{"id":33914,"date":"2026-10-01T12:55:19","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T10:55:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.terredeshommesschweiz.ch\/education-opens-doors-from-dropping-out-of-school-to-owning-a-farm\/"},"modified":"2026-11-04T17:48:51","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T15:48:51","slug":"education-opens-doors-from-dropping-out-of-school-to-owning-a-farm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.terredeshommesschweiz.ch\/en\/education-opens-doors-from-dropping-out-of-school-to-owning-a-farm\/","title":{"rendered":"Education Opens Doors: From Dropping Out of School to Owning a Farm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Panashe Sibanda and Janet Mutandwa both had to drop out of school. Today, they run their own small farm together. Training in climate-resilient agriculture has opened up new opportunities for them. Their story shows that education can open doors.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Panashe Sibanda (22) and Janet Mutandwa (20) live in a small village in Zimbabwe\u2019s Midlands. The nearest large town, Kwekwe, is a two-hour drive away on bumpy dirt roads. A minibus passes through twice a day. Here, the young couple grows vegetables and raises livestock. Whatever they don\u2019t eat themselves, they sell at the market in Kwekwe.<\/p>\n\n

What they lack is running water. Panashe and Janet still carry water in heavy buckets from their neighbors\u2019 well to their yard. As a thank-you, Panashe helped them build a drip irrigation system. This shows just how much has changed for him: He used to be the one who needed help. Today, he can pass on his knowledge and support others. <\/p>\n\n

\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

“I used to struggle just to survive. Being able to help others today means a lot to me.”<\/strong>Panashe Sibanda, 22, farmer in Zimbabwe<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

For the first time, they have a steady income, enough to eat, and can even save a little. Just a few years ago ,<\/strong> their future looked very different. Both had to drop out of school because their families could no longer afford the tuition.<\/strong> Panashe earned a few dollars working in illegal gold mines and got by begging. Neither of them had any idea what the future might hold.<\/p>\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n

Panashe and Janet met during a training course on climate-resilient agriculture offered by our partner organization. There, they learned about organic farming and irrigation, livestock raising and barn construction, farm management, and finance. To get started, they received 25 chickens and coaching on how to set up their own farm. Family planning and HIV\/AIDS were also part of the training\u2014topics that are rarely discussed in Zimbabwe.<\/p>\n\n

\n
\n

\u201cI came back from the training course on climate-resilient agriculture with a lot of knowledge. Now I can harvest my own vegetables from the garden, and when the chickens are big enough, we\u2019ll have meat.\u201d<\/strong>Janet Mutandwa, 20, farmer in Zimbabwe<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

In the meantime, things have progressed quite a bit on Janet and Panashe\u2019s farm. In coops they built themselves, they now keep 100 chickens, 50 chicks, and, most recently, rabbits. In their irrigated community garden, they also grow climate-resilient vegetables such as cabbage, squash, tomatoes, and romaine lettuce. By selling eggs, chicks, chicken meat, and vegetables, they earn between 70 and 100 U.S. dollars a month.<\/p>\n\n

\n