Marshal Papworth scholar Samuel Sahr Saffa has helped 1000 young Sierra Leoneans out of poverty through sustainable farming practices.
Saffa set up a new agricultural company, The Nedemiah Development Project, in the West African country after completing his Masters in Agriculture and Development with a Marshal Papworth Fund scholarship at the University of Reading.
The Marshal Papworth charity helps growers and farmers in developing countries to learn new skills that they take back to their home communities and share with others.
Saffa’s company employs young people in Sierra Leone, bringing them out of poverty through sustainable farming.
Under his project, participants have been able to significantly expand production of a wide variety of crops including cassava, ginger, rice, coco yam, sorghum, maize, potatoes and soya beans.
“My Marshal Papworth scholarship opened a window of opportunity to visit different agricultural production sites and factories as supplementary visits to my studies, which definitely inspired and challenged me to translate those examples into workable solutions in Sierra Leone,” Saffa said.
“Combining skills development, job creation, agricultural production, processing and marketing, and entrepreneurial development to alleviate extreme poverty, create wealth, reduce unemployment and promote education, the organisation is designed to support 1,000 young people and their families to get out of poverty,” explains Saffa.
Tom Arthey, chairman of the Marshal Papworth Fund, said: “It is great to hear that Samuel has put his Marshal Papworth scholarship to such good use, improving not only his personal situation through increased responsibilities in work, but also in setting up an enterprise that will help 1,000 young people in Sierra Leone find employment and leave poverty through sustainable agriculture. This is truly taking on board our motto of ‘growing out of hunger’ and we can’t wait to hear the next update from Samuel.”
