By Alison Hall MBE | Founder of Seeds for Development
I am happy to be able to send you this update on our Porridge Project, as I have recently returned from a trip to northern Uganda. Once again I was able to participate in serving the porridge to the children and learn about its positive impact that goes far beyond porridge. Porridge removes so much stress from the family - knowing that the youngest children will receive something means that the mothers do not need to be at home preparing food when they can be in the gardens digging and preparing their land for the next season. The children are so lively and engaged at school and their energy levels stay high until they head off home at midday.
March is a very busy month in the farming calendar. Everywhere you look people young and old are busy digging with their hoes. If they are lucky they have cows and a plough, that make everything so much faster. Did you know that one farmer digging with their hoe will take 15 days to dig over one acre of land. A farmer with 2 cows and plough can plough up to 3 acres in a day and if they had a tractor it would take just 30 minutes to plough an acre. This year the farmers will be growing maize to provide food security for their families and enough to supply the nursery schools. We are providing seeds to the parents of the children as a priority.
Food security is at the top and front of our minds this year. Last year was terrible and we had to provide too much emergency food to the most vulnerable. During my visit to one village, we came up with a plan that to receive seeds, the youngest adults had to make a commitment to the oldest and most vulnerable to ensure they had enough food to see them through hard times. The old and vulnerable will be the custodians of the seeds and distribute to the young. We will see how it works out, but this simple idea was greeted with delight by all in the village.
In another village, we are supporting the farmers to grow rice. This time we are providing rice seeds to the parents who have shown a long term commitment to the nursery school. Many parents can't afford (or won't) to pay the small termly contribution of around £4. In recognition of their commitment to their children's education, we are providing them with 2 washing up bowls of rice seed (enough to grow one acre). They are working on a plan to collectively harvest, store and sell the rice in the local trading centre. We hope this will encourage other parents to pay their school fees and also benefit.
These are just a couple of ways where we are taking new ideas and seeing how they go. We are lucky to be so small, which allows us to innovate and be creative in our projects. Free of the beaurocracy, rules and regulations of larger organisations, we can come up with ideas, pilot them, ditch them if they fail and expand them if they don't.
In my last email, I said how planning is difficult and that we are working to brighten up lives in northern Uganda. Following this recent trip, we have been able to refocus back on building solid permanent buildings for the nursery schools in each village. These schools give pride and hope to everyone in the community and of course porridge and the best start in life for the young children attending.
None of this is possible without your kindness and generosity. 100% of your money has gone to the village schools to ensure porridge is given to the children.
Thank you so much.
With all best wishes
Alison
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