5 Lessons a Cassava Farm is Teaching Children in Longido

Longido is known for its dry, dusty landscape. The land is bare most of the year, with only patches of shrubs surviving the intense heat. The Maasai people, who have lived here for generations, rely on livestock for survival, moving them from place to place in search of pasture.

In recent years, droughts have become more frequent and severe, threatening their way of life and affecting parents’ ability to provide for their children.

The most vulnerable children in the community are finding a haven at their local church. At the church, things are different. Instead of the brown, cracked ground, lush green cassava crops stretch across a small area between the boarding school and the church.

The farmers tending this island of green in a sea of dust are the boarding school students registered at the church. The Compassion center registered them with the program to ensure they could stay in school and didn’t drop out due to financial struggles.

“We wanted our children to have a different kind of learning to open their minds to new possibilities. Farming was a great way to teach them responsibility, teamwork and self-sufficiency,” says Amedeus, the center coordinator.

The young people tend to the crops and water them between classes—and they’re gaining knowledge that goes beyond farming. Here are the top five lessons they’re learning by growing cassava …

Where Food Comes From

For many of these children, food has always been provided—they never had to think about how it got to their plates at home or the church. But working on the cassava farm has changed their perspective.

“Before, whenever I was given food, I just ate,” said Daniel. “I knew where milk and meat came from but not other foods. After working on the farm, I saw how much work goes into it; I respect food more.”

By digging, planting, watering, and harvesting, the children now understand that food doesn’t just appear. It takes effort, patience, and knowledge.

How to Grow Food from the Ground Up

Farming wasn’t something these children grew up with. At first, they were unsure of what to do, but as they learned about soil preparation, watering, pest control, and other farming techniques, they gained confidence.

“The first time we planted, I thought all we had to do was wait for it to grow and harvest. But it wasn’t like that,” said Namelock. “We had to weed, water our plants, and do regular checks to make sure they were growing well. I now know farming needs care and time.”

Understanding the process of food production, from planting to harvesting, has become a valuable lesson for these children.

The Joy of Teamwork

Farming is hard work, but when it is a shared experience, it quickly becomes easier and even fun.

The children realized this when they were working together on the farm. Their sense of teamwork strengthened and created new friendships, and it taught them the value of collaboration—a skill that will benefit them in all areas of their lives.

“We helped each other all through the process. Some of us dug, some planted, and others carried water. Working together made it easy, and I made some friends, too. We would sometimes stop working and play around until our teacher told us to focus,” said Mibuko.

 Patience and Responsibility

Cassava takes months to grow, and the children initially struggle with the waiting. However, as they checked on their plants each week, they started to appreciate the process.

“Every other week, we asked our teacher when we would harvest, and his answer was to wait. He always reminded us we had to take care of our crop, or it won’t grow well,” said Baraka.

The lesson in patience and care has extended beyond farming, helping them understand the importance of dedication in school.

The Power of Self-Sufficiency

Coming from pastoralist communities, the children’s diet is often limited to what is available—mostly meat and milk. Families are left hungry when livestock are moved far away during the dry season. But through this farm, children are discovering another source of food and the value of a balanced diet.

“It feels good to eat food that we grew and especially having it to enjoy with other children from the church. It makes me feel I can do something important for my parents and myself,” said Nempiris.

Today, after months of caring for their crops, these young farmers get to enjoy their hard work. It is Center Day; all the program participants will be gathering at the church—and for breakfast, they will have cassava added to their plates.

The children have improved their meals by growing their own food while gaining skills. The time spent together away from home is filled with shared laughter and lessons they will carry forward into other parts of life.