Every day at our SAFMI fish farm begins with dedication and care, fueled by the belief that even the smallest creatures can make the biggest difference.
At 9:00 AM sharp, our hardworking team arrives at the farm, ready to start the day. The first task is turning on the air conditioning system to ensure the perfect temperature for our fish to grow and thrive. A stable, comfortable environment is crucial for the health and rapid development of our mosquito-fighting heroes.
Once the environment is set, the team carefully transports all newborn fry from the overnight incubators. These incubators represent one of our proudest innovations — a system designed to automate fish breeding and maximize the number of healthy fry. Thanks to a gentle stream of air, newly born fry are pushed safely into a separate area of the aquarium, away from larger fish. Here, the tiny fry will spend a day growing stronger before being carefully transported into larger aquariums with the other fry.
After this delicate task, the workers return the "empty" female fish to the males, allowing the breeding cycle to continue. Next, they move on to cleaning the aquariums, feeding the fish, administering any necessary treatments, and checking for fish that are mature enough to be distributed. These selected fish are then transferred into special aquariums designated for upcoming deliveries.
With the primary fish care routine completed, the team shifts focus to preparing the water tanks that will house our Gambusia fish. They wash and cut five-gallon containers, fit them with protective nets to guard against birds, and carefully apply SAFMI’s logo stickers along with simple care instructions. Everything is prepared thoughtfully so that every tank we distribute is safe, functional, and easy for the recipients to maintain.
Throughout the day, our workers also maintain the farm's equipment — cleaning air filters, inspecting water filters, and checking warming lights to ensure everything runs smoothly. In the final preparations, they pack fish food into small plastic bags to accompany each distributed tank, so that new tank owners have everything they need to care for their fish right from the start.
At SAFMI, every day on the farm is a reminder that small, consistent actions lead to meaningful change. Thanks to the passion and hard work of our farm team, we’re one step closer each day to building a malaria-free future for Sierra Leone.