Breaking through the dry spells

Angela’s day starts early, long before the sun rises over the northern plains of Tanzania. At 48, this resilient widow has learned to balance the demands of farming, poultry keeping, and raising her two children. “Farming is not easy, especially when you are alone,” she says. Her eldest child, now 28, has launched her own business, while her youngest recently completed vocational school. Angela’s pride in their achievements is evident, yet she knows that none of this would have been possible without the proper support and guidance.

Before joining World Vision, life was a constant struggle. Angela kept livestock and grew beans, maise, and lablab—a drought-tolerant legume commonly used in Tanzania for both food and fodder. But unpredictable weather patterns and market fluctuations made it difficult to maintain a stable income. “The summer started early, from July until November or December, and sometimes the dry spells would destroy my crops. Water was always a challenge, and we had to wait for the rains to grow anything,” she recalls.

Things began to change in 2014, when Angela and her community were introduced to the Transforming Household Resilience in Vulnerable Communities (THRIVE) programme. There, she learned practical skills such as natural water harvesting, using drought-tolerant seeds, and agricultural techniques that could help her adapt to a changing climate. “World Vision taught us ways to cope with climate challenges and improve our farming practices,” she says. This knowledge laid the foundation for more sustainable farming and inspired her to explore new ways of generating income.

In 2017, Angela took her first step into financial inclusion when she accessed a loan through a savings group supported by VisionFund, the financial inclusion arm of World Vision. Starting with just TZS 500,000 ($200), she cautiously invested in poultry farming alongside her crop farming. Back then, she earned only about TZS 100,000 ($40) from selling clothes and a few chickens. “It would have been very hard if I had no access to financial services to develop my business,” she admits. With each subsequent loan cycle, Angela’s confidence grew. She learned not only how to manage finances but also how to make her business more resilient.

Today, in her fourth loan cycle, she holds a loan of TZS 1.5 million ($600). The financial support has enabled her to diversify her income, expanding her poultry business from just five chickens to a thriving flock of 300. “Poultry farming has really changed my life,” she says. “It helps me pay for my children’s education, renovate my house, and even build a septic toilet.” Running a poultry business is not without its challenges.

Diseases can wipe out her flock if left untreated, and market competition can be fierce. But Angela has learned to navigate these obstacles, regularly visiting the agrovet in town for advice and treatment for her chickens. She also applies the agricultural techniques she learned through THRIVE, planting maise, beans, and lablab during the rainy season and harvesting water to ensure her crops survive dry spells. Through hard work, knowledge, and financial support, Angela now earns about TZS 300,000 ($120) monthly. “I feel proud that I can provide for my family and invest in my children’s future,” she shares. Currently, her eldest has a business of her own, and her youngest is stepping into the workforce soon.

Angela also dreams of expanding her poultry business even further, hoping to create a more comfortable life for her family. Looking back, Angela knows that her journey would have been more arduous without the combination of training, financial services, and community support.

Her story only shows how targeted support can help women farmers adapt to challenges, build resilience, and unlock economic opportunities.