Although Adija Njinaheli was divorced in 2015, she is able to bounce back economically thanks to Agwenda Women Input Loan Initiative (AWILI). The 2021/ 2022 farming season has turned around her economic fortunes as she accessed improved rice farm inputs (seed and fertilizers) to boost her productivity, revenue and livelihood. Coupled by the trainings provided by AWILI extension officers on improved rice farming techniques, her productivity increased. She is now constructing a decent house using proceeds fro her rice sales. Adija Njaheli, a divorced mother of 59 with two daughters is a member of Chitenje Club from group village headman Kalusa 3, Traditional Authority Kalimanjira in Linga EPA, Nkhotakota District. She divorced her husband 7 years ago, left destitute with no proper home to live with her 2 daughters.
Adija Njinaheli was 58 when she attended Agwenda Women Input Loan Initiative (AWILI) program sensitization and registration meetings and has remained loyal to the program eversince. ”In 2021/2022 farming season I was motivated by my cooperative members to take a loan of 50kgs bag of fertilizer and 10kg of rice from AWILI, I managed to produce 35 bags of rice each weighing 50kgs. On an ordinary year (without AWILI) i usually produced 12- 15 bags of 50kgs each,” she recalled. To maintain a good record, i paid back my loan to AWILI leaving my household with excess harvest for sale. Using funds from the sale’s proceeds have started constructing a decent house for us.
“There are no compartments in this house I live in, that means not privacy for myself and my two daughters and It leaks during heavy rains. But all will be water under the bridge once we move to the newly constructed house, thanks to AWILI”. She explained, bubbling with joy.
”Our small house is inconveniencing and uncomfortable for me and my children, when i first made profits from AWILI rice farming i made sure that i started building a new house and i have made a lot of progress since i started farming with AWILI. When i sell rice next year I shall complete the house, I will buy iron sheets and finish up put cement floor so my family can move into this better house.” She shared her ambitions. With AWILI, i am killing 3 birds with one stone; I access improved inputs, markets and extension services. Now I have great harvest which means two things for me; food and money. I will have enough food to feed myself and my two daughters all the time. I will have money to advance new house construction, we may not finish it this year but if next year we realize this kind of harvest and markets, we are finishing constructing the house”, she explained with joy.
Adija can ably support her two primary school going daughters with school fees, uniforms and daily packed meals (esp. rice meals).