By Chris Morgan | Resource Mobilization Manager
Many guardians of scholarship children in our program have faced persistent poverty due to reliance on shifting cultivation, which has driven them deeper into debt each year. Unable to make ends meet, they often turn to informal lenders, further increasing their financial burdens in an attempt to finance the next season’s crops.
One such guardian, Mr. Lod, had accumulated more than $23,000 in debt from unsuccessful corn farming, financed through middlemen and the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives. Recognizing the growing debt crisis, our team partnered with the Government Savings Bank in Nan Province and conducted workshops to introduce financial management and new career paths, including pepper cultivation for chili sauce production.
Mr. Lod was the first to experiment with growing peppers, starting with 300 plants while continuing to farm corn. He soon realized that peppers were far more profitable, with lower costs and a shorter harvest period. Encouraged by this success, he fully transitioned to pepper farming, enabling him to support his family and gradually pay off his debt without taking on further loans.
Over time, more guardians in the program have adopted integrated farming methods, moving away from shifting cultivation. By diversifying their crops and income streams, many have significantly improved their financial stability and living conditions, paying off debts and building a more sustainable future for their families.
This progress is the result of continuous engagement, follow-up visits, and a collective commitment from families to improve their lives and embrace new opportunities. However, none of this would have been possible without the generous support from donors like you. Your contributions have helped these families take important steps toward breaking the cycle of poverty and moving in the right direction. While challenges remain, the progress they've made is significant and represents a promising start toward a more stable and sustainable future. We are deeply grateful for your partnership in making this transformation a reality.
Yours in hope,
The Freedom Story
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