b'I hope one day our cooperative is a bigcooperative. There are people in the villagewho suffer each day, life is very difficult forthem, but they are not ready to join becausethey are afraid. We want this cooperative to besuccessful so that they will decide to joinThe Dzigbodi Cooperative meaning be patient Dzigbodi told us that the most important training for them was how to make their own We met the seven members of the Dzigbodifertiliser, using organic matter. They told us that Cooperative group during their second loanthey could see that using chemicals kills insects, cycle which has supported them to prepareso it must be bad for the land and peoples for the big rainy season. With the loan, theyhealth. They are happy to learn an alternative to invested in good quality seeds, and togetherrelying on chemical fertilisers. were able to hire workers to help them prepare their land early enough for planting before theOne woman tells us how the loan has changed rainy season began, which they have previouslyher familys life. Before she joined the been unable to do.cooperative, she would sometimes send her children to school without any breakfast, only The group excitedly tells us how with thefor them to be sent home again because she support of the second loan they have increasedhadnt been able to pay for the school fees, and their yield by 150%. Previously, they hadthe children would miss many days of school.produced four bags of maize, but with the loanBut since her yield has increased, she can pay and the training they have produced 10 bags.all the school fees on time, and she can give her children food in the morning, for lunch and During their first loan, Dzigbodi continued todinner. grow their normal crops of maize, cassava, yams and tomatoes, but with their training, they alsoThere is a real sense of friendship within the learnt about the benefits of growing soya. Soyagroup and a determination to look after each helps to enrich the soil and can grow despiteother. This echoes their wish for other members the heat and irregular rain and then farmersof their community to join their cooperative. are taught how to increase their income further by making milk, oil and cheese from the soya beans.'