JJoy Foundation is excited to partner with Love in Action Malawi (LIAM), a Christian non-profit organization dedicated to improving lives in Malawi.  One of LIAM’s primary goals is to support orphans and vulnerable children as they complete their primary, secondary, and tertiary education.  These children attend public schools in their communities in the morning and then participate in LIAM’s afterschool program, which focuses on meeting the academic, spiritual, social, emotional, and physical needs of over 400 students each day.  Your donation will provide vital support for self-sufficient farming projects which enable LIAM to offer a daily nutritious meal to each child who participates in the afterschool program.

LIAM operates on 38 acres of land in Salima, Malawi.  In 2017, 5 acres of that land were commissioned for a farming project.  It was envisioned that crops grown on the land, primarily corn, would be used to feed the students who attend the afterschool program.   Any surplus crops would be sold in order to fund additional LIAM programming.   During that first season, LIAM harvested over 13,000 pounds of corn!  This corn is ground and used to produce the staple of the Malawian diet, Nsima, which is prepared as a meal for the students.  The farm has now been expanded to include 11 acres of land and along with corn, peanuts are cultivated as a nutritious source of protein.

In addition to providing support for the existing corn farm, donations will also be used to expand the farming program:

• Poultry Farming: Raising chickens will reduce the cost of purchasing high quality protein sources (eggs and meat) to supplement meals in the afterschool program.
• Irrigation: The soil in Malawi is conducive to growing additional crops such as rice, tomatoes, onions, soybeans and more.  Installation of an irrigation system will greatly increase the productivity of the farm by allowing LIAM to employ a crop rotation strategy and take advantage of two growing seasons per year.
• Farm Infrastructure: Currently, corn grown on the farm must be transported to a mill for grinding.  Purchasing a grinding mill and constructing a building on site which can be used to securely store equipment will reduce overall farming costs and improve efficiency.

This farm would not exist without generous funding by international donors.  The primary champion of LIAM’s farming project, Victor Joseph, began this journey with an international service trip to Malawi in 2015.  He was so touched by the people he met on that trip that he felt called to help.  When the opportunity to participate presented itself, he provided the funding necessary to establish this farm which is now known as the Henry and Effie Victory Memorial Garden in honor of his late parents.