Farmers and co-operative members in Amuria have the opportunity to market organic produce

Reviving banana production

Sometimes, finding ways of diversifying farm income can be found in a country’s past. The banana is such an essential part of the diet in Uganda that the local word for the fruit, ‘matooke’, also means ‘food’.

For generations, the crop has been a staple food and source of income for small-farmers, with Uganda amongst the top 20 producer countries in the world. Ugandans are also the largest consumers of bananas – eating an estimated 250kg-300kg per person per annum.

Organic links for Amuria farmers

Self Help Africa has paved the way for farmers in Amuria to access a potentially lucrative new market and certification for their produce.

Discussions have taken place with the privately operated Nile Teas (Uganda) Ltd, who promote organic farm produce including honey, sesame and hibiscus - the latter of which is exported to the UK for the manufacture of herbal tea.

The company has been seeking to contract farmers in Amuria, an opportunity that will enable them to diversify into the production of new organic produce. Furthermore, the organic certification which could result would open up additional opportunities and markets for farmer producers.

Assistant Commissioner visits Self Help Africa project

The Assistant Commissioner at the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) has applauded Self Help Africa's work in breaking the dependency culture, following a fact-finding visit to the Kamuli project area.

The visit was the first by a senior representatives of the MAAIF to Self Help's work. The Assistant Commr. for Production and Marketing said that the key role that beneficiaries played in every activity was highly commendable.

One of the new maternity units constructed in Amuria, Uganda

Maternity units to open

Construction work on two new maternity units in the Amuria area of Uganda has been completed.

The facilities at Morungatuny and Kuju sub-counties both have delivery theatres, and will also provide pre and post natal care for mothers in two remote districts in the project area.
Both units will be fully operational once staff and medical equipment have been deployed to the two facilities.

Meanwhile, discussions have been held in Amuria with the Baylor College of Medicine Children's Foundation (BCMCF), a non-profit NGO, on the formation of a partnership to support a sustainability paediatric and adolescent anti-retroviral (ART) programme, and HIV/AIDS services in the area.

Vincent Momoba was born in Buloga parish in Namwanga district, close to the shores of Lake Kyoga in the Kamuli area of Uganda. He talks about his work.

Improving hygiene

Construction work is underway on a pit latrine at Kakooge maternity unit in Kamuli, while a further latrine unit is to be built at the Kagumba maternity unit in the coming months - to improve hygiene and sanitation for mothers during neo natal and post-natal care.

VCT testing

Seventeen voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) outreach clinics for HIV/AIDS were carried out in Kamuli during the third quarter of 2008.

Testing for HIV was provided to 723 men and 636 women. Of those tested, 30 men and 17 women were recorded as positive - a 3.5% infection rate.

Support provided to farmers to buy ox ploughs has 'revolved' back to the project

99% success

Self Help Africa is reporting a 99% repayment rate from farmers who received ox ploughs to increase their farm production in the Kamuli project area.

261 out of 262 farmers who received loans from the project to buy ox ploughs have repayed their borrowing, by the final months of 2008.

'Farmers repay their loans after harvest time, and are happy to do so because the ploughs have both saved them a lot of work, and allowed them to increase their yields', says project manager Charles Mugoowa.

'The only loan which was not repayed was in the case of a farm family where the farmer had died during the year', he added. The funds that are redeemed allows Self Help Africa to purchase equipment to assist other families on a similar 'revolving fund' basis.

Introduction to Self Help Africa

Above is a short introduction to Self Help Africa and its work.

Self Help Africa has provided a motorbike to support literacy training in Kamuli

Generating business for women

As mothers of young families, Edith Nakiyemba and Mirabu Mokoda say that a few years ago it would have been ‘unthinkable’ for them to be able to borrow money to start their own businesses.

But as founder members of the Bamukiisa savings and credit co-operative (SACCO) established by Self Help Africa in Namwendwa district in Uganda three years ago, the window of opportunity was opened for both of them.

A sustainable exit from Kamuli

Self Help Africa has held a series of local communities and government ministry representatives, to ensure the long term sustainability of programme activities in Kamuli, following th phase out by SHA from the project in the coming year.

A series of proposals to ensure the continuing successful operation of boreholes, seed stores, maternity units and co-operatives has been agreed, while a number of strategies to ensure that farmers associations and co-operatives can become vibrant commercial enterprises have been drafted.

Amongst these measures, it was agreed that policies and bye laws for the management of projects would be adopted, and that the area technical planning committee take overall charge and responsibility for different elements of the project, with a 'Self Help' desk established at district level.

Motorbike support for literacy

48 local facilitators completed training as adult literacy instructors in Kamuli during 2008.

The project has been running a series of courses in villages across the district. In order to support this work a motorcycle has been provided to the local Dept. of Community Development, to enable literacy trainers to cover a wider area of Kamuli.

Study for new area completed

A baseline survey for a planned new area based programme at Kumi-Bukedea in Uganda has been completed, in preparation for the start up of the project in 2009.

Situated in north-eastern Uganda, the Kumi-Bukedea five year development project will cover an area with a total population of more than 122,000 people. It is located adjacent to Self Help Africa's Amuria project.

Bukedea is an administrative region with 73 parishes and 146 villages, while there are 149 parishes and 298 villages in the Kumi district.