Project description
At Pakistan more than 30% of the population live below the poverty line. Christian welfare organisation YWAY wants to help people in the Nankana region structurally get enough food by providing seeds for their own vegetable garden. YWAY supports the care of the vegetable plants with instruction booklets and videos. Family members or neighbours also benefit from the yield of the vegetable garden. This way, people are less likely to fall victim to circumstances (such as unemployment due to the corona crisis) and can face life's challenges in a healthy and strong way.
Why this project?
Life in rural Pakistan is difficult. For meagre wages, people work long and hard, with no proper legal status for workers. For example, firing bricks in kilns. For the weak or minorities, such as Christians, daily life is extra hard because they do not get any help in times of need.
YWAY stands up for these groups. For example, she provided emergency aid during the corona pandemic. It also sees longer-term needs and wants to contribute fundamentally to poverty alleviation.
Impact
Families decide for themselves whether to participate in the vegetable garden project. This is done in response to leaflets distributed or contacts made by YWAY while organising sports activities in the community. When families participate, a YWAY team member visits to help establish the vegetable garden. In this way, the church becomes more visible in the community around Nankana. And it shows that team members are following Christ by helping those who have no helper.
What can we learn?
In the Pakistani context, it takes courage and guts to start a project without discrimination. The YWAY team hopes to build trust between villagers in the communities. But also to strengthen the churches among themselves by participating together in this project.
