Fruits of the CELAC knowledge Fair
Above on the right handside are packets of already packed flour and left is the chairperson of Kayunga displaying the yam flour at a recent knowledge fair
CELAC Kayunga district farmers’ network is one of the districts a touched to the CELAC networks. From the time they joined the network, they realized that knowledge sharing is one of the ways through which they can improve their farming skills and in turn better their livelihoods.
During one of the knowledge fairs, they had learnt from Luwero district that sweet potatoes can be turned into flour but they didn’t know that the same would be done to yams, a crop they had been cultivating but didn’t know value can be added to it.
They conduct knowledge sharing forums atleast once a month and through these they either learn new farming methods or improve on what they practice already. They , were also not aware of the best yielding types.
When they went back home, they decided to invite a trainer who would teach them on the basics of yam growing and post harvest proceeds.
Little did they know that one knowledge fair would lead to more and more yields. Currently, they produce yam flour which they sale to earn a living. Out of it, they have been able take their children to school and improve on their gardens.
Swowing her urine trap from her animals
Masaka district was one of the best banana growing areas in Uganda. Un fortunately, of late the crop is diminishing very fast due to poor farming methods,pests and diseases.
Mrs. Mulenga, a member of CELAC Masaka district farmers’ network did not just sit and watch the situation. From one of the knowledge sharing sessions conducted by the group, she learnt that one can make fertilizers from animal urine. By the end of the forum, she had learnt that she can collect this from her small pig farm back at home. She went on and constructed a better pigs house with a proper urine trap from all the pigs. This is collected and as soon as it is full, she gets the urine using a small plastic jerican. She then puts it in bigger containers and keeps it for two more weeks. After that, she uses the urine in her banana plantation.She says that since she started using this method, her plantation has improved.
She now has enough food and can spare some for sale. Her home nolonger has a bad smell as it used to be. She also says that now she does not miss any forums and cannolonger take things for granted.
Hard Work Pays
compiled from CELAC Masaka farmers network
“Having a group of hard working members has earned us recognition’ says one of the group members of CELAC Masaka district farmers network.
The group works together and because of that, many people have come to recognise them. Last year the group was trained in vegetable growing by a governement organisation and they were asked to cultivate seeds of Solanum aethiopicum locally known as “Nakati’ which they are to suply to other farmers with in the district.
They were given free seeds and training which helped them to improve their vegetable farming skills and at the same time atleast each of the members now have the seeds at home for more cultivation.
Being suppliers of the indiginous seeds has made them proud and known by other farmers. They also say that the vegetables from the seeds were sold and money used in various productive ways.
The members encourage other farmers to work hard, they say this will earn them popularity like them.
Mrs. Mpungu, a Distinguished Rural Farmer
“Before I had many challenges as a rural farmer because of limited income, little did I know that one time I will be a sub county councilor, advising and deciding for over 3500 people including men and women.” These were the words of Mrs. Mpungu Elizabeth, a grass root farmer in Masaka district.
She added with pride“Nze omu ku bantu abatono ennyo abalina abaana mu Makerere university okuva mu kyalo” literary meaning that she is one of the few people with a child in Makerere University from the village. From her farming activities, at an age of over 60 years she has managed to raise funds to educate her last born female child at Makerere, one of the most respected Universities in Uganda.
Mrs. Mpungu is a chair person of CELAC Masaka district farmers’ network. Being a wife to the village chair person, she did not make her feel is inferior. She worked very hard and went ahead to register and stand amongst many other candidates as an LC 3 councilor. She came out as a winner with overwhelming votes in August 2011. Despite the fact that she does not speak English well, she now represents 10 villages with over 350 people per village, with a total of more than 35000 residents.
She credits CELAC, a group she belongs to and leads as the chair person as her mentor. Much as she has shared a lot with the group members, she has learnt a lot from them as well. For 3 times now, her group has been a winner at the CELAC knowledge fair which is hosted in different districts per year. She proudly says the trophy has now been given to the group because of the number of time they have taken lead.
Also from CELAC she realized the importance of education. She saw women taking lead in a project, she read about other women in the papers and realized that as a woman she can do a lot and leave as other women do in other areas.
She started as a banana farmer in Masaka district, and now she has a banana plantation, pigs, cows and other crops. From these she is able to sale and fend for the family. She has attended many high class conferences with the educated within the district and still does not feel inferior She is now known in her area as one of the strongest women leaders in the district who talks on behalf of other women.
She has mentored not only other women with in the village but also her group members. She has also attracted other projects for the group including a vegetable garden by NARO NAADS pigs, SACCO, Secret Gift project,EFFASO project at the subcounty which is to give sensitization forums to the group members. All her group members are members of Kako test project which encourages women to check for AIDS (Masaka district was one of the first districts to suffer from AIDS scourge and up to now it has a high number of such victims) Within the last 5 years she has looked after more than 20 vulnerable children, a task even well educated women and men may not manage due to expenses. Such children are usually sent to her from the sub county or from the nearby police station, the latest being a child given to her about 4 years back after he had escaped from witch doctors who were at the edge of sacrificing her. (In Uganda, many children are sacrificed in this way and in many cases with no one to come to their assistance,
Your Attitude can do it all
Unemployment is the order of thee day in Uganda and other parts of the world affecting the youth the more. The youthful citizens have tried what they can but in vain and to me I guess it is about their attitude towards solving the problem. They have turned up to the Governments thinking that the Governments are the problem and the sole causers of unemployment in the respective countries.
Due to the much demands that life pushes, among the youth, instead of taking time, utilize it effectively and efficiently, use the meager natural resources they instead resort to idleness, playing uneducative and wasteful games like cards gence turning into mobs, strikes and demonstrations among other facts
Sincerely speaking, I used to have the same characters much with awkward characters. Time came that I sorted my self and came to my senses, I relaxed and though of ways how I could escape from the “rat race” and moreover by chance my mind hated idleness and strikes but instead I desired working and above all I yearned to be genius. I realised that some of my friends go to this “computer center” but I was not sure of what it offered. Until out of curiosity I went there and started attending meetings and learning computer.
“Therefore whatever the mind convinces and believes it can achieve”
From the knowledge sharing forums and meetings of the youth at BROSDI centre that I used to attend, I developed a mind and started a small project of tree planting but to be sincere, I was shy in the beginning because many laughed at me and others called me a mad person because I started a unique project, so they thought I would not manage.
I pushed it the hard way and through the continuous advice and knowledge I used to get from the meetings and knowledge sharing forums at BROSDI, I didn’t hear or mind of whatever they said, time has come that am now in ripping season from the project….. Honestly I have to say I am in business. On average I earn 5,000/= daily out f the sale of tree seedlings. I can manage to save some money for my self, acquire school requirements, clothes and some up keep. I hope to use my savings to increase on my project and start up another project of poultry.
I have high hope in me that with in a short period of time, I will be earning much from this project. I at the same time recall what they used to talk when I had just started the project and I thank God for the success.
I use this article to call on all young people to have their attitude changed form looking for jobs in offices but to start up own projects to earn a living…….
Great appreciation to BROSDI for the support rendered to the young people.
BY: KAYEMBE ISSAC
Adult literacy …
When we had just started the CELAC Project, a larger percentage by far of the women that related with could not write. It was important to us and them as well that they learnt how to read and write English or atleast, their native language. So we set off to achieve this objective.
The information we would disseminate was either in English or their native language. We needed them to document best farming practices so that they can share with others.
Truth is that it was an extremely laborious task. It required alot of convincing, patience, sharing and alot more to get them to learn how to read and write. To us, every minute step taken was actually a huge one …
Step by step and today, seven years later, we are extremely proud of this journey we undertook. Below are photos we took of just one group – CELAC Masaka District Farmers Network. The photos were taken on the same day …
Mr. Wagutu of Butalejja used to be a teacher/head teacher in one of the primary schools in the district. Little did he know that one he would be repeating from farming and particularly bee keeping.
He retired from that job more than a year back and decided to attend forums and forums with his wife and other women in the area. From one of those, he was able to learn bee keeping and decided to try it out.By now,even if the wife is engaged in other farming activities, he mainly feed the family on bee keeping.
He says most men in Uganda do not attend such meetings as they think farming is for women. Also most teachers under look farming and end up suffering with the little pay they get. He also says that had he not joined such groups, he thinks he would be suffering with no food to put on the table as many other men do.
wagutu showing his bee hives
