Caroline Bett showed off her kitchen garden—a new addition to her home in Kipsongol, Kenya—proud of the kale, spinach, onion and tomatoes that have sprouted from the ground. This is the latest pursuit in her long history of farming that, for the first time, is making her feel food secure.

Forty-year-old Bett comes from a farming family: her parents and her grandparents were maize farmers, and her husband is a farmer. When she got married, Bett transferred what she learned growing up to the farm with her husband. Despite their best efforts, farming enough maize to feed, clothe and educate her children was a challenge. When the yields were high, and there was more than enough for the family, the couple sold the remainder for a profit. When the crops suffered, so did her ability to provide for her children.

In 2016, Bett heard about a new initiative with WE Charity. She was already involved with the charity’s opportunity programming and had started a sewing business after attending training on saving, budgeting and business. The new project would be to start a community farm, and test out different farming techniques to turn the farm into a training ground. Bett joined the group.

The Kipsongol Farmer’s Group started meeting twice a week to turn a one-acre plot of land, located next to the school her children attended, into a flourishing farm. The group members constructed a greenhouse, the very first one in the community, and ploughed the land. They planted maize, but also planted kale, onions and tomatoes—a high-reward crop for the region.

Since joining, Bett has attended countless training sessions on the farm, which have also paid off at home. She used to only plant maize and beans with her husband, but following several seasons of drought and disease, she decided to diversify. The group members started selling their produce from the community farm and used the money to fund new group pursuits. With this newfound appreciation for how lucrative selling vegetables could be, and after learning about irrigation methods and the importance of using organic manure, Bett created a kitchen garden to have a personal supply of kale, spinach, onions and tomatoes.

At first, she harvested enough vegetables to feed her family, allowing her to save money since she no longer needed to buy those vegetables from the market. Currently, she harvests enough to sell at a local market. She wants to expand and start planting more vegetables on her main farm, not just the kitchen garden.

Bett’s work ethic and initiative have been noticed by her group members. Recently, she was elected to the group’s executive as the “Discipline Master”—a formative title for a seemingly little lady. But when it comes to holding people accountable, no one’s better than Bett. She always arrives earlier than her fellow members on work day, to check the progress of the crops and make sure everyone gets to the farm on time to do their share of work, whether they’re ploughing, weeding or harvesting.

Beyond the high yields and new income, the farm has given Bett a new sense of independence: “I don’t have to rely just on my husband for things like school fees. Or if I want to buy a cow or a goat, I can do that because I have the money,” she says.

WE asked Bett what food security means to her, what motivates her and her plans for her children.

WE Charity food programming is created to make sure communities and families have enough food. What does “food security” mean to you? What is the biggest change you’ve seen because of the community farm?

To me, this means my kids have enough healthy food, so they don’t have to go to a neighbours’ house to borrow or even steal. It means my children are not going without, and don’t have to go hungry. The biggest change is that many people have taken up growing vegetables at home. Many people used to have land they weren’t using beside their homes, and now you walk around and see kitchen gardens all over the place.

What motivates you to work so hard?

I work because I know I am able to get what I put into the work. If I just sit, nothing will come. But when I work I am able to get money to buy soap, or sugar, or tea leaves, and I have money to send my kids to school. Whereas if I just sat, I wouldn’t be getting anything. The kids are more hardworking in school, since they see me working very hard in the farm. I’m an example for them.

You are an incredible mom and raising seven children. What do you want for them in the future?

I want them to work hard and I hope they will achieve their dreams and get good jobs. They all have different talents, and I want them to do what they love.

Why is it important to work together as a collective in the farm?

It’s important because we all bring different things to the farm. Catherine knows one thing, I know something different, and when we combine our knowledge it does something big. I might be doing something wrong, and my neighbour will see and be able to help me.

Interview has been translated from Swahili and Kipsigis and condensed.