With the funds raised through iMPACT direct Foundation in November 2022, the project was able to take off the ground. YAEI provided a farmland of 10 acres for a group of 60 women to improve food security.

The project is led by a group of women from Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement and been facilitated by different stakeholders. This project will implemented throughout 4 major activities bonded to time frame. But due to massive crop failure of the first season in Uganda last year, people are left food insecure, particularly refugee women in the north part of the country.

So that our major plan is squeezed a little bit, because women in Kiryandongo refugee settlement also affected and therefore, decided to cultivate maize again to have a balanced diet in a family meal to restore food security. This has created low attention to our major focus of the food forest as we planned to start in early February. 

Yet after two months’ time, the women harvested 150 bags of maize which will satisfy their households consumption for the whole year. Unfortunately, they don’t have a store to help them further. Therefore, we have been engaging in talk with the local authority to solve this problem. 

In term of the food forest, there is some work been done to prepare seedlings to start in March 2023. The agronomist following up the nursery bed and has been sharing his feedback emphasizes on no use of chemical even when there are some diseases or insects. Rather other strategies.

However, working days schedule is in place where Saturday is a common working day, and all women attend. For the rest of the week the women divide tasks among themselves for instance, watering their nursery and watching the farm. The project provides food and drinks during the working days. 

The upcoming planning includes: