Jane Uwase’s Journey to Family Peace and Well-Being

Bernadette Nyabenda Advancing Livelihoods Through Agriculture and Savings

Bernadette Nyabenda expresses her deep appreciation for the work of Shared Action Africa in empowering women through financial literacy and agricultural training. Through their support, women in her community have gained valuable skills in savings and modern farming techniques, enabling them to improve their livelihoods and food security.

“We appreciate Shared Action Africa for teaching us, women, how to save and develop ourselves. With the knowledge we acquired, we started saving, and once we completed one savings cycle, we moved on to another. This practice has significantly improved our financial stability and enabled us to invest in better farming methods,” Bernadette shares.

One of the key agricultural lessons imparted by Shared Action Africa was the proper planting of crops such as maize and beans using line spacing techniques. This method has greatly improved the quality and quantity of their harvests. The women also learned how to cultivate kitchen gardens, which provide them with a steady supply of fresh vegetables. These gardens are strategically designed to grow multiple types of crops in different sections, ensuring food security and better nutrition for their families.

“Our kitchen gardens are of high quality, and we now have access to vegetables without any difficulties. The ability to grow various crops in different garden sections has enhanced our nutrition and overall well-being,” Bernadette explains.

Beyond planting techniques, SAA trained the women in post-harvest handling, a crucial aspect of sustainable farming. They learned how to differentiate and properly store seeds by sorting dried seeds from undried ones. This practice ensures the longevity and quality of their seeds, preparing them for future planting seasons.

Additionally, they were taught innovative and cost-effective methods of seed preservation. Using polythene bags and improved granary storage techniques, they can now protect their harvests from spoilage and pest infestations. These skills have minimized post-harvest losses, ensuring they have enough food and seeds for the next planting cycle.

“Thanks to Shared Action Africa, we now have the knowledge to properly store our seeds and preserve our harvests. This has helped us reduce waste and maintain food security in our households,” Bernadette adds.

Through these initiatives, SAA continues to transform the lives of Refugees women farmers, making them more self-reliant and economically empowered. The training has not only improved agricultural productivity but also fostered financial independence, strengthening the resilience of the community.

Basasa Vangelina’s Journey to Sustainable Agriculture in Nakivale settlement.

In the refugee communities of Nakivale Settlement, access to agricultural resources remains a significant challenge for many women farmers. Basasa Vangelina, a dedicated farmer, shares how Shared Action Africa has empowered her with skills in manure-production and application and sustainable farming. Despite challenges with irrigation and pest control, she remains determined to improve food security and generate income for her family through farming.

“My name is Basasa Vangelina. I thank Shared Action Africa for teaching us how to make our own liquid and compost manure. SAA came and mobilized us in our savings and business group as local women farmers who were struggling because our gardens lacked the fertility needed for crops to grow well. Through training, we were taught on how to dig three pit holes for compost manure production.  In the first pit, we place our organic waste for decomposition. After three weeks, we then move the decomposing matter to the second pit for two weeks. In the third and final pit, the organic matter stays for one week while decomposing. After that, we collect it and apply it to our gardens. This replenishes soil with nutrients and helps our crops grow strong and healthy,” Nibasasa said.

Vangelina has several gardens where she practices agriculture by planting a variety of crops. She has been trained by Shared Action Africa o look as a griculture not only as a way of reducing food insecurity at home but also as an income-generating activity.

“We take pride in carrying out agriculture as a group. As tomato growers, we have gained a lot although we are still challenged by the harsh weather conditions and because of this, we have to continuously collect water from the lake using the watering cans provided by SAA to irrigate our gardens  we hope that in the near future, we shall buy a water pump such that we can pump water from the lake to water the vegetable gardens and also rent out our pump to other groups and earn an income.,” said Vangelina.

I Can Now Plant Seeds Appropriately – Nyiranziza Said.

In Nakivale Settlement in Isingiro district, women farmers are transforming their lives through post harvesting agricultural training provided by Shared Action Africa under the Economic Development and Climate Resilience program. Nyiranziza Francine, the leader of Twisungane savings and business group in Nyakagando, praises SAA for equipping women with skills in modern farming techniques, climate resilience, and economic empowerment. Through these trainings, Francine has improved her farming practices, increased her income, and enhanced food security for her family. She highlights the importance of seed preservation, kitchen gardening, and development strategies learned from the program. With these new skills, women in the community are becoming self-reliant and ensuring better nutrition for their children.

“I appreciate Shared Action Africa for the work they are doing in my community. SAA came and trained us, as women organized in a SBG, and taught us development strategies. Shared Action Africa taught us on proper planting techniques, and later came back and trained us on how to harvest our crops and dry them properly. We also learned how to store our seeds safely to prevent weevil attacks using cost effective methods. We appreciate them for the progress they have helped us achieve over the period of time that we have been working them. We also learned how to grow crops on keyhole and kitchen gardens, which allow us to grow and eat vegetables all year round and provide nutritious food for our children. As a result, our children remain healthy and are not at risk of catching diseases associated to malnutrition like kwashiorkor. I appreciate the Shared Action Africa team for the work they are doing to transform the lives of the refugee women through agriculture and their willingness to share more knowledge with us so we can improve our livelihoods,” Francine said.