Caesar Kachale

Second Place, Single Photo Amateur

Caesar took this photo during one of his field visits as a project officer for the Food and Agriculture Organization in Malawi. The project he visited works to provide livelihood and life skills to Malawi children living in Phalombe district through the tending of a school garden. The project established ‘learning gardens’ in primary schools and youth club centres, and participants graduated with the skills needed to make similar gardens at home. In order to provide enough stock for the gardens, children were taught how to graft and bud fruit trees, which they then took home to plant.

In this photo, three school girls, Alinane, Florence and Zione, from Naminjiwa primary school, work to graft a tree after successfully learning the technique.

“I like this site because it is not a known fruit tree producer, unlike the best site,” Caesar said.

Caesar has spent his career working for aid organizations that battle poverty, food scarcity and environmental degradation. He grew to love photography through his picture-taking at the various sites he visited over the years. Caesar is currently working as a consultant for an NGO in Malawi that disseminates information on issues like corruption, democracy and life skills aimed at bringing sustainable livelihoods and wellness to vulnerable rural youth.