Saverino’s Journey Toward Economic Stability
“I am a full-time farmer,” Saverino says. “Every morning I wake up, I wash my face. I check on the goat’s pen. Wake up the children to go to school. And I check on my compound.” Saverino and his family—wife Sanyu and their five children—live in a last-mile village in Mitooma District. In this remote area, Saverino is a subsistence farmer living off 2 acres of land. For years, he struggled to provide for the family. “In the past, I planted many seeds but harvested very little,” Saverino recalls. “We used to scatter seeds randomly,” he says, which meant yields were not meeting their potential.
Today, things are different for Saverino and his family. “Now, I plant less and harvest more. My family has enough to eat, and we earn a better income,” he says happily.
Along with their neighbors, Saverino and his family were committed to making this progress possible. In early 2023, Saverino’s village enrolled in RTV’sRTV’s holistic 24-month program, which focuses on removing barriers to livelihoods and promoting sustainable increases in income. After participating in community co-design of program activities, he began to engage in key activities that drive change for ultra-poor households. He planted a household-level keyhole garden to grow vegetables that provide a wholesome and nutritious diet for his children. His family attended health outreaches and benefited from improved access to water. In addition, Saverino participated in trainings on WASH, Healthy Households, VSLAs, and Livestock. He joined agriculture training sessions on Good Agronomic Practices (GAP), which focused on hands-on sessions that covered modern planting techniques, the creation of organic fertilizers at his household, organic pest control made from local materials, and best practices in managing crops before and after harvest. He focused on ways to increase his yields and fetch higher prices for his crops.
As RTV equipped Saverino and his village with better-quality seeds and tools, he applied what he learned to his beans, coffee, and banana crops. “Now, I plant in rows, use compost manure, and apply organic pesticides,” he says, “The results have been incredible.” His banana crops are larger, his bean harvests are more abundant, and he’s saving enough to buy quality seeds on his own.
Amazingly, for Saverino’s family, progress is building on progress. “I received 3kgs of beans and harvested 40kgs,” Saverino remembers his first harvest. “Our family used much of them for food and saved seeds to plant the next season.” In the following seasons, Saverino’s yields continued to grow. “I then planted 14 kgs of beans, from which I harvested 170 kgs. I sold part of what I had and bought 18kgs of improved seeds. That season, I harvested over 180 kgs. Now, I am planting 20 kgs and am anticipating growing my yield to 200 kgs!”
Today, just two years after enrollment, Saverino and his family have a stable income and feel their quality of life has vastly improved. “My children no longer worry about being asked to return from school because of delayed fees. They are eating well,” he says happily. Amazingly, Saverino is not done yet. He plans to expand his agriculture operation and build livestock assets. “I recently bought a goat and plan to buy more livestock in the future for an additional income source,” he shares with a smile.
Be part of our journey. Support last-mile communities by supporting Raising The Village.
Let’s Stay Connected
