A Person Who Is Making A Difference

in one of the most remote parts of Africa

One of the more interesting people who your purchases helps to support in Africa is Kingfred – shown in the blue shirt and facemask here. Kingfred lives in a small village on an Island in Lake Tanganyika between Zambia and Tanzania. There are over 20 small villages on this island. 

Kingfred helps people who live in very poor conditions by teaching them better methods for farming. He also arranges medical help for them. The area where Kingfred works has some special problems because people who live there are not trusting of outsiders. When charitable organizations or other people  try to do what Kingfred does, the local people do not cooperate easily.

Kingfred is different because he walks into each village, and lives there helping with farming and doing other needed work. Other people come in on their motorboats (looking like millionaires some local people say), but Kingfred lives in the villages for weeks or months at a time. He lives a simple life: sleeping on the ground while he is there. From the small amount he earns from his work, he helps some of the most needy people with the money that he does have. He might pay for medicine or food for a child or elderly woman with no other means of helping themselves.

By doing what he does, Kingfred makes a really big difference for these people. Even minor changes in farming practices can allow people to get much better crops from their gardens. By having a trusted relationship with people, he is able to find African medical people who will help people in the villages with important medical needs.

We have known Kingfred for about four years now. He is very energetic,positive, and inspiring to talk with. A large portion of the money that Africa Imports donates goes to people like Kingfred. People who are both in need themselves, and who also work to help other people in sustainable ways.