Alexander Harvey

In refugee camps like Nyarugusu, food is often scarce.  Malnutrition is common.  Families rely on basic rations that must be stretched to survive — three bowls of maize and one bowl of beans per person, per week.  These rations are rarely enough to meet daily nutritional needs. And even when food is available, most families lack the means to cook it without sacrificing something else.

But we believe a better way is possible.  And it begins with the ground beneath our feet.

In the coming years, Equipping Hope International plans to launch a new initiative called Seeds of Hope — an entrepreneurial farming program rooted in biblical stewardship, food security, and economic empowerment.  It will be the third pillar of our mission in Nyarugusu, joining our educational and vocational programs to equip the whole person with the tools to thrive.

Here’s what Seeds of Hope is all about and why we believe it’s the right next step for our work.

A Response to a Desperate Situation

Nyarugusu is home to over 150,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi.  With limited land access, movement restrictions, and heavy reliance on humanitarian aid, most residents have few ways to supplement their food supply or grow their own crops.

According to reports from USAID and the UNHCR, child malnutrition rates remain alarmingly high.  Many families face daily trade-offs between buying cooking fuel, body lotion, or soap — all items not covered by aid.  To make the situation even more bleak, the ratio of doctors to refugees is 1 to 10,000, and as of 2025, half of Nyarugusu’s health and medical facilities have closed.  

Seeds of Hope was born out of this tension.  We asked: What if families could grow some of what they need?  What if food production could be taught, shared, and scaled in a way that both nourishes bodies and builds income?

That’s the vision — to teach sustainable, low-cost regenerative agricultural practices that provide:

        • Fresh produce for personal and family use
        • Sufficient nutrients for men, women, and children alike
        • Micro-business potential through surplus produce
        • Spiritual formation through biblical teaching on stewardship and creation

Why Agriculture Makes Sense in a Refugee Camp

Farming may not seem like an obvious solution in a crowded camp.  But even small-scale agriculture can bring outsized benefits, especially when space, water, and tools are used wisely.

Our Seeds of Hope program will emphasize:

        • Container gardening and vertical farming, for use in tight spaces
        • Food forest concepts, to maximize production and nutrient value
        • Composting and soil stewardship, rooted in biblical teaching
        • Group learning and peer mentorship, to ensure knowledge transfer
        • Market access for students who wish to sell their produce
        • Entrepreneurial training and support

We’ve already begun conversations with local leaders and camp officials about how this program can align with community priorities.  And we’re committed to building it the way we’ve built everything else, one step at a time.  

Growing More Than Food

Seeds of Hope is about more than crops.  It’s about cultivating:

        • Discipleship: We believe every act of planting and tending is a reminder of God’s provision.  Farming becomes a space for prayer, conversation, and biblical reflection.
        • Nutrition: The health situation in Nyarugusu is desperate, and we believe that health starts with the foundation of nutrition.
        • Income generation: Some students may use their harvests to feed their families.  Others may sell extra vegetables at local markets.  Either way, they gain a sense of agency in a system that too often denies it.
        • Leadership: Graduates of the program will be equipped to train others, just as we’ve done in our tailoring and English programs.  One garden can lead to many.

“The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest.” — Psalm 85:12

In Nyarugusu, the land is dry and the options seem like they are few.  But God can still bring food and provision.

What We’ll Need to Get Started

To launch Seeds of Hope in the coming years, we’re planning for:

        • Gardening tools and materials (containers, compost, water access)
        • Curriculum development focused on both technique and theology
        • Training for community-based agricultural mentors
        • A central site to serve as a demonstration garden and classroom
        • Land to lease for use as a food forest for refugee use

We believe this program can grow from the ground up, starting small and replicating across different zones of the camp.  The long-term goal is a self-sustaining network of gardens, small-scale farms, farmers, and faith-rooted entrepreneurs.

Why This Matters

As a Christian nonprofit in Tanzania, Equipping Hope believes in whole-person transformation. Our educational programs in refugee camps teach language and literacy.  Our vocational programs teach skills and self-reliance.  Seeds of Hope will add a third strand, which is resilience through cultivation.

In a place defined by waiting, Seeds of Hope is about preparing.  In a place defined by scarcity, it’s about abundance.  In a place defined by instability, it’s about roots.

We invite you to join us in planting something new.  

With faith and anticipation,


The Equipping Hope Team