This Bulletin is focused on a very important and unexpected development that will make a huge difference in increasing our reach and impact in Burundi. In addition to other strong support and collaboration, the leadership of the Church has directed the 6 Annual Conference Superintendents and Parish Pastors to use some of their land for practical agriculture training, demonstration and development.
Many churches have land. Now churches that have small land are expected to use the land for practical demonstration of high-production, conservation agriculture; Foundations for Farming methods. Churches with large land are expected to use some of their land for training, demonstration and development, using the biblically-based, high-production conservation agriculture methods and collaborating with the Haley McCready Outreach and Development Fund (HMODF).
Right from the beginning (2011), the HMODF has worked in association with the Free Methodist Church of Burundi (the Church) and Hope Africa University (the University). Recently, and thanks especially to Executive Secretary and Chair of the Administrative Council; Rev. Evariste BIMENYIMANA, we have developed, benefitted and enjoyed much stronger support from the Church than ever before.
In May and with the knowledge and support of the Church, the CA-based Haley-McCready Outreach and Development Fund identified 8 of the best of the University’s 2026 Agriculture and Zootechny Program (AZP) Graduates and assisted them in developing a project proposal for one of our one-time, start-up development grants. The 2026 AZP Graduates are the first class to have had significant conservation agriculture, high-production practical training and supervised practice using the methods. Thanks to the HMODF, Foundations for Farming provided 4 month’s of training on land very close to University’s main campus.
We knew that the Church is becoming more proactive in encouraging and directing the 6 Annual Conference Superintendents to contact, connect and involve the 36 Church-selected 2026 Graduates of the University’s Agriculture and Zootechny Program (AZP) who received two-year full scholarships from Friends of Hope Africa University and had Foundations for Farming’s high-production crop cultivation training. The Church knows that the HMODF is also trying to connect and involve the Graduates with the Church and our HMODF projects.
The Church has told the 6 Annual Conference Superintendents to take notice that many churches have small land and the land should be used for demonstrating how biblically-based, conservation agriculture methods like Foundations for Farming and Farming God’s Way 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 to use some of it for practical agriculture training, demonstration and development. The land would be used for free and the Church is supporting the development to involve the HMODF successful project model; a self-help association, cultivating crops, raising animals and microfinancing.
Recently, our Program Coordinator; Rev. Dieudonne IRAMBONA, and the new Gitega Annual Conference Superintendent; Rev. Aimable SINDAYIHARIRIZA, and Dr. John McCready travelled to Muyebe Mission and Kibuye Mission to meet with the Senior Parish Pastors and discuss the use of a large field for agriculture training, demonstration and development beginning right now as this is the beginning of the season for planting corn. The idea is that the Church, a 2026 AZP Graduate and the HMODF will collaborate on the training, demonstration and development with 10 poor women who are members of the Church. The most surprising part of the visits was the Gitega Annual Conference Superintendent and Senior Parish Pastors at both locations strongly encouraged us to accept involvement with two large fields; two development projects, two associations of 10 women for a total of 20 poor women at each site. It was an offer that we could not refuse. We know that both Muyebe and Kibuye are high-profile, very historically and strategically important Church Missions.
With the Church providing free land for training, demonstration and project development, the centers will, year-after-year, serve as Project Development Incubators for self-help associations of poor women who after a year will become independent, rent their own land and become self-supporting, self-managing, self-governing and self-sustaining through crop cultivation, animal husbandry and microfinancing. In addition to this early start at Muyebe and Kibuye right now, we are planning to develop other training, demonstration and development centers in the other 5 Annual Conferences with other churches that have large land.
New Muyebe Development Site (October 2026)
Purpose:
To visit the land offered by the Muyebe Free Methodist Church for agriculture development and to strengthen church involvement in community development.
Key Personnel:
Superintendent, Rev. Amiable SINDAYIHARIRIZA, Gitega Annual Conference
Senior Parish Pastor, Rev. Pierre Justin GICORI, Muyebe
2026 AZP Graduate, Lydie NSENGIYUMVA, Gitega Annual Conference
2026 AZP Graduate, Bel Ami IRUMVAMASENGESHO, Muyebe
2026 AZP Graduate, Aaron NDAYIKENGURUKIYE, Rwintare
We were well-received and taken to meet with the new Project Beneficiaries and Other Church Members.
Brief Visit to Mweya Mission
On our way to Kibuye, Superintendent suggested it would be good to briefly go to the Mweya Mission where pastors were attending a training session. Accordingly, Rev. Amiable wanted us to inform the pastors about the collaborative plans that are being pursued by the Church and HMODF.
New Kibuye Development Site (October 2026)
Purpose:
To visit the land offered by the Kibuye Free Methodist Church for agriculture development and to strengthen church involvement in community development.
Key Personnel:
Superintendent, Rev. Amiable SINDAYIHARIRIZA, Gitega Annual Conference
Senior Parish Pastor, Rev. Luc NGENZEBUHORO, Kibuye
2026 AZP Graduate, Lydie NSENGIYUMVA, Gitega
2026 AZP Graduate, Denis NIYUNGEKO, Kibuye
We met with the Project Beneficiaries of the two previous projects. The two Project Associations had two harvests, received animals and have already rented their fields. As planned, they are independent and will become increasing self-supporting and self-sustaining.
Very soon the new Kibuye Agriculture, Training, Demonstration and Development Center will get started. The first big field is very good size and very close to the Kibuye Hope Hospital. As was the case at Muyebe, the Superintendent; Rev. Amiable SINDAYIHARIRIZA, and the Parish Pasto; Rev. Luc NGENZEBUHORO, insisted that we use two big fields. The second big field is directly below the first field but in the valley. Now the new Association Members are being selected and recruited for the start of two new projects.
Summary
For sometime, we have said we want to do more and to do better. This new collaborative initiative with the Church provides us an excellent opportunity to do much more and to do much better; an opportunity to serve more people, increase productivity and extend our reach and impact more broadly and to many more people. We have two of these collaborative centers started but without the means to provide the animals. We need to have more money to ensure we have enough money to ensure that Project Associations have animals. In addition, we want to soon establish at least one of these agriculture practical training, demonstration and development centers (agriculture development project incubators) in the other five Annual Conferences.
To take advantage of this special opportunity, initially it takes more money; it requires more investment. In addition, it requires more money to ensure there is sufficient resources for securing animals and, preferably, goats. Our vision is to have at least one center in all six Annual Conferences and more than one center in the larger Annual Conferences. Moreover, we want the centers to become self-supporting so they can last far into the future.
You can help by donating and donating more. You can help by creating more awareness of this opportunity and encouraging your family members, your friends and your church to donate. Please donate and please encourage giving and please invest and please encourage investing in agriculture development for poor and vulnerable women and their family members: Donations – Haley McCready Outreach and Development Fund