My uncle visited and his look was different from the one he had over four years ago, as I was telling him how I wanted to grow soil and harvest
water through practicing
permaculture. He had such disappointment on his face then. This time he came and there were some healthy maize plants and he shared the picture in our family group, because we had so much heat without any rain and my maize looked this good. We got to talk about how I am growing soil and harvesting water, and the fact that he shared images with the rest of the family, is how I am spreading my word of regeneration, and the strategy is so so subtle, but it has
roots that grow really deep.
Projects that are regarded sensible are those that make instant money as a tangible result. My project has gone for so many years without the money side of it being visible and obviously, I want a profitable project. But the project has not reached there yet because there are so many layers I am working on to get to that point. The one thing that I now have is the ability to grow good maize, which is next in making my work sensible since it's the
staple and common crop. And I was right because this is what drew my uncle's attention. Many projects that were initiated when I began my journey have started and stopped, farming is even worse because of the changing climate. For him to see that I was still working on my project and that I have built some resilience against the changing weather and unstable economy made him have some respect. I know that when I start making money out of the place that's when I will gain his full respect.
Another good thing that happened was that I was invited to a regeneration festival last week, that was hosted by Soft Foot Alliance in Hwange. I was not just a spectator, I had my own stand. Never had I imagined myself as someone who would have a stand sharing ideas at a festival. My dream is to spread regeneration as much as I can and this was such a big opportunity because there were many people. Again images of the healthy maize plants in the heat, without the use of commercial fertilizers is what drew people to my stand. There were big organisations and different ideas being shared, like rammed earth building, holistic grazing, rocket stoves...e.t.c. And there I was, showcasing the positive impact that one can make at a family or individual level, which can then contribute to the bigger international goals, like
carbon sequestration and water cycle restoration.
This year has been a tough year but it seems to be ending on a high note.
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