Our recent US-based BULLETIN announced that the Free Methodist Church of Burundi (the Church) and the Haley McCready Outreach and Development Fund (the Fund) are collaborating on agriculture training, demonstration and development using Church land at Muyebe and Kibuye and employing Foundations for Farming’s conservation agriculture high-production methods. With strong support from the Church and, especially, the Executive Secretary; Rev. Evariste, the new Gitega Annual Conference Superintendent; Rev. Amiable, and the Muyebe and Kibuye Parish Pastors, Rev. Pierre Justin and Rev. Luc, we have the opportunity to do more and do better.
The Church has told the 6 Annual Conference Superintendents that the churches with small land should be involved in demonstrating how Foundations for Farming’s conservation agriculture methods can produce significantly greater production (6 to 10 times greater) than the too commonly used traditional crop cultivation methods. In addition, the Church has directed the Superintendents that churches with large land are expected to use some of the land for practical agriculture training, demonstration and development. The land is to be used for free and the Church is supporting the development to involve the use of the Fund’s successful project model that includes developing a self-help association, cultivating crops, raising animals and microfinancing. We have already started at Muyebe and Kibuye in Gitega Annual Conference but there 5 other Annual Conferences and many more churches with big land. With your support, we hope to develop more of these Agriculture and Livestock Development Project Incubators in the other Annual Conferences.
To take advantage of the new opportunities in all 6 Annual Conferences will require money. The start-up of these Agriculture and Livestock Development Project Incubators will require money; the start-up with animals will require more money and we hope to have animal farms that will allow the centers to become self-supporting. Please consider donating generously and please consider encouraging your family, friends and organizations to invest in establishing these agriculture training, demonstration and development centers. Please consider playing a direct, important part of developing the agriculture and livestock development centers to improve the lives of many Burundians throughout the country.
Our recent Bulletin announced that we already have two big fields at both Muyebe and Kibuye and now we are pleased to report that the development has already begun at both sites. The Fund managed to provide start-up money for planting and mulching for two big Church fields at Muyebe and Kibuye. Both sites have two Project Associations of 10 poor women for a total of 20 women at each site. We are pleased to report that the planting and the critical mulching started and was completed early this week.
Planting at Muyebe
At Muyebe, the two big fields are very near the church; one in front of the church and the other at the side.
Leading the work at Muyebe are two 2026 Graduates of Hope Africa University’s Agriculture and Zootechny Program (AZP) who were selected by the Church and, thereby, received a full two-year scholarship from Friends of Hope Africa University. The 2026 AZP Graduates are special because they are first class to receive four-month’s of intense practical training and supervised practice using Foundations for Farming’s conservation agriculture, high-production methods. The first 2026 AZP Graduate is Bel-Ami who is the Project Manager and lives in Muyebe. The second 2026 AZP Graduate is Lydie NSENGIYUMVA who is also a Project Manager in Makebuko Commune and is connecting, serving and assisting throughout Gitega Annual Conference.
The enthusiastic Muyebe Parish Pastor; Rev. Pierre Justin GICORI, attended the exciting beginning of the project.
Planting at Kibuye
The two big fields at Kibuye are near the Hope Hospital; the first one is on a slope and the second one is nearby in the valley. Leading the work at Kibuye are two 2026 Graduates of Hope Africa University’s Agriculture and Zootechny Program (AZP) who know how to use and train others on Foundations for Farming’s conservation agriculture, high-production methods. The first 2026 AZP Graduate is Denis who is the Project Manager and lives at Kibuye. The second 2026 AZP Graduate is Lydie NSENGIYUMVA who is also a Project Manager in Makebuko Commune and is connecting, serving and assisting throughout the Gitega Annual Conference.
Big Opportunity to Make a Big Difference
Free access to Church land offers all of us a rare and special opportunity to be special donors, special inventors in making an immediate, direct and significant difference in the lives of poor women and their family members. We know that our development projects are successful, long-lasting and alleviate poverty and improve lives. You can be in at the beginning of a new approach to agriculture and livestock development for many, many people throughout entire country. Help us face the challenge and help us seize the opportunity to make an important difference in the lives of many poor people in Burundi.
Consider making a generous donation and consider suggesting to your family members, your friends and your organizations that they make donations for this very worthy cause and this special opportunity; Donations – Haley McCready Outreach and Development Fund.