Harvesting hope
How one lead farmer is nourishing a village
Every morning in Wambule village, in Tanzania’s Njombe Region, the day begins with the sounds of life: children laughing, chickens clucking, and the soft rustle of crops in the wind.
For Elly Mbeni, this sounds of a healthier future. Just three seasons ago, Elly’s farm provided just enough to fill small plates, but not to nourish growing children. Meals were often limited mainly maize meal and small portion of beans, lacking the adequacy and diversified foods essential for child nutrition and development, especially during the critical first 1,000 days of a child’s life.
“We had something to eat. But we did not always have the nutritious and diverse food for our children to grow strong,” Elly recalls.
Today, Elly’s farm tells a different story. Rows of nutrient-rich crops stretch across the land. Rabbits rustle in their pens, guinea pigs stir in the shade, and a renewed focus on nutritional science guides daily life. What was once a simple farm has become a vibrant demonstrative learning space.
The Lishe ya Mwanao project is funded by the Government of Norway and UNICEF, implemented by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Tanzania and a local NGO namely COUNSENUTH. Through this initiative, Elly received small livestock and high yield bean seeds that helped him reimagine his farm’s potential.
As a lead farmer, Elly transformed his home into a demonstration site, a place where neighbours, come to learn how to diversify crops, rear livestock, and prepare nutritious meals for their children.
“When people come here, I don’t just want them to see my farm, I want them to see what is possible for their children,” explains Elly.
As chairperson of Wambule Primary School and a coordinator across six schools in the region, he has helped to integrate nutrition into school feeding programmes, ensuring that children not only attend school, but also receive meals that support their growth and learning.
The impact is visible.
In Wambule, cases of child stunting have dropped significantly, from around fifteen cases to just four. Caregivers are more aware of what children need to eat, and why it matters than before.
At the heart of this transformation is a simple idea: knowledge should be shared.
Sustainability is at the core of the project’s approach. Through a “pass-on” model, Elly has redistributed bean seeds and small livestock to over 30 families with young children, who in turn support others with their own harvests and offspring. This grassroots network creates a ripple effect, ensuring the program's benefits continue to multiply long after the initial training.
“This is how we grow together,” Elly explains. “When one family learns, the whole community benefits.”
Despite this progress, challenges remain. Access to water is limited, making year-round farming difficult. Many farmers also lack the financial resources needed to expand their work. But Elly remains determined.
He continues to advocate to his neighbours so they can prioritize this and not give up or with local authorities to get more support for small-scale irrigation and better access to agricultural financing knowing that these investments could unlock even greater impact on families like his.
For Elly, this work is about the next generation.
“This project is ours,” he says. “If we take it seriously, we will raise healthy, intelligent children.”
Through programmes like Lishe ya Mwanao, UNICEF is supporting communities to turn knowledge into actions by empowering farmers like Elly to become champions of child nutrition.
When communities are equipped with the right tools and knowledge, they do more than grow food. They grow stronger futures for every child.
