Help a Refugee Mother Feed Her Children

Since June 2021, YICE has been piloting regenerative farming activities with the beneficiary groups in Nakivale. We worked with 1523 refugees to establish permaculture gardens, fruit tree planting and making of organic fertilizers. By working with the beneficiary groups, we have modified and innovated new ways of promoting food security, regenerating the soils and improving incomes.

With funding raised through GlobalGiving, YICE is piloting sack gardening for 20 refugee households headed by women, directly impacting 150 individuals in the households and refugee communities.

This project was based on YICE’s experience working with refugee households – where the organization identified that some of the households that they worked with did not sufficient land on which to carry out their agricultural activities – and these were not able to grow nutritious food for their households. This project was therefore designed to address this need by:

• Mobilizing 20 female refugee headed households to start sack farming
• Delivering actionable training to the target beneficiaries on sack gardening, crop management, and pest and disease control
• Offering on-garden support, water harvesting and organic manure training

Key results and achievements.

• A total of 20 household members (all female) were trained in sack gardening and helped to establish their sack gardens in the small spaces of land they had in their homes. Most of these created the gardens around their homes – and in front their houses.
• The established gardens directly benefited 150 community members including households’ members, and other community people that benefited from these gardens.
• 5 of the target households reported that they have sold the food from the gardens – and earned between $10 - $20 per month for the last three months. The gardens continue producing food, and we hope these will continue earning an income.
• Through the gardens, households have improved their food security – with the 20 households involved eating at least 2 meals per day, and having a nutritious meal.
• We are observed that by implementing sack gardens that we picked from within the community, we improved the general environment of the community. Over 400 sacks were picked from the community. Each of the 5 volunteers who supported in picking them earned an income of between $20 - $30 in the three weeks they supported.

Beneficiary Stories

Aline, 25, 5 household members – female refugee

Aline has been in Nakivale Refugee Settlement for the last 6 years. She only has a small house – and no land for farming. Aline used her yard space to practice sack gardening supported by YICE’s program.

“I received training on how to set up these gardens by the YICE trainer in my community. She also helped me to mix the soil properly and provided the seeds for me”.Says Aline.

She indicated that, she set up this garden to provide food for her household – but also show other refugees with no land that they can use the smallest pieces of land they have to set up gardens for their households. Aline plans to secure a bigger piece of land to practice regenerative farming – and earn an income through this. Her future aspiration is to be able to take care of her children and ensure they live a happier life.

Maria, 37, 7 household members – Female Refugee

“I thought the food from my garden would not be enough for my household. However, am surprised that we eat, and have surplus to sell. Last week I earned 10,000 UGX – through sell of vegetables from this small garden of mine”.Says Maria.

Maria is one of the 20 beneficiaries from the project. She fled Rwanda in 2000 and settled in Nakivale. When her husband died, she lost the land that had been given to her by the government to the local community members. She then remained with a very small piece of land, on which she was trained to set up sack gardens. Maria is one of the 5 beneficiaries that have started earning an income through the sack garden project.