“I Looked at What I Had and Everything Began to Change”

For Years , Njanjama from Mpandadzi in Malawi has been a farmer . However ,he never produced enough from his field to support his family.  Each season came with the same worries including unpredictable rains, poor harvests and the constant pressure of providing for his family. He was used to working hard. What he had not considered was thinking differently about what he already had.

That began to shift when he went through  Empowered World View training , a mindset  change model championed by World Vision. The training challenged him to look differently at his life , not at what he lacked but at what he already had. Njanjama started to look at his land, his water sources and his time in a new way. At first, the idea seemed unattainable. But for Njanjama, it marked a turning point as he went on and  ventured into irrigation farming.

“I looked at what I had and everything began to change. In 2025 alone, I have harvested nine bags of pigeon peas and over 20 bags of maize through irrigation farming. I can now feed my family with no difficulties and even sell the surplus. The training has given us practical knowledge that works,” says Njanjama.

Instead of waiting for rainfall, he began using available water sources to irrigate his crops. With the same land he had always farmed, he started planning differently, working differently and expecting more from his efforts. The results pushed him further. Njanjama planted 200,000 heads of cabbage, something he says he had never imagined doing before. After selling the entire harvest, he invested in a solar-powered water pump to sustain his farming. He also bought a pig, which has since multiplied into nine.

“I used to think farming was just for survival. Now I see it as a business. I look at what I have and think about how I can make it work better for me,” says Njanjama.

At his home, the change is easy to see. There is more food, more stability and a growing sense of control over his future.

Another farmer who underwent through Empowered World View training, Davie Mtambalika, 55, says the mindset model pushes farmers to diversify.

“I am now growing tomatoes for sale. The training taught me how to manage my garden properly and I am already earning income to support my family’s needs. It is a big change from the past when we depended only on rain-fed maize, but now I am complementing maize production,” says Davie.

World Vision Malawi through Mpandadzi Area Programme is  training hundreds of community members in Empowered World View and more farmers have changed how they think and work in their fields.