Stories & news · Mutende means peace

Notes from the home and the field.

Slow, honest updates as Mutende — peace — takes shape. Written in real time, from the ground up.

Milestone May 14, 20266 min read

Breaking ground: the first foundation is poured

After two years of planning, we watched the first concrete settle into Zambian soil. Here is what that day felt like — the noise, the heat, and the quiet hope underneath it all.

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Monthly notes from the farm and the home. No spam, just real progress.

Farm April 02, 20265 min read

Our first harvest, and what it taught us

A small plot of vegetables turned into a much bigger lesson about patience, partnership, and pacing. The soil here rewards those who stay.

Founders March 11, 20268 min read

A letter from Molly: why we started

Some thoughts on friendship, on calling, and on the strange courage it takes to begin something you can't finish alone. Written from her kitchen in Oregon.

Community February 20, 20267 min read

Meet the children who will call this home

Names, ages, and the small, ordinary things that make each of them themselves. These are the faces — and the futures — Mutende is being built for. Peace, one child at a time.

Fundraising January 06, 20264 min read

Thank you — year one, in numbers

A round-up of everything you made possible in our first year. Spoiler: it's more than we expected, and none of it would exist without you.

Construction December 12, 20255 min read

The walls are going up

Brick by brick, the first dormitory is taking shape. A photo essay from the construction site where the future home is becoming real.

Milestone November 03, 20254 min read

Clean water, finally

The new borehole means the farm — and the future home — will never go thirsty. Here is how we found it, and what changes now.

Founders October 15, 20256 min read

Ilyssa's first month in Zambia

Jet lag, red dust, and the moment she knew this was the right place. A field dispatch from the ground.

Community September 22, 20255 min read

The community garden that came before the home

Local mothers and grandmothers are already growing alongside us. The farm was never meant to be only ours.

Fundraising August 08, 20254 min read

One night, one room, one incredible community

Our Portland benefit raised more than money — it raised a village of supporters we now call family.

Construction July 14, 20256 min read

From sketch to blueprint: designing the home

How an afternoon napkin drawing became a real architectural plan. Inside the design decisions that will shape daily life.

Farm June 01, 20259 min read

Vision 2030: what self-sufficiency really looks like

The long road from 0% to 80%. Our phased plan for crops, livestock, staff, and the moment the farm starts giving back.

Looking ahead

Stories still being written.

The children have not arrived yet. The farm is young. But every season brings new chapters — and we will share them here, as honestly as we can.

The first children walk through the door
The farm reaches its first profit
A graduating class leaves for university
Mutende funds its 80% self-sufficiency goal

Children running through tall grass at golden hour

Stay close to the story.

The best way to follow Mutende is through quiet, occasional emails — photos from the farm, letters from the founders, and milestones worth celebrating.

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