How World Vision Helped Keletso Khuto Transform Her Family’s Future Through Climate Smart Farming

Keletso Khuto’s story is a powerful example of how knowledge, determination and the right support can transform lives. A devoted mother of four from the rural community of Faskere in Mohale’s Hoek, Keletso spent years doing everything she could to provide for her children despite facing constant setbacks. Her dream was simple, to ensure that Limpho, Tlokomelo, Lintle and Khotsofalang had enough food, access to education and hope for a brighter future. Although she worked tirelessly by growing vegetables and raising chickens, success remained out of reach for many years. Today, thanks to training and support from World Vision International Lesotho, her family is enjoying food security, improved nutrition and a stable source of income.

Before receiving assistance, Keletso’s daily life was filled with uncertainty and disappointment. She maintained a small vegetable garden and kept a few chickens, believing these would help feed her family and generate income. Unfortunately, season after season her crops failed to produce healthy harvests, while most of her chickens died before they could lay eggs or reproduce. Without proper farming knowledge, healthy soil management techniques or quality seeds, every attempt seemed to end in failure. The repeated losses meant there was no surplus produce to sell and no money available to invest in better farming inputs for the next planting season.

The constant struggle placed enormous pressure on Keletso and her family. Without reliable harvests or successful poultry production, providing enough food became increasingly difficult. Meeting other essential household needs such as school fees, uniforms, books and clothing was an ongoing challenge. The cycle of poverty became harder to escape because each failed harvest reduced the family’s ability to prepare for the next season. Despite these obstacles, Keletso refused to give up on her dream of creating a better future for her children.

As a village health worker, Keletso understood the devastating impact that poor nutrition can have on children. She regularly witnessed cases of malnutrition within her community and experienced the same challenges in her own home. Watching her children struggle without enough nutritious food was emotionally painful because she understood exactly what proper nutrition could achieve. She wanted to help both her family and the wider community but lacked the resources and practical knowledge needed to make lasting changes. Her determination remained strong even during the most difficult times.

Everything changed when World Vision International Lesotho introduced its Livelihoods and Nutrition Programming in Faskere. Keletso joined community training sessions focused on climate smart agriculture and nutrition sensitive farming. The programme equipped participants with practical skills in soil management, seasonal planting and sustainable farming methods. Participants also received seeds for nutritious crops including spinach, carrots, beetroot, rape and butternut. Armed with new knowledge and quality farming inputs, Keletso immediately began applying what she had learned to her own garden.

The results were remarkable. For the first time, Keletso’s vegetable garden produced healthy and abundant crops throughout the growing season. Instead of worrying about failed harvests, she harvested enough vegetables to feed her family while preserving additional produce for future use. She also began selling surplus vegetables at local markets, creating a steady source of household income. The success of her garden demonstrated how practical agricultural training can dramatically improve food security and family livelihoods.

Keletso’s children also became active participants in the family’s new journey. Thirteen year old Tlokomelo proudly helps his mother water plants and remove weeds from the garden each day. Working together has strengthened family bonds while teaching the children valuable agricultural skills they can use throughout their lives. They understand that their efforts directly contribute to putting nutritious food on the family table. Their shared commitment has turned the garden into more than a source of food, as it has become a place of learning, teamwork and hope.

As her harvests increased, Keletso discovered new ways to preserve food and reduce waste. She learned to can vegetables and prepare nutritious preserves such as beetroot, butternut jam and homemade gravies. These preserved foods extended the shelf life of her harvest while ensuring that nutritious meals remained available even outside the growing season. Her kitchen became a centre of creativity where fresh produce was transformed into products that benefited the entire family. The additional income from selling surplus vegetables allowed her to pay school fees, purchase uniforms, buy books and meet other household needs.

Her oldest daughter, Limpho, who is studying at university, has seen the remarkable transformation firsthand. She no longer worries about having enough food while pursuing her studies because her mother sends homemade preserves and dried vegetables that last throughout the semester. Limpho describes her mother as her hero because of the sacrifices she has made to support the family’s education and wellbeing. The ability to provide nutritious food for a university student represents a major achievement for a household that once struggled to secure daily meals. It also highlights the long term impact of empowering parents through sustainable livelihood programmes.

Keletso’s success extended beyond vegetable farming into poultry production. When World Vision introduced a poultry breeding programme, she had only three surviving chickens. After receiving practical training and five additional hens, she successfully applied improved poultry management techniques to grow her flock. Today she cares for more than 50 chickens, providing a reliable supply of eggs, meat and chicks for both household consumption and commercial sales. Poultry farming has become an important second source of income while improving the nutritional quality of meals served to her family.

Recognising her dedication as both a mother and village health worker, World Vision encouraged Keletso to join a community nutrition club for mothers with children under five years old. Drawing from her own experiences with childhood malnutrition, she embraced the opportunity to learn more about balanced diets and child nutrition. Through the programme she gained valuable knowledge about preparing healthy meals, preventing malnutrition and educating other parents within her community. She now shares these lessons with other families, helping improve children’s health beyond her own household. Her journey from struggling mother to community educator demonstrates the lasting value of knowledge sharing.

The positive changes are evident in the lives of her younger children. Eight year old Khotsofalang enjoys butternut jam on bread and spinach served with papa, proudly repeating his mother’s advice that healthy food makes him strong. Twelve year old Lintle especially enjoys the fresh bread and beans prepared in the family’s handmade outdoor oven. Inspired by her training and passion for cooking, Keletso built the oven herself to prepare nutritious meals using ingredients grown in her own backyard. Fresh bread, roasted vegetables, beans and chicken stews have become regular family meals, replacing the uncertainty that once defined their daily lives.

Today, Keletso’s home reflects resilience, dignity and hope. Her flourishing garden provides fresh vegetables, her growing flock of chickens supports household nutrition and income and her preserved foods ensure that her family enjoys healthy meals throughout the year. Most importantly, her children attend school with full stomachs and greater confidence about their future. Keletso believes that knowledge is the key to overcoming poverty and that communities can transform their lives when given the right tools and opportunities. Her remarkable journey shows how practical training, determination and community support can break the cycle of hunger, improve livelihoods and create lasting change for families across Lesotho.