Protecting the financial future of farmers: Mbonihankuye Wilo's Journey

Most notable amongst these challenges were poor soil quality, limited access to farm supplies, and a lack of knowledge about effective farming practices. But he was determined to secure his family’s food and build a brighter future and, in 2017, he joined One Acre Fund’s program. 

Through One Acre Fund’s support, Mbonihankuye received training on effective farming techniques, learned about soil health practices, and got access to high-quality seeds and inputs. The results of this were soon felt and, since joining, his harvests have risen and remained admirably high. “This season I sowed 4 kg of maize and harvested 400 kg”, Mbonihankuye says. For years, planting around 4kg of seeds only yielded around 150 kg—a fraction of his current harvest.

With the help of our supporters worldwide, the supplies and training One Acre Fund is able to provide have drastically impacted crop yields. This interconnectedness makes Mbonihankuye’s story a testament to the collective power of community. By uniting field officers, community leaders, donors, and supporters from around the world, we can make a tangible, life-changing difference at a scale no single person could achieve alone.

This year, our “It Takes a Village” campaign celebrates the collective strength needed to create lasting change for smallholder farmers. Across sub-Saharan Africa, farmers like Mbonihankuye are working hard to secure brighter futures for their families. With support from their community and supporters like you, they’re transforming challenges into opportunities.

Prioritizing nutrition

Improved harvests benefitted Mbonihankuye and his family but there were other concerns that weighed on the family’s collective thinking. 

Improving farmers’ access to a diverse diet was one of the reasons why One Acre Fund introduced the chick distribution project, a new initiative within our program. The impact on Mbonihnakuye’s family was soon apparent. Initially, he received 8 chicks from a One Acre Fund chick nursery. Once they had matured, the chickens were able to produce over 50 eggs each week, providing his children with a source of protein and, through the sale of surplus eggs, they also gave the household an extra income stream.

This project is a powerful reminder that true, holistic change requires more than just tools and training—it requires a tailored approach that meets the diverse needs of each farm family.

Our “It Takes a Village” campaign is also about transparency and trust. Supporters can see exactly how their contributions make a difference in the lives of farmers like Mbonihankuye, who has used these resources not to invest in his farm and support his family. Through his increased earnings, he has renovated his home, purchased a bicycle for transportation, and began saving for the future.

This chain of impact is a direct result of the contributions from individuals and communities across the globe; it is the result of demonstrable belief in the empowerment of smallholder farmers.

With this campaign, we invite you to join the global village and support farmers like Mbonihankuye. This is a call to action, reminding us that the collective strength of supporters, our impact-driven teams, and smallholder farmers is essential to create change at scale. The contributions of our global community empower more farm families like Mbonihankuye’s to transform their futures—one harvest, one healthy meal, and one community project at a time.

Together, we can expand One Acre Fund’s reach to more communities, increase access to essential farm supplies, and strengthen the resilience of smallholder farmers facing the challenges of climate change. It takes a village—a powerful network of caring individuals and communities—to drive the collective action needed for lasting change. Please join us on this journey by donating, advocating, or simply sharing Mbonihankuye’s story.