Organic Farming & Appropriate Technology Can Change People's Lives.

On January 13th, 2006, I had the priviledge of visiting the Empowering Lives International Station at Kalemera-Chamgasia which is about 120 kilometers out of Mwanza City. The station is managed by Mr. Yakobo Yasini, a down-to-earth man of God who inspires you with his love for God and the people that he serves.

Yakobo has been practising sustainable agriculture and appropriate technology in this area since 2002. He teaches people how to do irrigation farming since rains are scare in this area. The project was started on a 2 acre plot. Today the project has acquired another 10 acres on which they teach livestock farming, poultry keeping, bio-intensive agriculture, making water pumps, making chain or rope wind mills, bread baking, bookkeeping, home economics, brick making, fish farming & drying, zero grazing, charcoal burning, making box solar cookers etc.

In December 2005, 21 students graduated from this center after successfully completing a 3 month course. Many of these students had finished four years of secondary school education but they still needed to learn life-skills that could enable them to put bread on their tables. Plans are underway to put up boarding facilities for students who wish to board as they study at this center.




Yakobo Yasini says getting people who are able to learn, understand and work as a team at the center has been his major challenge but he is happy that the Lord is bringing some his way. He also prays that the people who learn at that center may put into action what they learn.

ELI Kalemera is a possible place for the Free Methodist Church in Tanzania to send some of her people to be equipped with vital skills. Even the Maasai FMC members could benefit a lot from this training as it would enable them to acquire and possess skills that would enable them to be either self-employed or to be employed by individuals and organizations.


Please pray for the ELI center. Pray also that God may touch people to sponsor some of our church members to be trained here.

God bless you.