Strengthening Gardens for Teen Mothers in Kayonza

The report provides updates for the period from 1^st Jully to September 30^th, 2026, under implementation of the Strengthening Gardens for Teen Mothers in Kayonza Project. This is a dry period traditionally, but the region faced more severe drought this year. Up to the end of the reporting period, not enough rain falls have been seen.

Meanwhile, season preparations have been made focussing on the following

• Awareness raising for vegetable production: The campaign was targeting specifically teen mothers. Participants who demonstrated readiness to engage in vegetable farming were selected to begin cultivation from September to December 2026. The project has now a Senior Community Volunteer ready to supervise and coach the committed teen mothers.
• Selection of vegetables of their choice revealed preference for carrots, cabbages, leeks, eggplants, and others.
• A total of 40 teen mothers from Kayonza District have been trained on good agricultural practices (GAP) especially for vegetable production techniques from 20 June to 9 July 2026.
• Subsequently, the project supported purchase of seeds of carrots, cabbages, leeks, egg plants,
• Upgrading 39 kitchen gardens and set up one new kitchen garden. Nursery beds wait for better weather conditions for sawing as early as possible when rain season starts.
• Kitchen gardens are expected n to have a positive impact on health and nutrition for the teen mothers and their young children
• Key challenges encountered include severe prolonged drought and in dry season, the beneficiaries stop producing vegetables. The project explore posiibilities, opportunities and modalities to have in place rains harvesting water tanks to reduce the shortage of water during that 3 months period.

• Some_illustrative_photos_Kitchen_grdens.docx (DOCX)