Access to safe water and training in organic agricultural techniques in rural communities are the main ways that QSA supports its partners in Uganda. Situated between Kenya and Rwanda, Uganda has never been far from violent conflict and poverty. Yet the people there are positive about the future.

St Jude Family Projects

St Jude Family Projects and Rural Training Centre for Sustainable Integrated Organic Agriculture is situated in Busense in the southern Masaka District of Uganda, and was registered as an NGO in Uganda in 1997. The organisation was founded by Josephine and John Kizza. Josephine is trained in Organic Agriculture and has a concern to assist her fellow Ugandans to improve subsistence agriculture using sustainable organic methods.

This modest concern has grown, and now St Jude offers residential training sessions per year to groups of farmers, in both classrooms and on the centre’s demonstration farm. Shorter training courses can also be provided. Visits to other farms are now part of the training and they learn about organic farming, improving impoverished soils, distribution of good breeding livestock, tree seedlings, and plant nurseries.

Photo: a farmer feeds her pig

School Gardens

A new, innovative project initiated by St Jude is the establishment of food gardens in nearby schools. Five Primary Schools, two High Schools, a vocational training centre and a teacher training college have been selected to establish vegetable gardens within the school grounds. Groups of around 30 students and 2 teachers from each school will be trained in organic gardening techniques and will then be provided with the seedlings and gardening equipment (including wheelbarrows, garden forks, hoes, spades, watering cans and gumboots) necessary to create their gardens.

Photos: One student puts on his gumboots (left) and High school students with their plant nursery (right)

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WADUP

Wakiso District in Uganda is the location of another new project, undertaken by an organisation called WADUP, or Wakiso District Union of Persons with Disabilities. This pilot project will train 10 people with disabilities to rear goats and also understand the requirements for bookkeeping and small business management. The trainees are all disabled in some way, or are the parents of disabled children, and the trainers include sign language translators for those with hearing disabilities also.

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Jalamba Organic Processes and Training Centre

This newly supported project is promoting training in suitable agriculture to 30 farmers who are living on the island of Bunjakko in Lake Victoria in Uganda. It is an area with limited resources, and limited local food except fish from the Lake, so this project will provide much needed dietary input as well as surplus produce for sale to alleviate their poverty. The direct of this project partner is a member of the Board at St Jude Organic Farm Training Centre, so will always have good resources, knowledge and support on hand.