Times are very tough at our project at Tikondane in eastern Zambia. This is due to sharply increased food and petrol prices, drought conditions and less revenue for Tiko (at a time when investment is especially important to achieve their goal of financial independence).
The unpredictable rains have failed again and stories like the following from Elke (volunteer Director at Tikondane) are truly heartbreaking:
“Joyce, my allrounder, had her maize field completely destroyed – she was counting on five and a half oxcarts of maize, having already replaced her first (failed) crop after the drought, and having managed all the latest weather vagaries. She is heartbroken! That was some 2200 Zambian kwacha or US$220. It would have set her family up for the year….”
Creative thinking, backed by relentless energy and an unshakeable belief in the people around her is what drives Elke, and in her search for ways to keep local communities from starving during tough times, she has decided to sell rabbit meat as cheap protein. There is great potential in this scheme, with rabbits being relatively easy to breed here. We wish Elke good luck in this endeavour.