Farming on Crutches: Healing People, Communities and Land
- mia8893
- 39m
- 4 min read
Be The Earth is proud to be supporting our friends at Farming on Crutches, a truly unique community-led regenerative farming initiative born in Sierra Leone.
In 2002, following 10 years of brutal conflict, Sierra Leone’s civil war finally ended. The land was ravaged; communities were torn. Nearly 30,000 people were left as amputees and outsiders.
While living in a refugee camp, Mambud Samai became conscious of those who had lost a limb from a machete used as a weapon of terror or from a stray bullet. He also learnt about the game of amputee football that was emerging. He decided to set up a small organisation that would bring amputees together and provide a sense of community and fellowship through playing football. The dream became a reality: the Sierra Leone Amputee Sports Association (SLASA) was born, and for a number of years, the focus was entirely on playing football.
Then, in 2010, Mambud attended a deeply transformative 9-month learning journey on sustainable agriculture — opening his eyes to the power of living soil, organic fertiliser, and community food ownership.
With 70% of Sierra Leoneans relying on small-scale agriculture, Mambud saw the opportunity to bring his inspirational farming learnings to his growing amputee community.
On a 3-acre farm outside Freetown, Farming on Crutches was born. This grassroots initiative transforms the lives of those who’ve lost limbs by equipping them with agroecological farming skills and community solidarity. Guided by its mission statement — “We are not mere victims of war but Ambassadors of Peace” — the collaborative challenges negative perceptions of Sierra Leone’s amputee community, showing instead their strength, creativity and leadership.
Through a 1-week intensive training course, amputees learn regenerative techniques including seed saving, bokashi making, water-efficient irrigation, and crop rotation: how to grow nutritious food in living soil without chemicals. They learn that a healthy body comes from healthy soil. Participants leave not only with knowledge, but also with tools, seeds, and modest start-up resources to establish their own farms. This enables them to generate livelihoods, bringing money home to send their children to school — all whilst strengthening local food systems.
Today, Mambud and his team have trained around 100 amputee farmers. Outsiders have become changemakers and leaders in their community. Farming on Crutches is healing people, communities, and land.
The Farming on Crutches Wheelbarrow
During the most recent training course, held in September, a small group of amputees – both men and women representing both those with one leg and one arm – set about designing a wheelbarrow that would work for them and which could be produced as far as possible from local materials. The chosen materials were timber (which had to be purchased) and bamboo (which was growing on the farm). The other key elements were the two bicycle wheels and the forks to hold them. As one participant shared:
“The bamboo wheelbarrow is very important for us who are physically challenged. Because I wouldn't say we are disabled: we all know disability is not inability.
For us physically challenged people, we need this bamboo shoot wheelbarrow because it is easier for us to be carrying. I cannot use the heavy metal wheelbarrow with one hand, and my sister cannot use it with one foot.”
You can see it being used here by Elizabeth Kargbo who has only one arm and here by Ebenezer John on his crutches. Further adaptations of the original design are anticipated in the light of practical experience. The target is to be able to provide each amputee farmer with such a wheelbarrow.
In the Words of the Farmers
“Things became more heartbroken when my friends told me to leave the group because of my amputation. My friends said I was a burden to them, but this training makes people who see us as beggars come closer to us. We made a name for ourselves.
I'm no longer a beggar — now I'm a worker. I'm really proud of myself. After the training I went back to my village. I wasn't lazy and didn't look at my condition of being an amputee. I chose agriculture instead.”
— Murtaza Bukhari, Farming on Crutches participant & community leader
Murtaza lost his arm to a stray bullet during the war. He was part of the first Farming on Crutches training group, and now runs a community farm with others from his village. Together, they raise goats and grow enough food to eat and sell. He even keeps bees and teaches others about sustainable farming — work which provides him with a steady income.
“When you are among people who have two legs they move far away from me and provoke me. I see my other disabled brothers and sisters and feel comfortable when I'm here."
— Zainab Zamachi, Farming on Crutches participant
“I was ashamed at myself for being disabled, but I've found comfort with the wife I have now. She encourages me and also helps me to focus on my training. She's also disabled and I love her so much, and she loves me too.”
— Farming on Crutches participant
