Naturata fundraising campaign 2021/2022

Together we are supporting the rural population in the Congolese province in their daily fight against hunger, poverty and dependence. In order to achieve permanent peace in the conflict-ridden region as well as food sovereignty, the revitalisation of the agricultural sector is of the essence. The implementation of long-term programs with local partners provide the necessary autonomy to the small farmers.

To develop the knowledge and capabilities of the rural population in such a way that sustainably improves their working conditions and livelihoods is of great importance to SOS Faim.

Overall, the different projects aim at increasing the quality and quantity of agricultural production sustainably with the goal of securing food sovereignty and raising the families’ income. Thanks to the surplus leading to elevated revenues, the people get access to health and education while assuring a balanced management of the eco-systems and preserving the environment for future generations.

I am Mrs NKUBONAGE Charlotte, married to Déogratias MADUGA and mother of nine children. I am a member of the association UMOJA NI NGUVU Rugence which is part of the organisation UWAKI. It is thanks to UWAKI that we got to know Amis du Kivu.

My main activities are agriculture and animal husbandry. After analysing our situation, Amis du Kivu first gave us healthy cassava cuttings. We also received goats that we have been breeding with a rotating system. The NGO also provided us with seedlings that I planted in my garden. Now our village has its own nursery and the whole population can benefit from it. Thanks to Amis du Kivu, I learned the techniques that I now use.

At the same time, the trees planted by Amis du Kivu have helped me to clarify the boundaries with my neighbour. The falling leaves are also fertiliser, which has helped the production of beans. Now I can save money to send my children to school. I can even save the seed. I also participate in the Village Savings and Credit Associations to prevent possible risks.

In our association, there are producers of tomatoes, maize, beans and cassava. Today, we have a collective project to buy a motor pump. There are places where it is difficult to use watering cans for watering. Watering cans are useful when the plants are still young. When they reach a certain height, it is difficult to use watering cans.

I am BASHIMBE Kibo, married and father of seven children. I am a tomato, rice and maize producer. Thanks to the sale of my produce, I can save a little money. Today, we are able to send our children to school.

Before the intervention of Amis du Kivu, we had difficulties producing tomatoes. They gave us good seeds and showed us techniques to care for them. We even learned how to use the medicinal plants that we use to this day.

It is difficult to get cash before the sale of the agricultural production. However, we need a motor pump for irrigation. There is a river nearby but it is difficult to transport water to this field.

I am NTAKOBANJIRA MUDIHO André, married and father of four children. I am 41 years old. In 2008, we communicated our difficulties to Amis du Kivu. In response, they brought us healthy cassava cuttings. A few years later, they even gave us animals for breeding.

Thanks to Amis du Kivu, we have also learned how to conserve our forests and protect our soil. The NGO is helping us to reforest our fields by planting agroforestry trees. These trees help our soil not to lose its fertility.

In the rice sector, water is very important. We haven't sown yet because the sun is very hot at the moment. Now we need to take care of the irrigation to produce more.

My house is the fruit of my agriculture. I used to live in a mud house.

During the fundraising period until mid-January 2021, you can donate your stamps in each Naturata store by inserting them in the small acryl boxes near the checkout. Like always, the collected amount will be rounded up, doubled and transferred to SOS Faim in February.

But there is more. Thanks to the co-financing of the Luxemburgish European and Foreign Ministry, the total sum will be multiplied by 5. Thus, each Euro donated to SOS Faim results in 5 Euros for the partner organisation in South-Kivu. Consequently, every Euro left in form of the loyalty stamps by our Naturata clients will convert into 10 Euros that reach the population in the Congolese province!

You want to help even more? If you’d like, you can leave your change in the money box near the checkout for the good cause. Please use the colourful wood box.

SOS Faim is a Luxembourgish non-governmental organisation for development aid and helps African farmers to leave poverty since 1993. Moreover, the NGO focusses less on satisfying the population’s needs but on developing knowledge.

SOS Faim is active in 6 African countries and supports 20 local organisations (farmers cooperatives, mocro-financing institutes, locale NGO’s), which then help the rural communities. Overall, 900.000 farmers and their families benefit from this support. One of the local organisations with whom SOS Faim cooperates is Amis du Kivu.

Amis du Kivu is an NGO founded in 2003 that implements various projects in south- and North-Kivu with the aim to get the rural development in this region started while protecting the environment.

Among other projects, Amis du Kivu performs sensitisation and consulting work among the local producers. The NGO helps them to organise themselves as a collective and offers organisational, technical and financial help to the farmers. Hence, the organisation contributes to increase the autonomy of the households by putting them in a situation where they can satisfy their basic needs.