Refugee Farmer Thrives in Nakivale Settlement Through Shared Action Africa’s Agricultural Skills.
In the heart of Nakivale Refugee Settlement’s Sangano Zone, a vibrant green garden stands as a testament to resilience, hard work, and the transformative power of agricultural training. Here, Musabyimana Anatalia, a member of the Ingyamugambi refugee group, spends her days tending to neat rows of healthy cabbages, dodo, sukuma wiki, and chilies.
When we met her, she was busy weeding the group’s cabbage garden, her face glowing with pride as she narrated her journey.
“I appreciate Shared Action Africa for its training and agricultural skills,” she said. “We have adopted modern farming techniques. I was trained to cultivate crops in small spaces and still harvest more.”
Anatalia’s story is one of remarkable productivity. Using the techniques she learned, her cabbages now flourish, yielding over 30,000 heads per harvest. Each cabbage sells for UGX 2,500, earning her approximately UGX 75,000,000 per season.
“After collecting the money from the harvest, I use part of it to meet my family’s needs,” she explained. “The rest, I reinvest in agriculture as I prepare for the next season. My cycle continues.”
Her success is measured not only in income but also in improved living standards.
“Since I began with Shared Action Africa’s development initiatives, my family and I eat greens as we want,” she shared. “The children do not fall sick because they eat a balanced diet. We have enough food in our store, we pay school fees on time, and all the children are in school. There is peace at home.”
The transformation in her household reflects a broader change in the community. Shared Action Africa’s approach goes beyond teaching farming—it promotes cooperation, collective action, and unity among women.
“They taught women to join hands and work together for development,” Anatalia said. “We pool our efforts and establish gardens after sharing ideas and knowledge learned from the trainings.”
This collaboration among women farmers has strengthened social bonds, improved food security, and increased household incomes in Nakivale. By pooling resources and applying modern agricultural methods, they maximize harvests even on limited land.
For Anatalia, each harvest marks both an achievement and a new beginning—a step toward improving her family’s welfare while investing in a sustainable future. Her reinvestment strategy ensures farming remains both profitable and environmentally sound.
She credits much of her success to the practical nature of the training she received. Techniques such as optimal plant spacing, integrated pest management, and soil fertility improvement have enabled her to achieve exceptional yields from small plots.
Her thriving cabbage garden in Sangano is living proof that with the right skills and support, refugees can achieve food self-sufficiency and financial independence.
Anatalia also speaks with pride about the dignity that comes from self-reliance.
“I do not regret joining Shared Action Africa’s agricultural trainings,” she said firmly. “It has changed my life.”
Her story stands as an inspiring example of how targeted agricultural support can unlock the potential of refugees, transforming them into active contributors to both their families and communities. Shared Action Africa’s model demonstrates that with tools, knowledge, and opportunity, people can build sustainable livelihoods—even in the most challenging circumstances.
As Anatalia returns to her cabbage garden, her message is simple but powerful: resilience, knowledge, and collective effort can transform small plots into fields of opportunity. For her, each healthy cabbage head is more than just a product—it is a symbol of growth, stability, and hope for the future.