Southern Irrigation Partners with The Timotheos Foundation
Southern Irrigation has joined forces with the Timotheos Foundation in Malawi, an agricultural country that has been rated the poorest country on earth. Malawi is one of the world’s most impoverished and least developed nations, and it is making an effort to overcome decades of underdevelopment, corruption, and the impact of AIDS, which claims the lives of thousands every year.
Founded in Malawi in 2011, the Timotheos Foundation aims to combat poverty, support local communities and spread the message of God. Over the years, the foundation has established a variety of programs to address the needs of Malawians and these programs continue to expand.
In the village of Chigumukire, the local Chief generously donated 2.35 hectares to Timotheos. With this land, the foundation is growing crops at the nearby childcare centre and any surplus of food will be sold to surrounding communities.
The Beginning of The Partnership
In Chigumukire, there’s a pressing need to address the yearly challenges caused by drought and lack of access to rivers. Irrigation can help stabilize and secure food production, potentially lifting the community out of poverty.
Southern Irrigation, driven by its commitment to giving back, partnered with the Timotheos Foundation in Southern Malawi to support agricultural development at the Timotheos Child Care Centers. They began by funding irrigation for the 2.35 hectares of donated land.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Southern Irrigation couldn’t go to Malawi as intended. Instead, the team worked from afar with Timotheos. They created a garden plan and financed the installation of a pump, pressure tanks, solar panels, a control unit, underground pipes, a storage house over the pump, and covered fertilizer and operational expenses.
The Teams’ First Trip to Malawi
In 2023, Southern Irrigation sent its first team to Malawi with a focus on assessment, testing, training, and planning for future projects. They evaluated existing pumps, panels, and controls and, with local assistance, set up a test drip irrigation plot for bananas and row crops. This involved installing drip rings on 100 newly planted banana trees and drip lines on 15 raised beds.
The team also dedicated time to training local farmers and school teachers on managing the irrigation system. Teachers, in turn, educated older kids on caring for the garden and the system. Additionally, Southern Irrigation worked on sponsorships at the school for Canadian donors supporting Timotheos students, ensuring they receive education and a daily meal.
Beyond installations, the team engaged in various community activities, including playing games with students, reading Bible stories, singing to the elderly, and visiting homes in the community.
Hungry For Life Works with Southern Irrigation
Hungry For Life aims to create long-term international partnerships between local businesses, churches or groups with a mission organization overseas. When Southern Irrigation decided they wanted to start this project in Malawi, Hungry For Life helped remove obstacles that could prohibit the team from having a global impact, as well as facilitate their relationship with the foundation. The organization continues to help the team determine the direction of the project and create goals around it. They also help logistically with equipping and leading the team when visiting Timotheos in Malawi.
The Future of Southern Irrigation and Timotheos Foundation
Currently, a team of 11 employees is planning their second trip to Malawi in Janaury/February 2024. This team is going to focus on expanding the banana drip irrigation test plots to the entire banana field, updating and replacing water points, hydrants and irrigation pipes, as well as analyzing the irrigation test plots that were installed in 2023.
As for the future, Southern Irrigation is currently working on a 5-year plan for the agriculture and irrigation project based on results from the 2023 trip. A team is going to be working on putting a design together for the entire 5 acres and a plan of what steps need to be taken each year. The team is hoping to make the project larger and possibly expand it to each one of Timotheos’ six childcare centres.
If you’re interested in donating to the project, email malawi@southernirrigation.com.
To follow along visit Southern Irrigation | Hungry For Life Partnerships
