to the community initiatives.    

It's heartwarming to see how these young people Jacques has selected take on this responsibility. It is both a learning opportunity for them, and a great help for FRED'S FARM. 
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Coffee and Macadamia
​The coffee harvest finishes this week, and the harvest is four times 2023 harvest:) The macadamia harvest is also increasing. For the coffee, the main factor for improvement is better management. For the macadamia, management is better and in addition more trees are producing nuts. It takes approximately 7 years for the trees to start producing nuts, and can take 15 years to reach full production. So macadamia is a long term investment. 
For general interest, on FRED'S FARM coffee harvesting takes place once a year over a 9 week period. Ripe coffee cherries are picked once a week, and carried immediately to the nearest coffee washing station. The coffee cherries must be washed within 8 hours of harvesting, so washing stations function throughout the night. Macadamia produces nuts throughout the year, so Joseline collects and records on a weekly basis. Mature nuts fall to the ground and must be collected as soon as possible as rodents damage those which are left on the ground. So "nut hunting" is an essential part of Joseline's job. 

Bananas
The banana trees planted as shade trees for coffee are maturing and producing fruit, both sweet and cooking bananas. Most of the harvest is used as food for our staff, but surplus is now sold at the local market. 

Kids at school
The 10 TWA school children we have supported this year will soon begin their summer holidays. The TWA villagers have told us that after the holidays, they plan to send 13 children to school. Very good news! When we started the project no kids from the TWA village attended school.

​Improved child health
Since February, Brice, Agnes and Fabrice, have come daily to FRED'S FARM to receive goat's milk. Their nutritional status has improved markedly! The health volunteers use the recognised simple measuring tool, MUAC (mid upper arm circumference). Brice and Agnes have improved so much they don't need to come any more, but Fabrice is still borderline malnourished and will continue to come daily. Their mother has thanked "FRED'S FARM for caring for her children who were about to die and now come back to life". 
This mother has also a baby who is breast fed, and she received fresh moringa leaves to improve breast milk production. Agnes was treated for an extreme case of jiggers in February, and has remained "jiggerfree". 
The health volunteers and village leader will now identify new children who will be invited to receive milk. The threshold for a mother to bring her children can be high as it is an acknowledgment that she is not able to provide for her children. But in general, all who have been invited have, with gentle encouragement from our farm foreman Providence, brought their children.   

​KIZI SCHOOL
The school principal, the farm and sports teachers always set aside time for our visit, and actively engage to develop ideas. Books for the school library, a few footballs and this year a set of football boots for the whole  girls team was met with enormous enthusiasm. 
The sunlamp library functions well. Pupils in the last year of school, working for national exams, are prioritized. But there aren’t enough lamps for all these pupils. FF supplied 10 new lamps. Some teachers live at the school. With no electricity, it’s a challenge for these teachers to do preparatory work after school hours in the dark. We will look into options for improved lighting. 
The kitchen garden at the school continues to improve, and they have now established moringa with regular follow up from Pascasie from FF. The moringa is planned as food for  the youngest children. 
For the past 2 years the school has had a few pigs, and on our visit the principal asked if there was any possibility for the school to get a dairy goat. He sees this as an opportunity to provide milk for the children in the nursery school. The school has regular meetings with parents, and this is a golden opportunity to promote goat milk for improving children's health. We have made a formal agreement, a trial one year period.  

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​INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME
Time limits didn’t allow us to gather former interns on this visit. But the school manager and farming teachers assure us that this initiative gives a chance to those who need it most. The pupils who are prioritized for participation in the programme, are those with the most challenged home situation. The Demonstration Plot which the interns continue to develop, is maturing and beginning to be a true demonstration plot. Trials with different methods of planting to get the best harvest, and utilizing the 3D potential of the plot provide a learning area for the students.
Two former interns are now working on FRED’S FARM; Pascasie, our moringa specialist, and Elie, our night watchman who will now also follow up dairy goats in the community. These 2 young adults are highly motivated, and extremely diligent in executing their jobs. 

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​DAIRY GOATS

We invited the vet to lead a training session with our goatherd and  the farmers who have, or have had, dairy goat bucks from FF. The aim was to learn how to keep the goats healthy, and detect the first signs of sickness. 
Via FRED’S FARM homepage, we have received many enquiries about dairy goats. Two different groups visited FF during our visit; 4 academics from the Rwandan Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA) and 3 employees from a Rwandan NGO. RICA were interested to hear our experience both on the farm and in the local community. The NGO is hoping to start a dairy goat project not so far from FF. Both of these parties can be possible collaboration partners, and we plan to keep in contact. The focus from these 2 visiting groups, and their practical input, was valuable both to learn but also as a real motivator for Daniel (the goatherd), Jacques and ourselves. 
The follow up of dairy goats in the community has not functioned as intended, primarily due to poor follow up from FF. It has taken time to understand the stumbling blocks, but we see it’s necessary to dedicate time and money to this effort, otherwise it just won’t work over time. So now Elie, a former intern, has the formal responsibility to follow up farmers in the community with purebred dairy bucks who “service” local does, and to have an overview of the first generation of crossbreeds. 
Three goat kids were born on FF just before our arrival, and just prior to our departure, 2 mothers were invited to bring their children to receive goat's milk. We had also invited a local health volunteer to be present to record the nutritional status of these 3 children. These mothers will come daily at milking time over the next 2 months. The mothers also receive some fresh moringa.

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Top left - female staff introduced  to menstrual cups             
Top right -  Treating jiggers 

Below - Daniel and Alex with mosquito net and warm wooly scarves, converted to blankets:) 

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​The big picture this time round was to focus on finding new ways for better follow up for the cross breeding with dairy goats in the community, and to establish moringa in the community. Both of these initiatives are stepping stones to more sustainable farming and self-sufficiency. The secondary effect of increased self-sufficiency, which we already see, is that more parents prioritize sending their children to school. The fact that the Twa now cultivate, succeed in their savings, send children to school and have “jiggers” under control, has reduced the marginalized position they have experienced in the community.
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​As always, we thank all of you who have given willingly to support FRED’S FARM in different ways!         Your contribution is making the difference:) 

Hanne and Sten ​

​DRY, DRY and now rain
The dry season is a time for less activity on the farm. Three months without rain means no growth, so we normally reduce the number of staff who are employed on a daily or weekly basis. No rain is always a challenge for seedlings and young plants but this dry season was an extra challenge as our water supply was "cut" for several weeks. So once  our water tanks, total capacity 9000 litres, were emptied, the water for all the young plants had to be fetched in the river a few kilometers from the farm. Hence we had to employ more rather than less people to try to save these plants, and worked hard to provide more shade for these young vulnerable plants ( see picture below).   
             But 07. September the heavens opened! Torrential rain. Jacques was stranded at his home and tried to prevent flooding in his house, whilst on the farm, trenches were dug to redirect the rain water away from the goat shed and the henhouse.
​The dry season is drier and the rainy seasons more dramatic.  

 THE FARM

Food supply for the staff
In the midday rest period, the staff light a fire and prepare some food. Peanuts, beans and eggplant were harvested at the start of the dry season. Banana and papaya grow and ripen throughout the year and give a more steady supply of fresh food. We work towards establishing a "food forest", food grown on trees which, once established,  provide food for years (see picture below) .  
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Coffee
As we described in the last newsletter we are testing different ways to
provide groundcover around the coffee bushes. The idea is to work less in the ground, which is positive for soil quality, the climate and will also hopefully help us to use less manpower growing coffee. 

The coffee seedlings planted in February have been carefully tended with lots of shade and sufficient water, and most have survived and are very healthy. (See picture below) 

Maintenance
The dry season is a good period to do necessary maintenance on the farm. The storage shed/henhouse had to be demolished and rebuilt as termites had destroyed the structure (see picture below). Improving trenches to channel rainwater, is also an ongoing process.  
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​THE COMPENTENCY CENTRE 
On FRED'S FARM we test different farming ideas, then offer the knowledge and practical know-how to local farmers.

Dairy goats
The young bucks are now mature, and must leave the farm to prevent interbreeding and do their job to breed with local goats to hopefully make them produce more milk. These young bucks have now new homes with Innocent (the village leader), Vincent (a trustworthy, established local farmer), Elie and Michel (both former interns on FRED'S FARM). The young bucks now provide a free breeding service for local goats. Elie is now employed to help follow up this breeding service.   
Our "old" buck died in February after eating poisonous leaves. At the beginning of August, Jacques made the long truck journey to the Eastern Province to buy a new buck. This is a looong drive. On the return journey smoke and flames came out from the engine. The driver managed to extinguish the fire and repair the damage. They arrived back at the farm at 1 am. As the buck was being taken to his new home, he broke away. The village leader summoned all the villagers to search and catch the goat. Thanks to the community effort, at 6 am, the newly named COMEDY GOAT, relaxed in his new pen!  

​Moringa
Pascasie and the interns, Donate, Marie and Emmanuel,have tenderly cared for all the moringa seedlings, and now these  seedlings are healthy young trees! We are very proud of the work they have done (see picture below).

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​TWA

  

Twa Children to School
The school holidays are drawing to a close, and our farm manager, Providence, is working hard to motivate parents in the Twa village to prioritise sending their children to school. As yet we don't know how many children we will be supporting this coming school year. But our intention is to continue supporting those who have attended, and hopefully more!

Food at school
Through the dry season, Pascasie, our moringa specialist, has followed up the vulnerable moringa seedlings which are planted at the school. 

Internship on the farm
The internship program has proven to be an asset for the students themselves, the local community and FRED'S FARM. The small income the students receive provides immediate support for the family, the savings sum the students receive at the end of their internship provides the possibility for investment in an animal or trees, and knowledge gained can be shared. Pascasie and Elie, 2 former students have now permanent employment on FF, and Felix constructed and installed 4 new beehives on the farm.  These beehives will be home to pollinator wild bees. They are also works of art!  

Personal story
Elie Mutabazi is the new night watchman at FRED'S FARM, and also has a small position to follow up the dairy goat interbreeding program in the community. 
Elie is 20 years old, and lives with his mother Daphanie, father Frederick, 2 brothers and 2 sisters in Kinyana village, not far from the farm. After the holidays, he will start at his last senior high school year.
Elie's dream is to be a big agricultural and animal farmer. During the internship programme at FRED'S FARM, Elie was highly motivated and interested, and told us how he saved both in the village and the school savings programmes. Elie now tells us how FRED'S FARM  internship program  helped him realise his dreams; he has bought a female pig and 2 hens. The pig has produced 6 piglets which he has sold. The cash from this sale put him in the position to buy a small plot with coffee bushes. In addition, with the male dairy goat buck from FRED's FARM, he hopes to be able to learn first hand about dairy goats, and in time, also produce goat's milk.

​Economy

Like everywhere the prices in Rwanda have gone up, both salaries and materials. Wages for day- and week field staff has increased by 50%, from 10NOK pr day to 15 NOK. So to continue our work at the same activity level, we need more income.  

The internship programme began in 2021 at an extra cost of approximately 10,000 NOK pr year. Since then, altogether 21 pupils have completed this programme and Elie's story, above, gives an idea of the impact this initial investment can make. 
         
At present our main income comes from donations from friends and family, and coffee sale in Norway.

We are asking everyone to consider raising their contribution. 

THANK YOU for ALL YOUR SUPPORT!


Every 150 Norwegian kroner is enough to:

support one child to go to school for 1 year  or
pay one person to work for 10 days, covering food ​for their family for 1 month. 

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​THE FARM

In February and March, 6 healthy kids were born! 
The program of interbreeding the purebred milking goats from FRED’S FARM with the local goats started, but is on hold at present. This will restart as soon as the 4 new male kids on the farm are mature. 
The goat milk at the farm is given to the most vulnerable families. The children are selected by the village leader. The mothers bring the children to the farm and are fed there. 









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​Via the internet homepage, there is an increased interest from Rwandans and NGOs working in Rwanda asking to buy milking goats, to buy milk, to work on the farm and more. This is a really positive unexpected spin-off from our dairy goat initiative. We are able to direct buyers to Napthal, the man we bought our goats from. Until now we need all the goats and the milk we have. But it is very encouraging to see there is an interest:)  

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​KIZI SCHOOL, the local school

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Food at school
Moringa was planted again, and will in time, help provide food for lunch. It has been a challenge to get moringa established but this time we are hopeful.


Lamp library
The solar lamp library we started in 2019 continues to work well. It makes a big difference for the oldest pupils studying for their final exams. The school wishes to target this group. Almost all homes in the area don’t have electricity. So after sunset at 6pm all year round, it is DARK. These lamps have been very well used for 4 years, a few are now broken, a few missing and some have had their rechargeable batteries changed. In our agreement with the school, we take the responsibility to change batteries, fix broken lamps, and dispose of those which are not working as there are no facilities for recycling or waste disposal outside the capital. But in the past year, we see recycling stations for electrical items are slowly but surely being rolled out in Rwanda.

The intern program is continuing. This is a real success story! Three new interns, Nadine Uwizeyimana , Emmanuel Nshuti and Elias Uwitonze began at the end of April. In the course of their 12 week period at the farm, they take part in all the different work tasks, but have a special responsibility for looking after the Demonstration Plot. ​

We are in contact with the local school to restart visits from school pupils. This initiative was stopped during the COVID-19 pandemic.  
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Farmers claiming land
We are still working to solve the issue of 4 farmers laying claim to land on FRED’S FARM. Taking time to resolve this is part of the solution. 

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Personal story
Pascasie Gatoyi joined our team on FRED’S FARM (FF) in February 2023. She is our moringa specialist! 
Pascasie attended Kizi school, and was an intern on FF in 2021. She told us then the positive impact of being an intern; gaining skills for use on the family land and for her own future, being able to buy a young goat, being able to pay for her school materials and help her family buy essential food items. In addition, her goat gave her the hope of being independent of her parents. Pascasie finished school in 2022, and since then lived at home with her parents and siblings. Her daily routine was to help on and around the homestead and land cultivated by the family for survival.


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Job possibilities for young people in the local community are minimal, even for those who have completed a primary and secondary education, like Pascasie. Jacques informs us that for many young women in Pascasie’s situation, prostitution is often the only way to get a small income. So, giving young women job opportunities on FRED’S FARM to gain skills, and at the same time, earn some money, is a priority.  

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THANK YOU to all who donate monthly, and to all who give now and again:) Your support makes a difference every single day!  Without the donations these results would not be possible.​

​Footballs
​Kleins A/S Trondheim, Intersport Munkegate TRondheim and Strauss Group Israel, sponsored footballs and pumps for Kizi and Bwama schools. Thank you! Receiving new footballs is always a real highlight for the pupils, and the school leadership. The sports coach told us they are actively trying to promote and support girls' football. Currently Kizi school has 2 male and 2 female teams which compete in inter-school tournaments. He said these new balls mean they will be able to practice before matches with a real football!! Many play football barefoot - if anyone would like to support football boots next time we go to Rwanda, please let us know:) 

​THE SISTERS CLUB
The school has a small designated building at the school to provide space for girls who have their period. There's a bed with bedlinen for rest, a shower, a bidet and a toilet. There's no running water, but "the bucket system" is used. In addition there's a metal trunk with clean towels, clean underwear, clean reusable sanitary pads, and clean school uniform skirts. All of this is accessible for girls who need the facility. 
The metal chest was almost empty so we bought some towels and underwear. Here they learn about conception and contraception, about sexuality, about being master of their own bodies. The girls also learn how to sew their own sanitary pads.
       Hanne got a crash course in how to make these, and one very wet day on the farm, all girl workers who wanted could join a sewing session. None had used scissors before and most had never sewn, but all were eager:) All necessary materials and equipment is now available at the farm, so on rainy days or midday break, those who will can make these.  

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​Cultivation on FRED’S FARM
Approximately 40% of all the land on FRED’S FARM is cultivated by local farmers and TWA. Those with little or no land for cultivation can ask for permission to grow. Each farmer gets access to land for one calendar year, 2 seasons. TWA have access to land all the times as they have no land themself for cultivation. 

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Support from Israel
A relative from Israel (his father was from Trondheim) joined us for a week to support the project. Opher has a PhD, working in the field of sustainable agriculture in developing countries. He’s a practical academic, with much experience in several countries on the African continent, including Rwanda. Opher provided us with lots of practical input, including setting up a more robust trial with beans on Demo Plot. His presence and input was a real boost for us all, but especially Jacques. 
In addition his academic position paved the way to improve our cooperation with RAB ( Rwanda Agriculture Board ). Thanks to Opher we spent half a day at the national coffee research station where we learnt, and received plants and seeds! Opher is eager to continue to support FRED’S FARM! So he will be back. GREAT!
In addition, Tami, a colleague of Opher, joined us for some days. Tami’s a social worker who works occasionally in Rwanda. She too provided us with valuable social input, and practical help:) 
A big thank you to both of them!! 

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                                                                                                                   Looking after the coffee

                                           Opher explaining how to plant the beans

                                       The boys joined the workforce for some hours, Thanks!

​COFFEE for SALE
Forty five kilos of green coffee filled our suitcases on return from Rwanda. The coffee will be roasted on Saturday 18.02. at Cafe Le Frere, Søndre gt. by the owner Kjell Harry Lyngaas. This is one of the ways Kjell Harry supports the project. Many thanks!!

We'll send and email once the coffee is ready for sale. 

To each and every one who either supports FRED’S FARM every single month, or who gives a donation now and again. Thank you for making all of these changes possible:)  

Hanne and Sten

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Rwanda is returning to a new normality after COVID, and at present no restrictions are in place. 
For the project, we are adjusting to the reality of Fred's passing, and Jacques has risen to the challenge of having total responsibility on site.  
The general price rise in Rwanda is being felt by everyone, and for the  project, we will notice increased wages and general cost of goods. 

A worm tea bed is constructed on the farm. This is a composting system where "run -off" liquid (worm tea) is collected. On the farm the worm tea is used primarily on the coffee and macadamia as a pesticide and to strengthen. This worm tea bed will be used as a demonstration site for local farmers. Our aim is that farmers will collaborate to build a worm tea bed together. ( Picture below)

Maintenance; repairing the cement base around the homestead building, roof repair, fences, etc. Torrential rain and high winds leave their toll!  (Pictures below)

SCHOOL UPDATE
The interns come as usual to the farm through the dry season. Their prime job is shading, renewal of mulching and watering. Yet another "trio" have successfully completed their 3 month internship period! We are so proud of Jacques who so diligently follows up and motivates these young students, making an immediate and lasting impact on their own and their families lives. (Pictures below - Certificate and harvesting peanuts (food for workers)

Compost made in February was shared between all who helped make it. The villagers were able to grow beans and maize. In early September, 30 villagers met to make a new compost heap under JAcques and Providence's guidance. FRED'S FARM buys lime and pays for a day's work. There is a dire need to improve the soil quality in the tiny areas around the houses  in the TWA village to make it possible to grow some food.  (Picture below)

COWS
The last cows on FRED'S FARM were sold early September. This is the end of an era. We would like to thank all sponsors who have specifically supported the cow programme through the years. This programme lifted many, many families providing milk, income and knowledge.
Since 2018 we have been working towards a more sustainable way to provide milk through introducing dairy goats.  
DAIRY GOATS 
FRED'S FARM has lent a dairy goat buck to the village leader, Innocent, and an interbreeding programme with local goats is now in place. Jacques supports Innocent in his efforts to promote the programme in the community. So far 7 farmers have brought their female goats for servicing.  This is a real milestone! (Picture below)

RAINY SEASON
This is the season of high activity - to maintain, improve and develop the farm. This is the weather window to plant for short and long term;  seasonal crops and trees which take 5 - 10 years to reach maturity. This is also the season for the farmers we invite to grow crops on FRED'S FARM to start their planting. This is the main crop of the year, the one which provides food for the family and the hope of some extra which they can sell for much needed cash for small essentials like salt, soap, in addition to school uniforms,  paper and pencils for their children. 
Jacques has prepared well and has both seeds, saplings, tools and more manpower ready to start. He is in contact with the school principal to prepare for planting moringa seeds at the school to provide more food in the future for school lunches. 
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THANK YOU to all who donate monthly, and to all who give now and again:) Your support makes a difference every single day!  

Support the project. Use the Support button below😀

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