At 26, Dorcus H. Lepolu, an 8th-grade student at Kristen Marie Jensen Lutheran School in Sanoyea, is redefining resilience. She joined 4-H after learning about it from her club advisor, eager to gain new agricultural skills. As club president, she mastered techniques like planting on mounds and ridges and proper spacing.

In May 2024, Dorcus started her own farm, choosing beans and ground peas because they require no fertilizer. Despite challenges in securing land and tools, she expanded her farm to over two lots. From her first harvest, she earned L$9,000, using it for food, clothes, and school fees for her children.

Dorcus, who left school after pregnancy, returned after her second child was started school himself, determined to build a better future. She shares her knowledge with her parents, who now apply 4-H techniques on their rice and pepper farms. Her dream? To become a nurse while continuing farming to support her education through university.