By Onyango Joseph | Executive Director
Progressive report for Empower AIDS widows- Save Community
Quarterly report 2016
It is my gratitude to extend our sincere appreciation to all our partners for the financial contribution to support the project Empower AIDS widows- Save Community been the commitment of the members of rural communities, Local leaders and development partners local and International.
We are grateful for the support and involvement of all our friends, donors and partners, particularly The River Fund and Global Giving among other for continuous effort that has contributed to wellbeing and hope for the bright future of these vulnerable population mostly women and children in Tororo, Busia and Bugiri districts.
Background:
Agriculture - crop production and vegetable growing.
Agriculture in Uganda is by and large practiced on a subsistence level on low input-low –output basis. Most of the farmers still use rudimentary methods of cultivation such as hand hoes, use leftover seeds from the previous season and consequently realize poor quality and low yields. This has held farmers hostage to subsistence agricultural production and hence poverty because there is nothing extra to sell for income generation. RARUDO aims to assist these farmers to access production assets such as inputs (improved seeds, making of organic manure, Oxen and ox-ploughs),
It also plans to purchase tractors, trucks for transporting produce, milling machines for agro-processing and provision of credit and vocational training facilities as per the availability of resources.
Project Focus:
The project focuses on alleviating poverty from among women, youth and girl-child in through training thus building their capacity to manage poultry, piggery and goats project,
The project also promotes HIV/AIDS related activities to improve and sustain healthy community through counseling, nutrition, care and support,
Project Output:
Women engaged in the production of crops this year’s season since we have had a lot of rain and some places some crops were washed away by rushing floods and shortly hit by sunshine which affected the harvest leading to poor yield as indicated below:- Tororo, the women harvested a total 1,600 kg of maize and 450 kgs of beans. Busia they harvested 800 kgs of maize and 300 kgs of soya beans and in Bugiri they got 965 kgs of maize and 210 kgs of beans.
Achievements:
This has benefited directly and indirectly many of the following number of women and their families per district. Tororo Directly 144 women, indirectly 720 persons, Busia directly 121, indirectly 605 persons and Bugiri directly 56 indirectly 280 persons
Through the support most women are improving their activities; such as poultry, piggery and or fish farming. The project activities are in line with current development plans of Uganda such as Plan for Modernization Agriculture (PMA) which puts into consideration pillars like increasing incomes and quality of life for the disadvantaged groups of widows and orphans and child headed households.
Challenges:
High risks and cost of investment
Transformation from peasant to commercial agricultural production requires significant capital outlays which many poor families cannot afford. Moreover the accessibility to normal commercial bank loans is difficult because of stringent bank requirements.
Project funding that we received last quarter strengthened the capacity of the women to effectively implement their owned and managed activities. The project beneficiaries in the rural setting mainly earn their living through subsistence farming and aid. However the groups have very many responsibilities and many dependants to take care of thus necessitates more income at household levels.
Conclusion:
As I conclude the project improves the livelihood skills and knowledge to the poor group members to ensure independence and sustainability. This will be through the availability of agricultural revolving fund, constant training, sensitization, on farm implements and use of better strategies to undertake the project activities.
I give my sincere regards to all our donors at Global Giving, The River Fund, Uganda government , local leaders and all well wishers for supporting our cause of bringing hope to the vulnerable community we serve most especially the young generations.
I remain yours faithfully,
Onyango Joseph
Executive Director
RARUDO
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