Bringing hope through training

Mercy Ships is more than just medicine. We also provide training in farming techniques to help break the cycle of poverty in developing nations - one family at a time!

01 JUNE 2010 | LOME, TOGO

Pascal Gbaglo is a farmer in Hevie, Benin. For him and his family, life has always been a struggle. Using traditional West-African slash and burn methods of clearing land for planting, his harvests have always been small - barely enough to feed his family of seven.

In May, he saw a line of Mercy Ships vehicles driving through Hevie so he asked why they had come and discovered that Mercy Ships in conjunction with a local NGO called Bethesda, was starting an agricultural training programme in Hevie. Wanting to learn more about farming, he asked if he could join the programme, called "Food for Life".

He excitedly attended every class and learned sustainable, organic farming principles. Pascal began incorporating these principles into his farming practices at home. Quickly he noticed something: his crops were growing much faster and producing a much better yield than before. Before long he had more than he needed to feed his family and was able to sell the surplus at the local market.

Using the money he makes Pascal is now able to send his eldest four children to school.

Already, he is passing down his farming knowledge to the next generation. His entire family helps him work the land with him, even his 2-year-old son, Gédeon lends a hand.