GOAL: Committed to poverty eradication through the empowerment of the poor

Fisheries & Embankments

The poor are hired to hand-dig small ponds on 0.6 acres of privately owned land that is leased for the use of poor families to cultivate fish. Each pond supports 4 families for ten years before the land reverts to the owners.

Fallow land of 12 acres or more is purchased and excavated by hand to a depth of 30 feet to create a lake which, when stocked, becomes a fishery. The earth from the excavation is piled around the perimeter providing the space to build an embankment village for 40 or more families.

By forming strong working relationships local government and private landowners,  on-going projects is able to develop on-going projects that provide long-term solutions to multiple needs are developed.  These relationships make it possible to purchase unproductive, flooded land whenever possible.  Small plots of land are leased from local owners for 10 years and developed into productive fisheries for use by 4 poor families.  Larger plots of land, 12 acres or more, are purchased and developed into permanent fisheries with embankment villages built around the perimeter.  Hiring the poor to hand-dig the land to a depth of thirty feet provides much needed work during the dry season.

Community projects such as these are particularly satisfying as they promote community, harmony among all people, supply a secondary income or source of nutrition for families and the possibility of individual land ownership.

Pro-rated cost per family for each package:

Fish pond - excavated/stocked with a 1 yr lease (.06 acre)                                     $1,266
(Includes excavation, stocking fee, and one-year lease)

Lake fishery with embankment village for 40 families (12 acres)
Developed, stocked lake and complete embankment village (see above)           $1,729
(Includes land, excavation, hut, latrine, tube well and emergency nutrition,
community building, stocking fee, and net)