Meet Yohane Kayira, a recent Peri-urban Horticulture graduate from Tingathe. He is one of the young people who did not just attend training; he took it seriously, and now he is living it. Yohane is among the students who have already started practicing what they learned at Tingathe, under the Tingathe Vocational Training Program.
After graduating in May 2025, Yohane rolled up his sleeves and began cultivating tomatoes and onions. These crops are a foundation for his dream. Yohane’s vision is to open a large, irrigated farm in Salima. To him, this dream is not far-fetched; it is something he is slowly preparing for through every seed he plants today.
At Tingathe, Yohane learned many skills, including irrigation techniques, market research, crop management, container gardening, soil pH testing, compost manure making, seedling production, nursery management, pest and disease control, and harvesting techniques. All this knowledge shaped the farmer he is becoming today.
One interesting thing about Yohane’s current farming practice is his use of compost manure, a sustainable farming method he learned at Tingathe. He proudly uses it in his garden as a way of keeping his soil healthy and his produce chemical-free.
Farming has always been Yohane’s passion. For a long time, he wanted to do it, but he lacked the knowledge and skills to get started. When he heard about Tingathe’s vocational training program, he did not hesitate. He seized the opportunity.
Yohane believes in small beginnings. He knows that great things often start small and grow over time. By practicing what he learned, he is making sure he remembers everything and continues learning before he launches his big project. “That’s how great things do well,” he says with confidence.
To the youth who are just sitting down and complaining about their problems, Yohane has a message: “Start with what you have and where you are. Time waits for no man. Let’s learn and do things while we are still young.”
Through his garden, Yohane hopes to serve his community with fresh tomatoes and onions. He wants to prove that with the right skills and support, young people can do more in their communities. They can feed, support, and uplift the people around them.
To Tingathe, Yohane says a heartfelt thank you. “Thank you for the knowledge and skills you gave me. My community now sees that I have potential,” he says.
Yohane Kayira shows us that with the right skills and support, young people can rise, feed their communities, and turn their dreams into reality.