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SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
Saving lives in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Life in the rural areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo is daily struggle to survive.

The Situation:

Many families in the Democratic Republic of Congo are in a desperate struggle for survival.

Most will eat yet another meal of manioc leaves and roots, washed down with dirty water, in order to fill their aching stomachs. Buying food is out of the question given the extraordinary cost and the fact that they have no income whatsoever.

What HOPE International Development Agency donors are supporting:

• Families receive a variety of fruit tree saplings, as well the training needed in order to plant, care for, and harvest the fruit from the quick-growing trees
  
• They also receive training in how to build a fish pond as well as the nutritious Telapia fish to stock the pond
• Training and tools are provided to develop and protect clean water at points where it rises to the surface
  

The Result:

• Families now have a year-round supply of nutritious fish, full of minerals and vitamins something every family member will benefit from
  
• Family fish ponds produce more fish that can be eaten at home. The excess fish are sold at the local market to generate income used for daily necessities and to send children to school
  
• The reliable and abundant source of clean water is a stark contrast to the dirty, disease-laden water that families used to drink
• Having access to clean water can reduce disease rates among family members by as much as 80 percent!