School Demonstration Update: Meet Teresa
June 2, 2015In April, we launched our new School Demonstration Gardens project in northern Uganda’s Amuru district, with funding from the Bestseller Fund. The Amuru district was at the heart of the Lord’s Resistance Army war that devastated Northern Uganda for over two decades, and today, 63% of the district’s population still live in poverty. However, through the course of the school demonstration garden project in Amuru, we will empower 700 parents and 3,500 primary school children through agricultural activities.
African Revival has been working with fifteen schools to help improve crop production, and increase food security which will ultimately help boost families’ profits. Our livelihoods team has been busy establishing school gardens in our partner schools across the Amuru district, and mobilizing motivated community members to join the garden groups. One parent who has joined a garden group is Teresa, a farmer, whose children attend Teddi Primary School. We spoke to Teresa, to find out how this programme is going to help support her family.
Hi, Teresa. How many children do you have at Teddi Primary School?
I have 3 children in the school. Ronald is 12, Brian is 10, and Francis is 6 years old.
What was your motivation for joining the school gardens group?
I liked the fact that through this group, I can access loans which I can use to help pay school fees. Also, being in a group, you don’t just come and work, you also share experiences and problems with one another- and then you can find solutions to your worries together.
How are you hoping that being part of this group will benefit you and your family?
If I have problems paying school fees, I will have access to the loan scheme. Also, with the good agricultural knowledge that I am gaining, I can replicate what we do in the school garden at home, and it will help my overall profits.
Is coming to school more often helping you keep track of your children’s progress at school?
Yes, I do. I only used to come to the school once a week- now I am here twice a week. I even visit the classrooms too, now.
How would you like to use your portion of the profits generated from the garden?
I want to use my profits for my children’s school fees and also to invest. So, I want to buy more seeds for my own garden.
