Adding to basket
Maureen is a 52-year-old farmer in a rural area in eastern Zambia. Her husband works at a clinic, and their seven children all attend school.
Maureen cares deeply about education, and says the best thing about farming is that the money gained from harvest sales enable many people in the community to educate their children.
Maureen’s hobbies are making door mats and visiting friends. Her dream is to buy a big farm and to build a big house!
Right now, Maureen lives in a small house without electricity. She says it’s a great expense to buy firewood for cooking and candles for lighting, especially in the rainy season that is fast approaching.
She is thankful she can reduce these expenses by purchasing a home energy system that includes a clean cookstove, a monthly supply of fuel pellets and a solar system that has three bright lights and a phone charger.
By making these purchases, Maureen and Kaipumule 1 Group are participating in an innovative pigeon pea program.
Farmers receive seeds and training for growing pigeon peas, a crop that is well suited to the dry conditions of eastern Zambia, naturally improves soil fertility through nitrogen fixation and provides income and protein.
After harvest, the farmers trade waste plant stalks (for recycling into fuel pellets for the stoves) as well as pigeon peas with Emerging Cooking Solutions as payment for their renewable energy products.
In this group: Maureen, Veronica, Samson, Leah, Sara, Josphat, Seveliano, Samson, Edina, Rosemary, Jane, Given
