Esther Byomona

Esther Byamona, 63 years old, is a beneficiary of the Just Earth project. From Baraka Farmer Field School, located in Makali village, about 12 km along the Kalima road in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Having long been used to cultivating large fields, Esther was initially skeptical when she saw the small demonstration plot , only 13 meters by 33 meters. Doubts filled her mind:

“How can we expect to gain anything from such a small piece of land? Are these people really serious?”

Yet, instead of giving up, she decided to stay and see for herself. Determined to understand, she attended every session and even prepared her own plot of the same size (13m x 33m) to compare the results.

When the first harvest came, and she saw basins full of eggplants, all her doubts disappeared. The impressive results filled her with motivation and confidence. Today, her plot has become a reference for good field management, and in about three weeks, she expects harvest.

Meanwhile, her maize and groundnut fields are thriving as well, since she now applies the lessons learned from the Farmer Field School ; proper spacing, smart crop combinations, and regular maintenance.

With gratitude, Esther says:  “Even at my age, I’m still learning ,and now I’m teaching my grandchildren to do the same.”