Towards Arise Becoming Self Sustaining: Crops Galore!

Three years ago, in September, 2017, ACE launched its “Well Appeal” to try and raise £10,000 to build a well and install an irrigation system at Arise School.  The aim was to utilise land belonging to the school to grow crops with a view to Arise becoming as self sufficient as possible

The appeal was launched at a Dinner Dance organised by Keith Morris, a longstanding supporter of the charity.  That evening Keith raised £760!  Amazingly, by the following May, sufficient money had been raised to commission the start of the work.

Arise school is located about 1,200 metres up the slopes of snowcapped Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.  Any rain travels through the mountain and ends up in underground lakes. 

To reach the water it

was necessary to drill

just over 100 metres deep. 

The project was completed

about two years ago in late 2018.

The first crops were planted.  Now, all the hard work is reaping its rewards.  Rather than go to the local market to buy them, the school is already producing the majority of vegetables it needs for its 400 pupils. 

This is another step on the long path towards Arise eventually becoming self sustaining.  Not only is the school affording the poorest children in the village the opportunity of a good quality education that they would not otherwise have, it is also providing them with wholesome, nutritional food, along with opportunities to learn how to use and prepare it.

We still have a long way to go though.  If you would like to help ACE and Arise School on this journey, you can do so by making a contribution through the Virgin moneygiving page on our ACE website: acecharity.uk.  Thank you for your support.