Clemente: Banana Chip Entrepreneur
Confident in his God-given potential, Clemente can grow his business and mentor others.
Latin America + Caribbean
May 05, 2025
Doreen watched as her livelihood withered and died. Drought baked her vulnerable corn fields and, to make matters worse, declining cotton prices meant her other crop couldn’t pick up the slack.
Doreen, her husband, and their four children lived in Chaola, a rural village in eastern Zambia, where they struggled to make ends meet. It felt like so much was beyond their control.
Like all their hard work was for nothing.
Good Nature
Still, Doreen kept looking for new ways forward. She connected with Good Nature Agro (GNA), a local partner of Partners Worldwide. As part of their first cohort of students, Doreen learned crop management, how to set and achieve financial goals, and strategies to achieve long-term financial stability.
Crucially, through GNA Doreen learned of black-eyed peas (or cowpeas), which are more drought resistant than corn and sell for a better price. They loaned her high-quality seeds and signed a contract to “buy back” what she produced, ensuring Doreen would have a market for her crop.
It’s a perfect example of how God works through partnership and why it’s at the core of our model.
The Fruits of Her Labor
Seeds in hand, Doreen got to work.
She began cultivating black-eyed peas on her land, carefully nurturing this new crop. Within a year, Doreen’s dedication was already paying off, enabling her to invest in her family’s future.
With her new savings, she purchased an ox. And since her first year of production, she’s only grown her profits.
Doreen has since built a new home, purchased a car, and paid for school tuition. And even as Zambia suffers the effects of its worst drought in four decades, Doreen’s family remains hopeful. With drought-resistant crops, a diversified income, and a guaranteed buyer, they know their hard work will continue to pay off.
