Andrea Matasse - no group
Click on the links below to contribute to this farmer . You will be re-directed to the appropriate project , where you can click on the donate button. Each farmer has a code that is linked to each specific project - Reg.Code .
Adopt this farmer Reg Code: Mab120/28
(Only if he can fit in with some other farmers) Fight for water - Donate Reg.Code : Mab120/85
Inter area visits - Donate Reg Code: Mab120/124
Local pig farming-Donate Reg Code: Mab120/84
Andrea is 78 years old and had 6 children. His wife, Metelesha died a few years ago. He owns 3 goats, 3 pigs and 56 cashew nut trees.
Bad story of his life: Andrea had 2 sons who were working with him to try and make a farm. He also had 2 cows, a mother and her calf. One day his one son asked to use the calf to pay for the family of his wife. Andrea agreed because it was a small bull and in their tradition it was the right thing to do. His sons wanted a better life for all of them and decided to also sell their only cow and to use the money to go and work in South-Africa. When they told their father what they have done, his heart was broken for losing his only cow and to lose his 2 sons. The boys, however, comforted him with the idea that they will work very hard in South-Africa and that they would bring all the money they earn back to home. They will be rich then and will be able to buy a few cattle to have a better start on the farm. Life did not work out the way they have planned. There was an incident in South-Africa at the place where they stayed and both of them were killed on the same day.
A second bad thing happened with him when he was completely on his knees. A fire started at one of the small houses of the neighbors. Andrea use to walk past this house when he goes to fetch a small piece of fire from the neighbors to start the fire at his house. This is a normal procedure because matches are not readily available. Later one of the adult children of the neighbors testified that he saw Andrea to cause the fire to start. They took him to court and eventually he had to pay for all the damages. He had to pay Mt 10 000 (USD170) to the owner of the house, which he started to pay off until he only owed him Mt 500. Unfortunately, the son of the owner then came forward and claimed another Mt 15000 from Andrea, supposedly for some of his belongings that have been inside the house when it caught fire.
Agriservi followed up the information and consulted many different people in the community. We came to the conclusion that Andrea was not guilty at all and that it rather have been an incident between the owner of the house and his wife and that there has been some Government documents inside the house. When the police came to try and arrest them, they turned around with this new version of what have happened and got their son to come in as a witness.
Agriservi went to talk with the family who claim the money from Andrea and almost reached a point where they agreed to just leave the claim and to restore peace, when the wife decided that she will never agree to do that.
Andrea`s story makes one think about the story of Job in the Bible. He lost his children and his belongings and his friends and, for sure, his status in his area. To help Andrea is also not that easy, because the thing that he needs the most is his freedom. Although he is not locked away in jail, he cannot feel free under these circumstances. We might be able to offer the wife of the house owner Mt5000 and the son Mt5000 to get their cooperation and then take them to the court to close the case.
To give money to Andrea would have no meaning. He needs to get faith in life again. To get that, he needs to continue on his little farm and with his few pigs and goats. He can also still plant some maize if we can prepare his land for him. He would not qualify to become a true semi-commercial farmer, but he can be self-sufficient and even have some extra food to attract some family members to come and stay and work with him.