Throughout the pandemic and national elections in Uganda, grassroots organizations like KADI-U are continuing their community-level activities to make sure everyone has enough food and is on the path to a better life. (See all our current partner organizations.)
I was so excited after reading their report to SIA of their activities in the last few months of the year. The volunteers who run KADI are so dedicated to making sure no one in their community is left behind.
One of the themes of the report was the benefit of making partnerships with other local organizations. “We have learned that partnerships with like-minded institutions lead to achievement of great results with limited use of resources since costs are shared,” reports Robert Sebunya, a social worker and KADI-U volunteer.
Here are some of the highlights:
Supporting Farmers
In October through December, KADI-U has increased it acreage for the agribusiness. While the families who live here are familiar with growing food for themselves, it is a shift to think of growing crops to also have some to sell for profit. Now they are starting farming business in soybeans, potatoes, cassava and maize.
KADI-U is partnering with the nearby Bakyabumba Farmers’ Cooperative Society. The cooperative owns a tractor that KADI-U farmers will be able to hire at subsidized rates. Previously all the ploughing would be done all by hand, or with a rented oxen team. So the tractor will allow much more land to be ready for farming.
Improved potato stems were distributed to the farmers for planting in the October and those potatoes should be ready to harvest this month. KADI-U members have continued to build and use the granaries (pictured above) at their homesteads, which are very helpful in storing the larger harvest of agribusiness crops.
Tailoring
Another partnership that KADI-U has forged this year is with the Obulamu Bwebugagga Training Center, where sixteen of the adolescent girls from Kakuuto village are going to learn tailoring skills. KADI-U used part of a SIA grant to buy three sewing machines and tailoring materials that the girls are using during this training. The Training Centre provides the trainer and food and accommodation for the trainees for the three months of the training. At the end of the three months the girls will know how to make dresses and shirts and they will take home a certificate showing that they have completed the training.
No One Left Behind
Last month, KADI-U did a survey of households that have children with disabilities in the four parishes of their county. They met twenty-three people – both children and adults – with varying disabilities. KADI-U has formed a partnership with Fathers Heart Mobility Ministry to distribute seventeen wheelchairs to help those with mobility needs get around on their own.