St Monica Pedagogical Farm, Leribe, Lesotho

It’s almost the end of winter… The garden is still rich of its last winter vegetables, and the young people of the farm have prepared the beds to welcome the spring seedlings. The garden team proudly presents its work to … Read More

The flock, composed of 10 sheep when the farm was launched (3 males and 7 females), has increased by 50% in 2 years thanks to three new births this year.   The sheep bring an additional income for the farm with … Read More

The vegetable garden at St. Monica’s Farm was built on the principle of permaculture, with 80 cm wide raised beds on which the young deaf and hard-of-hearing gardeners grow vegetables quite densely, combining varieties that are compatible in terms of … Read More

With winter approaching in southern Africa, the young people at St Monica’s Farm prepared their crop beds with seasonal varieties. So they planted spinach, cabbage and tomatoes which will be planted in the garden during the dry season in winter.

The young people of St Monica’s farm have started to use the incubator financed by The Ivory Foundation. Before any use, the equipment and eggs must be disinfected to prevent disease transmission. The eggs are then placed slightly apart on … Read More

The flock of chickens at St Monica’s Farm has grown significantly since the garden started. There are now about 50 hens of different species with varied and colourful plumage. These hens are raised for egg and meat production, providing an … Read More

The aim of St Monica’s farm is to develop a self-sufficient economic model. Among the solutions to achieve this, the young farmers have developed a fodder production plot to reduce the cost of buying fodder. Every day, the young people … Read More

The Keyhole is a traditional garden from Lesotho. It was therefore logical that the garden of St Monica, located in Leribe (Lesotho) should also host one. This vegetable garden is made up on its periphery of stones found on the … Read More

Spring is the ideal time for seedlings production in Southern Africa. The upcoming wet season combines warmth and regular rainfall, which is ideal for plant development. Thus, the young farmers at St Monica’s Farm in Lesotho have prepared seedlings of … Read More

A plant shredder was purchased with the support of The Ivory Foundation. This tool reduces corn crop residues by fine chips, which thus crushed can be ingested more easily by animals and be consumed in association with forage. The deaf … Read More

The numbers in the chicken coop at St Monica’s farm are steadily increasing. There are now 35 hens of different breeds, all indigenous who produce enough to feed the young on the farm by creating an income-generating activity. Soon, an … Read More

Young people from the educational farm of St Monica have harvested an important amount of potatoes and marrows. They can reach amazing sizes : it allows for the preparation of many meals for the young gardeners! These vegetables, especially potatoes, … Read More

For more than a year now, young deaf and hard of hearing people supported by The Ivory Foundation have been running St Monica’s educational farm in Leribe, Lesotho. The farm is fortunate to be located close to a borehole, and … Read More

After having supported the St Paul School for the Deaf for 3 years by financing a micro educational farm that can accommodate 5 to 8 students to learn farm management (agroecology, cereal cultivation, animal husbandry), The Ivory Foundation has imagined … Read More

The 6 young deaf and hard of hearing people manage the Saint Monica Educational Farm in Leribe, Lesotho, funded by The Ivory Foundation in 2019. Within a year they have structured a wasteland into a fertile and productive plot of … Read More

The farm’s 20 native hens produce a good quantity of eggs, enough to provide a food supplement for the youngs. Associating small-scale animal husbandry with gardening is important for the economic balance of the St Monica educational farm in Leribe. … Read More

This year at the farm of St Monica, a damaged building has been rehabilitated in order to welcome the sheep in good conditions and to be able to store the fodder. Moreover, this building also aims to isolate the females … Read More

Last episode of the mini-serie about the life in St Monica farm. The young people invest time and energy to develop their vegetable gardens, while at the same time involving the principles of agroecology and permaculture. In this film, young … Read More

The young people of Saint Monica have had a new idea to create new crop boards! Putting their knowledge of mound creation into practice, they rethought the concept to make it a creative and original work. This initiative will be … Read More

New step toward autonomy: with the help of the crop manager, young people put their knowledge of agroecology into practice. This film shows the setting up of a Milpa plot, with the principle of the 3 sisters: Corn, climbing beans … Read More

Lesotho is a large producer of wool. Thus, many shepherds live in the mountains with their animals for part of the year, as shearing sheep is a traditional activity in this mountainous country. It was therefore important to valorize it … Read More

After a good preparation of the soils at the end of winter, and early sowings, the plantations grow well in St Monica, thanks to the work of the 5 young deaf and hard of hearing people and the head of … Read More

5 students trained in agriculture have been placed on a new semi autonomous farm. 10 sheep and 2 goats were purchased by The Ivory Foundation to provide a significant resource for the St Monica farm. The sale of wool and … Read More

The 5 deaf and hearing-impaired youngsters of Saint Monica planted fruit trees between the crop plots! Following the principle of agroforestry, the main function of these trees is to provide shade for the crops. One of the other functions they … Read More

The youngs running the St Monica’s farm have maintained the cornfields today. Corn is an important crop in Southern Africa because it is used as semolina for daily food. We try to combine corn with cucurbits and beans, because corn … Read More

After the bread making, the small breeding, including the hens, is an important element in order to achieve food autonomy. This activity also allows them to make a profit by selling surplus eggs at the market. In this video, the … Read More

The young people from the working farm met at the St Paul’s School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Leribe more than 5 years ago. They worked for 2 years on the school’s educational farm before sharing the … Read More

St Monica is seen as a farm of transition to autonomy. The aim is for young people to be able to build a professional project together which will then enable them to blossom while overcoming their handicap. In this sense, … Read More

Now that the corn has grown and the squash is growing, it’s time to plant beans to their feet ! The principle of milpa is the optimization of space, by the association of three plants, which provide mutual benefits to … Read More

On Saint Monica’s farm, in order to diversify resources for young people, a small livestock farming activity has also been set up. Herewith, around twenty hens raised in open air and ten sheep were acquired thanks to the support of … Read More

The Mandala of St Monica, realized in November 2019, is empty!The fertile soil of its petals allowed the vegetables to grow quickly, and be harvested early February. Again, raised bed cultivation has shown its effectiveness, especially at the end of … Read More

The farm of St Monica has a limited cultivable surface. They have to optimize space in the farm to obtain a sufficient crop yield and a mid-term objectif of financial autonomy. To achieved this, a long slope covered in grass … Read More

The young people of St Monica’s farm find themselves for the first time independent, in charge of preparing their meals. The Ivory Foundation first covers their needs in basic products (oil, cornmeal, lentils and vegetables not available in the garden … Read More

The garden of St Monica has been structured with the installation of several tomato boards. Linear structures made with branches support the tomato plant to prevent them from touching the ground and catching diseases.

In order to start vegetable production on St Monica farm, in the middle of the dry season, we chose to start cultivation on a Mandala. It is a garden in the shape of a flower, the petals of which are … Read More

This is a great day for the 5 deaf and hearing-impaired young people trained at St Paul’s school, who after several weeks of work, can finally take over St Monica’s farm, with the support of The Ivory Foundation. Leepa Mosehle, … Read More