On December 11th, 2008 the villages of Lukindu and Kiwangala came together to officially launch the Children’s Sure House’s Home Sustainability Approach Program’s model farm. The farm is at the home of John Ssentongo. He found that most of the his neighbors living in the area, many of whom are orphans and vulnerable children infected and affected by AIDS, were only eating one meal a day. Better food security was what the community needed.
A donation of seeds from Seed and Light International, an American NGO and planted them at Ssentongo’s home. His neighbors soon became interested and 25 local farmers formed a co-op. While they cleared the land and prepared nursery beds, Ssentongo and taught the importance of good nutrition, how to provide a their families with a better diet, and improved methods of farming. As the season progressed, the co-op took the seedlings grown in the garden and transplanted them in their own homes. Seedlings were also donated to students at CSH, where they started a community garden, and the local church that meets at CSH for service on Sundays.
The vegetables were ready for eating in December and the community, including several local councilmen and agricultural extensionists, gathered at Ssentongo’s home to celebrate and proclaim that his farm was a model for the village. After the first harvest, an estimated 125 people now have improved access to better nutrition. There are also countless others in the community that have changed attitudes in their eating habits.
“Before this project,” Ssentongo said. “People did not even know the value of vegetables. They did not even eat them, but afterwards, people are eager to grow and eat them. They are even aiming to get a surplus that they can sell to get income for their homes.
This coming planting season the co-op will continue their good work within the community. They will strengthen CSH’s agricultural program by offering vocational classes. The school will expand its community garden to the capacity that it can provide a school lunch for its 850 students. That way no one will have to live on an empty stomach.
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