Participant Introduction – Ray(Nigeria)

“Living in an environment where hunger, insecurity, and illiteracy is common has touched my heart to try to respond to our needs. It all started when I visited a family who didn’t have something to eat for lunch. I then began to think of the way forward.”

Ray lives and works in a community based on religion and tribal line. The strength of her community is that the people are hard-working and highly religious, with a considerable level of people with Western education. Some of the challenges are religious intolerance, insecurity, and kidnapping activities. 

Her major responsibilities at work are to monitor the distribution of food items to women and orphans, buy toiletries for girls, organize advocacy sessions to educate families about the importance of girls’ education and liaise with experts to train women on the use of farming implements.

She wanted to come to ARI because of her community’s urgent need for food, which requires credible leaders with more practical skills. New skills will help to improve their farming skills to improve the livelihoods of their people. Moreover, she wants to learn about peace and conflict resolution.

Sending Organization          

Catholic Church Woman Fellowship Group aims to empower and support women. It also wants to support the youth through empowerment programs. One of its projects is the “Widows and Orphans Project.” The goal is to buy toiletries for girls and provide food for widows and orphans. Another project is the “Women of Zarmaganda in Agriculture” project. The project aims to promote education, provide financial support, and eliminate hunger.

Men's Dormitory & Guest House

Participants and volunteers live in separate dormitories for men and women. The dormitory includes shared lounges, kitchens, showers, and laundry facilities. Wi-Fi is not available.

Poultry House

The poultry facilities include free-range chicken coops and a brooding house. More than 400 chickens are raised, producing over 80,000 eggs and approximately one ton of chicken meat each year.

Pig Pen

Participants learn a variety of pig farming techniques through hands-on practice. Both deep-litter and concrete-floor systems are used, and manure is recycled into biogas and fertilizer.

Goat House

Goat milk (over 200 liters annually) and meat are used for food, while manure is used as fertilizer. During the day, the goats roam freely in the pasture.

Forest

The forests surrounding the campus are managed through selective thinning for firewood and charcoal production. Leaves and other organic materials are collected for use in agriculture.

Fields

On 2.5 hectares of farmland, approximately 100 varieties of vegetables and crops are grown without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. The entire community helps manage the fields as part of its commitment to learning and self-sufficiency.

Rice Paddies

Rice is cultivated in paddies both on and off campus. Various organic rice-growing methods are studied and practiced, including weed control and fertilization using ducks.

Workshop

The workshop is a space for repair and recycling activities. It contains machinery, welding equipment, woodworking tools, and a variety of materials.

Feed Mixing Room

Livestock feed is produced here using both manual and mechanical methods. Continuous efforts are made to improve feed quality and sustainability.

Administration Building

The first floor houses the reception area and administrative offices, while the second floor contains staff offices and the Director’s office. The Farm Shop (Agricultural Training Room) is located adjacent to the building.

ARI Shop

The shop offers ARI-grown produce, processed foods, books, and handicrafts from the home countries of ARI graduates.

Farm Shop (Agricultural Training Room)

The facility serves as the hub of agricultural activities at ARI. It includes classrooms, storage for tools and farming materials, and facilities for drying and storing crops.

Oikos Chapel

Originally a 100-year-old traditional farmhouse, the chapel has been renovated into a place of worship. Daily morning gatherings are held here, along with meditation, dialogue sessions, gospel choir practice, and other community activities. Oikos is a Greek word meaning “home.”

Manna House (Food Processing Room)

This facility is used for producing and storing processed foods such as cookies and jam. The ground floor also contains a poultry processing facility.

Fish Ponds

Fish are raised for both food and agricultural purposes.

クリスマス・ウィンターキャンペーン 2025
Christmas and Winter Donation Campaign