Agricultural Preservation 

Hippo Fence

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When Aid Africa’s Children received an urgent call for funds to build a hippo fence, our first question was, “What IS a hippo fence?”  For those of us who do not live in Africa, whose gardens are not ravaged by hungry nocturnal hippos rising out of the lakes or rivers,  this was news to us.   Our contact in Africa,  Sister Battista runs the St. Jude Nursery for preschoolers in Malawi.  She explained, “we need a fence built to keep the hippos from eating our maize crops.”  Aid Africa Children’s raised funds for their first hippo fence that cost approximately $3,500.  This is not an ordinary yard fence.   It has 4,421 feet of barb wire wrapped around 164 iron pipes that are cemented into ground. Hippo fences are commonly used to in Africa to protect crops.

The St. Jude Nursery is a renovated chicken house used as a school for the neighborhood children.  In this area, over 90% of the children do not attend school because they cannot afford school fees.  Sister Battista started this school with 30 children without any educational materials or supplies.  Enrollment varies between 30 and 120 students.  Aid Africa’s Children has also sent St. Jude Nursery funds for school and food supplies.

See how one hippo fence can make a difference in these children’s lives! 

Before the hippo fences, all their maize was eaten by the local hippos.

Before the hippo fences, all their maize was eaten by the local hippos.

The simple yet effective hippo fence seen along the river prevents the hippos from eating their food.

The simple yet effective hippo fence seen along the river prevents the hippos from eating their food.