GD_2Seeds_150530_E

Communications and Marketing
2Seeds Nuts and Bolts
May 7, 2015
Table of Contents
What is 2Seeds Network?.............................................................................................................2
What is Human Capital Development?....................................................................................3
What does 2Seeds Network do?.................................................................................................5
How is 2Seeds Network different?............................................................................................7
Our Results....................................................................................................................................... 9
Our Projects................................................................................................................................... 12
BOMBO MAJIMOTO PROJECT ........................................................................................................... 12
BUNGU PROJECT .................................................................................................................................. 14
KIJUNGUMOTO PROJECT ................................................................................................................... 16
KWAKILIGA PROJECT.......................................................................................................................... 18
LUTINDI PROJECT................................................................................................................................ 20
MAGOMA PROJECT............................................................................................................................... 22
TABORA PROJECT................................................................................................................................ 24
MASOKO PROJECT ............................................................................................................................... 26
Our Network-Wide Initiatives.................................................................................................28
CAPACITY BUILDING........................................................................................................................... 28
LEADERSHIP.......................................................................................................................................... 28
REFORESTATION.................................................................................................................................. 29
WATER MANAGEMENT....................................................................................................................... 29
WOMEN’S GROUP.................................................................................................................................. 30
2SEEDS BUSINESS CURRICULUM AND BUSINESS CURRICULUM ADVANCED......................30
NETWORK-WIDE SALES...................................................................................................................... 31
2Seeds Statement......................................................................................................................... 33
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WHAT IS 2SEEDS NETWORK?
2Seeds Network brings people together to confront some of the most pressing issues of food
and income insecurity in rural Tanzania by developing the ability of local Project Partners
and international Project Coordinators to think critically, work collaboratively and solve
problems creatively to grow self-sustaining businesses.
This process is called human capital development and is done through an interdependent
network of like-minded individuals committed to building an environment through which we
can help each other succeed.
What is the “network”?
The 2Seeds “network” is much more than a word or idea: it is a dynamic system of
interpersonal connections, friendships, and common hopes for a better life that creates
opportunities for our Project Partners and Project Coordinators by creating connections that
wouldn’t otherwise exist.
Partners from the isolated village of Bombo Majimoto learn permaculture techniques from
primary school students from the village of Magoma. Partners from the mountain village of
Lutindi sell thousands of kilos of crops at Kariakoo, the largest market in Dar es Salaam, with
the help of 2Seeds Partners of the Masoko Project. Partners from different projects convene
regularly to discuss concepts of leadership and teamwork. These few examples show how
diverse the opportunities created by this network can be, from education to market access.
Linking our Partners in a wide-ranging network allows for personal connections that would
not otherwise be possible, creating a new flow of ideas and generating real returns.
Being a member of the network is more than being part of one group in one village. It means
entering into a system of mutual support, trust and commitment to achieving a better life.
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WHAT IS HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT?
Human capital development is the heart of the 2Seeds Network model. More than a simple
denial of material goods, poverty is multidimensional and has wide-reaching impact on
individual lives. In order to combat poverty, we must address its deepest effect: the denial of
individual choices and opportunities. By addressing poverty on this deeper level, we can
overcome it in a way that honors human dignity and celebrates real partnership across the
2Seeds network.
We recognize the complexity of the challenges faced by 2Seeds members and create strong
relationships based on trust, which has allowed us to develop a simple yet innovative way to
facilitate human capital development. It embraces three areas simultaneously:
Confidence: Unlocking people’s minds to help them recognize the possibility of
change and their ability to achieve progress.
Capacity: Equipping people with the skills, information and connections they need to
improve their productivity and sustain growth over time.
Opportunity: Providing the resources and support people need to take risks, solve
problems and employ their confidence and capacity to achieve their full potentials.
When 2Seeds members realize their full potential, the organization realizes its full potential.
WHERE DOES HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT LEAD?
The development of human capital enables people to make choices to determine their own
futures. Every member of the 2Seeds network is together in this journey to a bright future that
recognizes his or her dignity and self-determination. For short, we call this place “Maisha
Bora”, loosely translated as “the good life.”
Think of it this way.
The crowded, lively bus is a common sight in Tanzania. Imagine a bus that always has space
for more people and that navigates the challenging dirt roads of rural areas, through drought
or rain or whatever other obstacles it may encounter. This bus is 2Seeds, with all of its
members inside steadily heading towards the final destination of Maisha Bora.
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In the spirit of partnership, everyone in 2Seeds—Project Partners and Project Coordinators—
is in the bus together going to Maisha Bora. We pick up new 2Seeds members along the way
by reaching out a hand to help them climb in.
The roads we travel are not without their obstacles: the bus will have to labor up high hills
and careen down steep paths; it will kick up a cloud of dust in times of drought and find the
road washed out by flood during the rainy season. These obstacles represent the challenges
faced by 2Seeds members on the road to income security, whether it’s a challenging natural
environment or business setbacks.
At the end of the road, Maisha Bora is not one thing: it is a place where all members of
2Seeds have the resources and ability to make their own choices and determine what their
idea of “the good life” is.
However, no one person can get there alone: by supporting each other through difficult times
and developing everyone’s human capital simultaneously, every member of 2Seeds can reach
Maisha Bora.
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WHAT DOES 2SEEDS NETWORK DO?
In order to reach Maisha Bora and achieve human capital development, 2Seeds Network
incubates community-based projects to turn income-generating activities into thriving,
locally-led businesses.
Our methodology:
We develop these businesses through a long-term process:
1. Engage the community
Project Coordinators from international backgrounds spend at least one year living in
a community, building relationships and engaging with community members. Project
Coordinators and community members develop deep, trusting relationships with each
other that lay the groundwork for ongoing 2Seeds work, engage community members
in the broader 2Seeds network and allow 2Seeds members to take risks together.
2. Look for the income-generating activity that will work
Incorporating local knowledge and leadership with creative approaches, Project
Coordinators and local Project Partners identify income-generating activities that
might be suitable for that community. This process may take time. 2Seeds members
build resilience as they try different activities, face threats from a changing natural
environment, and learn to work together.
3. Put in the hours to make it work
Once the income-generating activity has been identified, Project Partners and Project
Coordinators work together to build the basis of a sustainable business. This means
learning new skills, strengthening group cohesion, and accessing markets.
4. Increase productivity
Once the business model is in place, it’s time to ramp up productivity to solidify
market connections, lay the foundation of a self-sustaining business and generate life-
changing income.
5. Draw in the community and integrate other activities into the core business
The business is established and the core 2Seeds members are all successfully working
together. Business operations are routinized and local value chains are integrated into
operations, creating opportunity throughout the community and spurring local
economic development.
6. Create freedom to produce conscious choice
The result of this process is that 2Seeds members are able to make meaningful choices
about their lives. They have money to cover everyday costs and save for the future;
they have business acumen and an eye for strategic decision-making; and they have a
network of support to try new ventures together.
This process of human capital development has long-term effects as Project Partners expand
their skills, earn higher incomes, and bring new models of creative thought and action to their
communities.
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Take a look at the Kwakiliga Project to see our methodology in action:
1. Engage the community: In 2009, two volunteers were invited to work with the
Kwakiliga community for three months. From the relationships and excitement begun
then, the partnership between Project Coordinators and Kwakiliga Partners was started.
2. Look for the income-generating activity that will work. In Kwakiliga, this process
took years as Project Partners and Project Coordinators pursued activities ranging from
optimized maize cultivation to sunflower oil production. As persistent drought challenged
project success, 2Seeds members worked together to generate better ideas and finally
started a successful poultry-keeping activity in 2012.
3. Put in the hours to make it work. Then came the task of building the chicken coops.
Partners and Project Coordinators sweated together under the summer sun and overcame
their doubts about their own abilities as they learned to construct an innovatively-
designed chicken coop. They then put in the hours required to tend their flock of
chickens, create market connections and learn to manage a business. 2Seeds members
learned new skills together and further solidify their partnership.
4. Increase productivity. Their first year producing and selling eggs was a huge success.
Kwakiliga Partners began to see themselves differently: not just as farmers, but now as
responsible businesspeople. Project Partners have increased the size of their flock and are
now learning how to scale up their business, increase revenue, and work more effectively
as a team.
5. Draw in the community and integrate other activities into the core business. As the
business has grown, other community members have become involved,, whether through
transporting eggs to market or becoming consistent suppliers. Community engagement
will only continue to grow in Kwakiliga. The poultry-keeping activity is complemented
by home gardens in which the manure produced by the chickens is used for vegetable
production.
6. Create freedom to produce conscious choice. As the Kwakiliga Project transitions into
a thriving business, Project Partners see the promise of an exciting future where they have
achieved financial stability and are able to make independent choices for themselves and
their families. We’re not there yet in Kwakiliga, but we are well on our way to Maisha
Bora.
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HOW IS 2SEEDS NETWORK DIFFERENT?
An innovative approach to development:
2Seeds Network employs a radically different model from your typical development non-
profit. Rather than just deliver goods or bring in experts, we work with communities to build
trust, develop business acumen and lay the groundwork for resilience and creative problem-
solving through the process of human capital development. This innovative model generates
impact across all members of the 2Seeds network.
Our Partners recognize that 2Seeds is different from other development organizations they’ve
worked with in the past. We commit to a lasting presence in these communities and enable
our Partners to connect with each other even between the most remote communities in the
network. These links foster innovation, catalyze growth and provide support along the rough
road to Maisha Bora.
2Seeds builds a strong, interdependent network of people committed to changing their own
lives and the futures of their communities. Our Partners are proud to say “Sisi ni 2Seedsi!”—
or “We are 2Seeds!”
A foundation in real partnership:
It’s what’s at the heart of 2Seeds that sets us apart: upendo. This word, literally meaning
“love” in Swahili, more loosely translates to a combination of commitment, enthusiasm and
friendship. 2Seeds members create lasting relationships with each other that drive our vision
of holistic change and that give us the perspective to drive permanent, people-centered
economic development.
Our commitment to partnership extends to the leadership structure of the organization. The
Tanzanian Advisory Council (TZAC), started in 2013, acts as counterpart to the Board of
Directors and is composed of one representative from each 2Seeds project. These council
members build their leadership skills and voice their ideas to shape the future of the
organization. While the Tanzanian Advisory Council has no legal power, it holds community
power and adds an invaluable perspective to 2Seeds.
We don’t just talk about partnership, we live out that ethos.
A commitment to results:
We measure our results by the quality of life of our Partners. Our work is only done once
every 2Seeds member is well on the road to Maisha Bora, or the good life, where they are
free to determine their own future. For example, our Project Partners in the Tabora Project
are community caregivers, women that play an important role caring for and educating
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children in the community. They are currently running a successful food-processing business,
selling over 500 bags of product every month. In March 2015, group members earned
individual profits through the 2Seeds business alone of over $38 for a total of 13 workdays, a
result that puts them above the international poverty line of $1.25/day in that month. The
business has grown every month since that record was met.
Other organizations may focus their efforts on particular interventions or on new agricultural
technologies. We commit to a community—not a crop. That’s why we name our projects
after each community. The Bungu Project is about the people in the village of Bungu—not
the broccoli they may grow.
When one crop or business idea fails, we try again until we find the right income-generating
activity that fully utilizes the strengths and opportunities in that community. In some cases,
this process takes several years of iterating and rethinking our efforts, but we never leave a
community until our Partners are running a thriving business and well on their way to
Maisha Bora.
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OUR RESULTS
At 2Seeds Network, our focus is human capital development. We invest in people, not just
projects. That means our results can be seen not just in the numbers, but also in stories of
progress.
Take a look at three stories of success with 2Seeds.
BUNGU
In the mountain village of Bungu, Project Partners have been growing and selling crops for
years, but they haven’t always turned a profit. Market access is a major challenge for Bungu
farmers. Sitting high in the mountains, this village is only accessible by bumpy roads, and
transporting crops to town is expensive. 2Seeds Project Coordinators have joined with
community members to harness existing agricultural knowledge and apply it to an improved
system.
The key to turning a profit was collaborating as a farmers group, through which Partners
share the cost of transporting their crops to markets. With the help of Project Coordinators,
they developed a planting calendar that ensures everyone harvests at different times and gets
an equal share of the market, while also solidifying market connections by providing a
consistent weekly supply of crops to buyers.
In 2013, Bungu Partners were receiving loans from 2Seeds to buy seeds, fertilizer, and other
crucial inputs. However, from September 2013 to May 2014, Bungu Partners sold almost
6,000 kilograms of crops and generated revenue of over $2,000. They have paid down all
their debt, and have even built up over $1000 in group savings to finance future agricultural
inputs.
Looking to the future, Partners are pursuing organic agriculture to sell their crops at niche
markets for higher prices. When income is on the line, it can be risky to take the leap to
organics. But with the support of the 2Seeds Bungu group and increasingly reliable income,
Bungu Partners are embracing organic methods to secure the long-term sustainability and
health of their business and their community.
KWAKILIGA
In the village of Kwakiliga, drought is a persistent problem. As is common in Tanzania, most
community members rely on small maize farms as their principle source of food and income.
When the rains don’t come, hunger is pervasive.
From 2010-2012, Project Coordinators and local Project Partners tried new methods of
agriculture in order to achieve food security. They used better maize seeds, tried cultivating
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sunflowers and planted cassava, a staple crop known for its resistance to drought. When the
rains didn’t come, all of these attempts failed.
But 2Seeds never left Kwakiliga. In 2012, Project Coordinators and Partners decided to try a
different income-generating activity. This time, they decided to keep chickens to start an egg
production business. Together, Project Coordinators and Partners built three coops to begin
the newest phase of the Kwakiliga Project.
2Seeds covered all capital investments required to launch the egg-production activity, and
covered all costs in the first month of operation. However, it didn’t take long for partners to
start turning a profit and covering their own costs. In the first year of egg production, the
nine-person 2Seeds Kwakiliga group netted over $200 in profit most months. By May 2014,
they had accrued $2,500 in group savings, up from $0 in savings just one year before. With
this savings, the group provided 70% of the investment needed to expand its chicken flock,
and has plans to continue to save and reinvest in the business.
2Seeds Kwakiliga is successfully transitioning from project to business. As production
continues to expand, 2Seeds Kwakiliga Partners are reaching income levels that allow them
to save for the future. This is the first step in breaking the cycle of poverty. Reliable income
will free Partners from the daily stress of meeting their basic needs and will open
opportunities for themselves and for their children.
TABORA
The small village of Tabora sits in the middle of the rolling plains. The local community
relies on maize cultivation as their main source of income. Families in Tabora rarely get a
balanced meal and many children suffer from malnutrition.
In 2011, the Tabora Project Partners began planting home gardens to provide their families
with a more balanced diet. However, these gardens struggled in the hot sun and dry climate.
Still, the 2Seeds Tabora women’s group didn’t give up and instead turned their thoughts to
other ways to generate income.
In 2012, Project Coordinators and Partners settled on a food processing business cooking
packaged snack foods to sell at the market. At first, 2Seeds provided financing for the
necessary inputs. Within the first year of production, the business boomed and by mid-2013
the group of eight dedicated women made an average of $300 in monthly revenue, with each
Partner earning about $15 per month. In March 2015, each group member earned profits
through the 2Seeds business alone that put her above the international poverty line. This may
not be Maisha Bora yet, but it is a huge step for Partners who are struggling to provide the
bare essentials.
As 2Seeds Tabora members have improved business operations month to month, their
confidence has soared. They now consider themselves businesswomen with the knowledge
and determination to transform their lives and bring their families out of poverty.
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MASOKO
Masoko means “markets” in Swahili. The Masoko Project works to facilitate connections
between markets and smallholder farmers in Tanzania. Though project operations are based
in Dar es Salaam and focused mainly in the Kariakoo Market Corporation (the largest
wholesale market in Tanzania), the project aims to create practical solutions for farmers and
markets throughout the country.
Smallholder farmers in rural areas of Tanzania face major barriers in accessing markets and
gathering accurate information to sell their crops. Isolated farmers with no personal
connections to far-away markets are at higher risk of being cheated, while a scarcity of
information leaves farmers guessing at the best place to sell their produce. The Masoko
Project, in partnership with the Kariakoo Market Corporation, Vodacom and other
stakeholders, is working to systemize the collection and distribution of accurate information
about crop prices. Rural farmers armed with up-to-date price data are less likely to be taken
advantage of when going to market and can more confidently decide what to do with the
crops they harvest. They can even track crop prices over the long term in order to plan their
seasons further in advance. Farmers throughout Tanzania are currently able to access this
information with a simple text message from their mobile phones via a technology launched
by 2Seeds in partnership with Habari Mazao (a Tanzanian tech startup) and Vodacom Kilimo
Club.
The Masoko Project also aims to create opportunities to bring minds together to increase
collaboration among NGOs, government organizations, and businesses working within the
agricultural value-chain in Tanzania. This initiative is based on the assumption that
collaboration among organizations that have similar or complementary roles benefit
stakeholders at all levels, from market executives to rural farmers.
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OUR PROJECTS
BOMBO MAJIMOTO PROJECT
Sheltered in a narrow valley in an isolated corner of the Korogwe District, Bombo Majimoto
is the most remote of the 2Seeds project sites. Thanks in part to this geography; Bombo
boasts a small river that passes through the village year round, even when other areas of the
district are plagued by drought. This consistent access to water, coupled with the area’s rich,
fertile soil, creates a strong foundation for agriculture.
However, this same remoteness that makes Bombo so lush creates barriers to accessing
markets. Transportation options to bring crops to markets in Korogwe, Tanga, or Dar as
Salaam are few and very costly. In addition, isolated farmers without exposure to agricultural
best practices are unable to effectively and responsibly use the abundant natural resources
available to them.
The Bombo Majimoto Project seeks to capitalize on the natural resources of the area and seek
solutions to these challenges by working with a dedicated group of partners. These partners
work together to sell crops collectively, thereby allowing them to offset otherwise restrictive
transportation costs. Capitalizing on the year-round availability of water, the group employs a
collectively owned and operated irrigation system, enabling them to go to markets at times
when other farmers can’t. The income generated from these sales makes a huge impact in
these farmers’ lives, transitioning them away from a cycle of subsistence farming and giving
them control over their lives and their futures.
Purpose
The purpose of the Bombo Majimoto Project is to foster human capital development in the
community of Bombo Majimoto, working closely with its people to overcome barriers to
food and income security through the realization of their potential as capable and creative
agents.
Mission
The mission of the Bombo Majimoto Project is to facilitate cooperative action among the
people of Bombo Majimoto that promotes the use of agricultural best practices, encourages
the dissemination of education between farmers, and increases access to higher-value
markets.
Vision
The vision of the Bombo Majimoto Project is an inclusive and evolving group of partners that
optimizes the sustainable and self-sustaining use of Bombo Majimoto’s natural and human
resources while creating opportunities for connections both within and outside of the
community.
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Impact
Bombo Majimoto in total:
Total inhabitants: 2327 people
Inhabitants able to work: 622 people
2Seeds in Bombo Majimoto:
Total: 26 households
Number of members in the production group: 11
Number of adjacent members involved in the production group: 10
Number of experts: 1
Number of support partners: 4
2Seeds direct impact, currently: ~156 people (~7% of community)
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BUNGU PROJECT
Spread along steep slopes and winding basins high in the Usambara Mountains, the Bungu
ward is favored by a temperate climate, reliable transportation connections, and the
foundations of high-yield agriculture. But for many members of the Bungu community,
incomes remain unstable and livelihoods exposed to risk. Favorable growing conditions
encourage everyone to farm, but with only a single small market nearby, supplies are high
and demand is low.
The Bungu Project is focused on creative solutions to facilitate market connections, build
analytical skills for planning and evaluation, and effectively utilize the area’s natural
resources for a strong, growing group of committed partners.
Thanks to their work with the Bungu Project farmers’ group, project partners are increasingly
able to prepare and execute complex group cultivation plans, plus systemized harvests and
transportation to markets. As it develops, the project continues its focus on boosting the
quality of these crops and regularizing supply to allow for consistent deliveries to high-
paying contracted buyers. The group is also conducting experiments to determine the
viability of organic agriculture. To support this production, the group employs an innovative
model of collective savings and self-financing built upon transparency and accountability.
At the core of these actions are the Bungu Project’s community partners, whose capacity for
team work, critical thinking, and responsibility is strengthened as work together to increase
and stabilize their incomes.
Purpose
The purpose of the Bungu Project is to provide access to knowledge, resources, and
opportunities that will inspire the people of the Bungu community to creatively and
analytically seek out options for themselves.
Mission
The mission of the Bungu Project is to increase the ability of Bungu project partners to
coordinate their production to fulfill a consistent crop supply agreement with buyers and,
additionally, to evaluate and choose appropriate market options to increase their profit. The
group will also create means for partners to finance the consistent production and ensure
quality.
Vision
The Bungu Project envisions creating a collaborative and effective group structure that allows
project partners to professionalize production and distribution in order to achieve consistent
increased income.
Impact
Bungu in total:
2Seeds in Bungu:
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Number of Partners in the farmers’ group: 12
Number of adjacent members in the farmers’ group: 2
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KIJUNGUMOTO PROJECT
Nestled in the foothills hours from the nearest town, the village of Kijungumoto is a thriving
community whose residents are locked in a cycle of subsistence farming. Surrounded by
forested mountains, Kijungumoto benefited from predictable rain for many years. Now,
however, weather patterns are shifting; the rainy seasons have become increasingly
unpredictable and the lack of local agricultural expertise has left farmers without means to
adapt.
In addition to these environmental changes, Kijungumoto also faces the challenge of market
access. The village is halfway between two major towns, but too far from either to make them
a viable option for going to market. Just five minutes away, however, is a relatively large
local market in the village of Mashewa.
The Kijungumoto Project empowers smallholder farmers in the village of Kijungumoto
through a multi-year educational curriculum, focusing on agricultural and business trainings.
The project works to ensure effective education and the subsequent management and
application of this knowledge and skills.
Project Partners and Project Coordinators are harnessing the resources and opportunities
available in Kijungumoto and through the 2Seeds Network, and are pursuing business
opportunities through home vegetable gardens and beekeeping. Together, they are embracing
practical education to make lasting change in the community.
Purpose
The mission of the Kijungumoto Project is to equip Partners with the skills and resources
they need to develop and manage thriving, self-sustaining businesses that increase standard of
living and support a more resilient, vibrant community
Mission
The mission of the Kijungumoto Project is to empower the people of Kijungumoto to take
greater control over their lives and their environment through active decision-making,
cooperative problem solving, and tailoring their activities to the environment of
Kijungumoto. This is achieved in the following ways:
• Facilitating the creation of new community resources;
• Optimizing the use of existing resources, skills, and educational opportunities;
• Providing education for group members and examples for the community at large.
Vision
The Kijungumoto Project envisions a Kijungumoto in which residents connect the application
of knowledge with an increase in production and profit from their resources and are
responsible stewards of those resources. We see a Kijungumoto in which well-planned and
-managed production allows families access to adequate food supplies while also
appreciating the potential of their land to generate income.
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Impact
Kijungumoto in total:
2Seeds in Kijungumoto:
Number of farmers in the farmers’ group: 15
Number of adjacent members in the farmers’ group: 1
2Seeds’ current direct impact: ~108 people (~5% of community)
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KWAKILIGA PROJECT
In the rolling plains of the Handeni District, the village of Kwakiliga straddles a freshly-
paved highway connecting two bustling towns. Despite easy access to resources and
transportation thanks to the dozens of vehicles passing daily, village residents struggle to
meet food and income needs. Scarce water, poor soil, and the oppressive heat in summer
contribute to the poverty in Kwakiliga and have left the community’s future uncertain.
The Kwakiliga Project works to overcome this extreme food and income insecurity by
creating an environment that enables members of the community to use sustainable means to
solve problems together. To do this, the project focuses on diversifying income sources,
improving access to competitive markets, and decreasing dependency on uncontrollable
external factors, such as rainfall.
Kwakiliga Project Partners built and maintain an integrated model that incorporates poultry
keeping, crop production, reforestation, and water management. The primary source of
income for Partners comes from the egg sales in Korogwe and Dar es Salaam. The income
generated by these sales goes into a group savings fund intended to support the group in
future growth and expansion of their business.
The cornerstone of the Kwakiliga Project’s integrated approach is the group of Project
Partners. These men and women have exhibited incredible strength and resilience. Even when
times were hard, they did not give up on the 2Seeds Network. As the Partners learn new skills
and develop their capacity as businesspeople, they are thriving in the success-enabling
environment fostered by the Kwakiliga Project.
Purpose
The purpose of the Kwakiliga Project is to drive the Kwakiliga community towards food and
income security through human capital development by creating an environment that enables
success.
Mission
The mission of the Kwakiliga Project is to work with members of the Kwakiliga community
to overcome extreme food and income insecurity. The Kwakiliga Project does not strive to
solve problems for the people of Kwakiliga, but rather to create an environment in which
members of the community can achieve their full potential and use sustainable means to solve
problems together.
Vision
The Kwakiliga project envisions a Kwakiliga free of extreme poverty through the eradication
of food and income insecurity via the following:
• Diversification of income sources and related augmentation of knowledge in crop
expansion, livestock integration, and associated technologies;
• Improved accessibility to competitive markets applicable to the products generated in
Kwakiliga;
• Expansion of networks, both through 2Seeds and other communities, to provide
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opportunity for personal and professional growth and collaboration;
• Decreased susceptibility to failure from uncontrollable restraints or inputs such as
weather or resource deficiencies;
• Minimization of threats to personal health and safety through a holistic approach that
integrates people, financial needs and the environment.
Impact
Kwakiliga in total:
2Seeds in Kwakiliga:
Number of Partners in the production group: 9
Number of adjacent members in the production group: 0
2Seeds direct impact, currently: ~66 people (~5.5% of community)
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LUTINDI PROJECT
Perched in the lush Usambara Mountains, Lutindi has some of the best environmental
conditions in the district. However, the mountainous terrain isolates the village and divides
arable land into small and widely distributed farms. One farmer alone cannot produce the
quantity needed to profit from sending even the best quality crops to high-value markets.
Reaching niche markets, where crops can fetch up to double the local price, is critical to
ending the cycle of subsistence farming in Lutindi.
Understanding this reality, the Lutindi Project organized a cooperative of roughly 30 farms
which coordinate planting and harvesting to access markets collectively. The group also
provides opportunities for education on agricultural best practices and concepts of finance, as
well as opportunities to experiment with specialty crops rarely seen in Tanzania, such as
beets. To increase efficiency and develop cooperation and management skills among the
group’s farmers, the group has been divided into three subgroups that coordinate their
planning and planting in order to produce year-round and secure access to high-value
markets.
To further increase the productivity of each farm, 2Seeds structured a microfinance system.
Microloans allow farmers to gain access to higher quality inputs, such as treated seeds,
fertilizers, and pesticides. The farmers are now safely and preventatively using these inputs
and working towards financial interdependency with the goal of the group financing its own
operations. Group sales in Lutindi are supported by an insurance scheme that enables partners
to take calculated risks in order to become strong players in the agricultural market.
Purpose
The purpose of the Lutindi Project is to create opportunities for farmers that they could not
reach individually, by utilizing and improving the value and knowledge that each farmer
possesses in order to improve quality of life for the people of the Lutindi community.
Mission
The mission of the Lutindi Project is improving production, coordination and access to
markets for the member of Umoja Wa Wakulima farmers’ group through sustainable means.
Vision
The Lutindi Project envisions a Lutindi in which each farmer of Umoja wa Wakulima
farmers’ group is moving toward food and income security by working collectively to
increase opportunities.
Impact
Lutindi in total:
Total inhabitants: 3,525 people
2Seeds in Lutindi:
Number of members in the group: 31
Number of adjacent members involved in the group: 6
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May 7, 2015
21

May 7, 2015
MAGOMA PROJECT
Located in a wide valley at the foot of the Usambara Mountains, Magoma is a bustling
village center within the 2Seeds Network. With outlying smaller villages spread across the
valley and surrounding foothills, Magoma is a busy place with a big community of
smallholder farmers. Located just a 15-minute drive away is the small, quaint village of
Kijango, which is also part of the Magoma Project. For years, both villages were struck with
consistent droughts, with maize withering in dusty fields under the hot midday sun. In recent
years, however, due to deforestation on the surrounding mountain slopes, Magoma and
Kijango have been plagued by a dual threat: continuing drought on higher ground and
uncontrollable flooding in the low valley basin. This shifting environment affects all
community members alike, as these farmers continue to plant their farms in uncertain
conditions and are forced to get by at subsistence levels.
To address these challenges, the Magoma Project brings together all community members,
young and old, to learn innovative techniques to secure their livelihoods. To do this, the
Magoma Project operates through the village’s primary schools, namely the Kwata and
Kijango schools. These primary schools are truly the centers of the community, where
everyone comes together regardless of religion, gender or status, whether as students,
teachers or parents. Although project activities take place in both Kwata and Kijango, they
are unified under the umbrella of the Magoma Project.
At Kwata Primary School, students and community members work together to run an
integrated system of income-generating activities, including vegetable farming and livestock
keeping, to raise funds for a school meals program. Through these activities, the Magoma
Project addresses the immediate need of students’ hunger, while also promoting best
practices and bringing community members together with students and teachers to create a
strong community support system.
At Kijango Primary School, students and community members work together to build an
integrated system of income-generating activities, including vegetable farming and livestock
keeping, to raise funds for a school meals program. Through these activities, the Magoma
Project addresses the immediate need of students’ hunger, while also promoting best
practices and bringing community members together with students and teachers to create a
strong community support system.
At the same time, these activities serve as an important teaching tool. Teachers at the primary
schools use the agricultural and livestock system to enhance their teaching, integrate hands-
on learning into their curriculum, and promote curiosity, creativity and critical thinking skills.
The Magoma Project transforms primary schools into a place for innovation as students,
teachers and community members learn essential skills, hone their capacities for critical
thinking, and work together for a better future.
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May 7, 2015
Purpose
The purpose of the Magoma Project is to empower the Kwata and Kijango communities with
the knowledge and encouragement to become active agents of their own futures by creating
an environment where problems can be solved and there is opportunity for second chances.
Mission
The Magoma Project’s mission is to address community hunger by making schools
community centers to nourish, teach, and empower both youth and adults.
Vision
The vision of the Magoma Project is a community of active agents that promote a food-
secure society through practice in critical thinking and the transmission of agricultural,
environmental and business education.
The Magoma Project envisions primary schools being used as collaborative and integrated
spaces that offer accessible models for the community to:
Integrate critical thinking and physical labor to achieve food and income security;
Preserve local resources and re-create environmental conditions for a long-lasting
community;
• Use creativity as a tool to overcome challenges and enhance opportunities;
• Ensure opportunity for second chances;
• Collaborate to achieve community goals focusing on interdependency.
Impact
Magoma in total:
2Seeds in Magoma:
Number of students regularly involved: 87
Number of teachers: 14
Number of parents regularly involved: 13
Number of adjacent members: 5
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May 7, 2015
TABORA PROJECT
Tabora is an old sisal village in the burning plains of Korogwe, surrounded by sparse
grasslands and winding dirt paths. After independence in 1961 and with the introduction of
synthetic fibers, the sisal industry collapsed. The village’s source of income evaporated and
farmers were left in an unforgiving environment, struggling to adequately feed their families.
Much has changed since then, but farmers in Tabora today still struggle to make ends meet,
planting staple crops that wither in the heat. Too often, with extremely limited incomes, they
must make a choice between having nutritious food and having enough food to eat.
The Tabora Project aims to increase the amount and diversity of foods available to children in
the community of Tabora and to increase the awareness and education of community
members to use food as a means for health. To achieve this, the project focuses on a group of
caretakers and businesswomen running a collective food processing business in order to
generate the income necessary to work towards food stability and more nutritious diets for
their families.
This group of women makes various products, such as potato chips and candied peanuts, to
sell in Tabora, Korogwe and Dar es Salaam, accessing premium prices with the help of
connections across the 2Seeds network. As the business grows, they are expanding
production to include more innovative and healthier products, such as nutritious flour and
dried local fruits and vegetables. The group can also store these dried fruits and vegetables at
home to consume during times of scarcity, to ensure that they have a source of healthy food
year-round.
Through the business, the women earn a steady income, learn business and management
skills, and build their confidence, competence and leadership capacity, as they strive to
achieve their goals and better their futures.
Purpose
The purpose of the Tabora Project is to increase the amount and diversity of foods available
to children in the community of Tabora and to increase the awareness and education of
community members to use food as means for health.
Mission
The mission of the Tabora Project connects a group of caretakers, those primarily in charge
of cooking and feeding children, with local experts and facilitates trainings related to food
security and nutrition.
Vision
The project’s vision is a Tabora of family providers that use critical thinking and
management skills to ensure proper nutrition for their children. The project also envisions a
strong group of female entrepreneurs running a successful business and extending the impact
of wise decision making to all aspects of their lives.
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May 7, 2015
Impact
Tabora in total:
2Seeds in Tabora:
Number of women in the production groups 8
Number of adjacent members in the production group: 1
2Seeds direct impact, currently ~72 people (~5% of community)
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May 7, 2015
MASOKO PROJECT
Smallholder farmers in rural areas of Tanzania face major barriers in accessing markets and
gathering accurate information to sell their crops. Isolated farmers with no personal
connections to far-away markets are at higher risk of being cheated, while a scarcity of
information leaves farmers guessing at the best place to sell their produce.
The Masoko (meaning “markets” in Swahili) Project works to facilitate connections between
markets and farmers in Tanzania. Though the projects operations are based in Dar es Salaam
and focused mainly in the Kariakoo Market Coorporation (the largest wholesale market in
Tanzania), the project aims to create practical solutions for farmers and markets throughout
the country.
The Masoko Project, in partnership with the Kariakoo Market Corporation and other
stakeholders, is working to systemize the collection and distribution of accurate information
about crop prices. Rural farmers armed with up-to-date price data are less likely to be taken
advantage of when going to market and can more confidently decide what to do with the
crops they harvest. They can even track crop prices over the long term in order to plan their
seasons further in advance. Farmers throughout Tanzania will be able to access this
information with a simple text message from their mobile phones.
The Masoko Project also acts as an immediate resource for other projects across the 2Seeds
Network. Thanks to strong relationships built in Kariakoo and other markets in Tanzania, the
Masoko Project facilitates sales of 2Seeds crops in large volumes and at premium prices.
The project also aims to create opportunities to bring minds together to increase collaboration
among NGOs, government organizations, and businesses working within the agricultural
value-chain in Tanzania. This initiative is based on the assumption that collaboration among
organizations that have similar or complementary roles benefit stakeholders at all levels, from
market executives to rural farmers.
Purpose:
The purpose of the Masoko Project is to increase Tanzanian farmers' access to high value
markets, improve the transparency of agricultural value chains in the country in a way that
enables farmer decision making, and help 2Seeds and its partners achieve greater possibilities
through connections to urban centers.
Mission:
The mission of the Masoko Project is to make Tanzanian agricultural markets accessible and
efficient points of trade and provide accurate and timely information to farmers and other
productive members of the value chain.
Vision:
The Masoko Project envisions a Tanzania in which the agricultural market offers the best
choice for a farmer and is not made inaccessible by information or relationship barriers.
26

May 7, 2015
Impact
Masoko in total:
Number of workers at KMC regularly involved: 6
Number of workers at HM regularly involved: 3
Number of buyers integrated to the system: 500
Total: 509 people
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May 7, 2015
OUR NETWORK-WIDE INITIATIVES
In order to support the success of our projects, we address issues common to all project sites
through the Network-Wide Initiatives. These are designed to create opportunities for
leadership and capacity sharing across the network and to ensure interdependence in a setting
in which Partners and projects achieve more together than they would be able to achieve
individually.
CAPACITY BUILDING
Capacity building across a variety of specific skill sets helps fill the gaps in Partners’
education and builds their confidence to perform important group roles. It also empowers
Partners to think critically about group operations and strategy, creating opportunities for
self-analysis and long term planning. Bringing partners into project vision in this way is key
to project self-sustainability and growth.
Purpose: The purpose of the Capacity Building-NWI is to develop Partners’ technical
skills to perform most effectively in their roles and to promote the self-sustainability
of project operations.
Importance: Capacity Building of specific skill sets helps filling the gaps of Partners’
education and builds confidence in performing important group roles. It also
empowers Partners to think critically of group operations and strategy, creating
opportunities for self-analysis and long term planning. Truly bringing partners into
project vision in this way is key to project self-sustainability and growth.
Goal: The goal of the CB-NWI is to host periodic summits with project leaders,
bringing together leaders from different project sites that hold the same positions. In
the summits, Partners get an opportunity to develop organizational skills to bring back
to their project sites and drive group management.
LEADERSHIP
Recognizing that human capital development depends on qualified leadership and that Project
Partners across project sites hold similar roles and are facing similar challenges, the
Leadership Network-Wide Initiative fosters collaboration and learning opportunities for
project leaders.
Purpose: The purpose of the Leadership-NWI is to develop Partners into effective
community leaders and to support them as they organize themselves around common
goals.
Importance: Effective leadership is essential to promote interdependent
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May 7, 2015
relationships. 2Seeds groups organize themselves around common goals and require
the development of professional relationships and effective management. Leadership
capacity is therefore an integral part of the 2Seeds program for Project Partners and
includes the need to connect leadership to a role, in opposition to simply a title, and
promotes distributed leadership and growth, in opposition to hierarchy.
Goal: The goal of the Leadership-NWI is to host periodic summits with leaders from
different project sites that hold the same positions and to develop their confidence and
capacity as leaders.
REFORESTATION
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Africa is suffering from
a deforestation rate that is twice as high as the world’s rate. Some sources claim that an
estimated 90% of West Africa’s rainforest has been destroyed. Africa lost the highest
percentage of tropical rainforests of any continent between the 1980s and the early 2000s.
One contributing factor to Africa’s high level of deforestation is its population’s dependence
on wood as a fuel for heating and cooking. The need for firewood for cooking and wood and
rocks for construction has left areas of rural Tanzania devastated. Deforestation has damaged
acres of production and destroyed homes. Reforestation efforts focusing on efficiency and
education are needed to meet communities’ present and future needs without irresponsibly
depleting resources.
Importance: Given the availability and affordability of firewood in rural villages,
where there tends to be a low-income level, it is difficult to find viable alternative
cooking fuels and practices. As soil quality and water availability are directly linked
to tree populations, decreasing the rate of deforestation and actively promoting
reforestation practices are integral to supporting agricultural yields as well as overall
quality of life.
Goal: The goal of the Reforestation-NWI is to spread knowledge, technical skills,
resources and expertise throughout the 2Seeds network, including through
environmental planning and efficient cooking techniques, in order to improve quality
of life.
WATER MANAGEMENT
One of the most challenging aspects of life and work in Tanzania, none of our projects can
succeed without improved water management. All of our project sites struggle with water:
not enough of it during the dry seasons or too much during the rainy season. This initiative is
focused on smart solutions that can be pursued locally, such as rainwater harvesting and
water storage systems, in order to sustainably achieve consistent water supply for our
Partners and projects.
Importance: Water management is integral to being smart stewards of available
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May 7, 2015
resources to empower our Partners to increase their food and income security and
quality of life.
Goal: The goal of the Water Management Network-Wide Initiative (WM-NWI) is to
spread knowledge, technical skills, resources and expertise throughout the 2Seeds
network to improve quality of life through better water management practices.
WOMEN’S GROUP
While we build the capacity and leadership skills of the individuals in our women’s group
through the above-mentioned Capacity-Building and Leadership NWI, we understand that
women face unique challenges. Therefore, we will detail the goals and activities of the
women’s group here.
The 2Seeds Women's Group is comprised of 16 women (two women from each of our partner
communities). The group provides education and support on a range of issues, including
entrepreneurship and financial management, child nutrition, female health, digital inclusion
and family planning.
Purpose: By supporting female-led start-ups, we are supporting entire families, as
studies show that women use their profits mostly for household, not personal costs.
We focus on seed financing to help the group's women get their business ideas off the
ground, an education fund for school fees of daughters of women in the group to
prepare the next generation of women to excel as leaders and female-related health
coming from nutrition, sexual education and family planning.
Importance: This program is needed because the status quo doesn’t honor or
empower women to achieve their full potential. In most Tanzanian households,
women do all the housework, plus more than half of the income generating work.
Nonetheless, women are not generally seen as leaders within communities. When
forced to make a choice on the allocation of limited funds, Tanzanian families will
often send male children to school, keeping girls home to tend to house and farm
work. Girls who aren't able to finish school are more likely to marry early, have
children early, and forego economic opportunity they may have gained by staying in
school. By creating awareness of this reality to mothers, we offer women a chance to
develop confidence that they have the capacity to conduct their own finances and their
own lives, and to set their daughters for success.
Goal: We hope that the startup financing will allow women to pursue business
ventures that raise their incomes and provide a source of money that is not controlled
by male family members, turning them into role models for their communities.
Secondly, by giving girls the opportunity to attend secondary school, we help
empower them with confidence that they have potential to be problem solvers and
seize economic opportunity. Lastly we hope that by receiving training in female-
related health, women will gain control over their lives by planning their families and
prioritizing nutrition within the household, impacting the entire family.
2SEEDS BUSINESS CURRICULUM AND BUSINESS CURRICULUM ADVANCED
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May 7, 2015
The curriculum is composed of 10 two-hour lessons in the basic module plus 8 two-hour
lessons in the advanced module that cover financial management and entrepreneurship. It is
designed for rural smallholder farmers in Tanzania to redefine themselves as businesspeople
by developing their critical thinking and problem solving skills as well as business acumen.
The curriculum was developed to suit Partners without significant schooling, who cannot
read or write and who have no formal business experience. It teaches essential business
concepts by boiling them down into readily applicable habits and ways of thinking that are
taught using everyday examples and interactive methods.
Purpose: Empowering Partners as high-performing business managers of their
multiple activities, within and outside 2Seeds groups, to better achieve income
security through analytical thinking, entrepreneurial spirit and conscious choice by
creating a support network for them to grow from.
Importance: Lack of education aligned to pressing short-term needs often jeopardize
people’s ability to excel systematically and improve their lives over time. Even when
Partners have access to training through NGOs or government, they are frequently
trained in technical skills that align with only one aspect of their lives and therefore
are insufficient to enable overall long-lasting change. The 2Seeds Business
Curriculum expands critical thinking and decision making capability by building hard
skills that are essential to effective business management and supporting Partners on
professionalizing their multiple activities to increase productivity and sustain the
growth overtime.
Goal: Making technical and professional education available to Partners that haven’t
finished basic schooling and promoting effective business management through the
creation of a common vocabulary and recognized business best practices in 2Seeds
groups.
NETWORK-WIDE SALES
Achieving consistent income in rural Tanzania depends on the ability to reach markets
consistently. Recognizing this common challenge among 2Seeds projects and the opportunity
for collaboration to overcome infrastructural obstacles, 2Seeds started organizing Network-
Wide Sales as a platform for collaboration and the pursuit of consistent income for Projects
Partners.
Purpose: The purpose of the Network-Wide Sales (NWS-NWI) is to connect 2Seeds
projects over sales, creating opportunity for a consistent supply strategy across the
network. Through contractual sales with multiple buyers, Project Partners achieve
consistent income and reach high-value markets that would otherwise be out of their
reach.
Importance: In 2Seeds project sites, production is often insufficient to overcome
deficient infrastructure in road quality, unavailability of public transportation and high
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May 7, 2015
prices in private transportation. Partners often fail to reach markets at a competitive
price while still ensuring profits to their produce. 2Seeds NWS-NWI arise as a
platform for collaboration in which transportation can be shared, consistent supply to
contractual buyers can be achieved and high value markets become a viable option to
increased profits.
Goal: The goal of the NWS-NWI is to promote interdependence in sales, addressing
infrastructural challenges that every 2Seeds project faces but that none is able to
overcome individually. NWS-NWI promotes centralized marketing and sales
management around which projects can get organized with the goal of collectively
increasing their profits and achieving consistent income.
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May 7, 2015
2SEEDS STATEMENT
Purpose:
2Seeds Network’s purpose is to be a catalyst for change by building people’s capacities to be
productive members of society, and by helping individuals and communities access and
create opportunities to achieve their full potentials.
Mission:
2Seeds Network believes that developing human capital is the key to catalyzing economic
growth within extremely poor communities. Guided by our values, we are creating a network
of independent yet interconnected development projects built on deep partnerships within and
across communities. We strive to create environments in which people can achieve their full
potentials and solve problems together.
Vision:
Our vision is a future in which all 2Seeds members have reached Maisha Bora—or the ability
to determine their own futures—through a revolutionary model of development that nurtures
human capital through meaningful partnership.
Values:
Compassion. We undertake this work bound by the understanding that our first priority must
be never to bring harm or disrespect to those willing to host us in our endeavors. We extend
that sense of compassion to each other and to ourselves. We approach this work welcoming
the possibility that our understanding and experience of the human condition will be
deepened, and that our capacity for acting with wisdom will be strengthened.
Humility. We begin this work from the premise that each participant involved has something
to learn from engagement with others and room to grow in their own leadership potential.
Every person who becomes part of our organization has something to teach all of the others;
and every person who becomes part of our organization has much to learn from the rest of the
team. Within our network, within our project teams, and in our engagement with our partners
in places other than our own, each of us will open ourselves to the wisdom of others, offer
charitably the knowledge that we bring, and observe the discipline of keeping ourselves open
to the possibility of personal growth.
Partnership. We pursue this work understanding that all participants are equal. All of us
bring skills, all of us bring knowledge, and all of us bring needs to this work. All of us have
33

May 7, 2015
been shaped by cultures that support human flourishing in some ways and stunt it in others.
By approaching our work through the mutuality of partnership we aspire to narrow the
disparities that separate us—disparities not only of wealth, but of understanding, of patience,
of technical expertise, of social cohesion. We believe that the relational work of equals will
do more to bring about lasting change in the lives of all participants than the transactional
delivery of goods and techniques.
Results. We put great effort into our work, always testing ourselves against clear and
measurable results. In all that we do, in all levels of our organization, we will hold ourselves
accountable to the metrics by which we are willing to measure the result of our work, and
strive to surpass the expectations of those whom we serve. In evaluating our metrics, our
focus will include but expand beyond measures of produce or profit to encompass the
families we train, the partnerships we build, and the degree to which the projects we create
take root and endure beyond our direct engagement with them. In all actions, we strive to set
the standard for the quality of work we produce.
Resource Stewardship. We endeavor to use our resources creatively and effectively to
achieve the maximum benefit for the greatest good, which we will do through the
development of human capital, organizational capacity, and the alleviation of extreme
poverty. We will continually search for ways to increase the efficiency and efficacy with
which we use the resources that have been entrusted with us.
Self-Awareness. We engage in this work accepting the discipline of self-awareness as the
cornerstone of our continuing development as leaders. We seek at all points better to
understand our skills, our capabilities, and our frailties, for it is through such a discipline that
we most effectively develop our capacity for leadership.
34

GD_2Seeds_150530_E

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