Seeds To Uganda Report

September 14, 2009

Facilitated by:   Rick Lovall

                        Mountain Home Rotary Club

                        Mountain Home, Arkansas

The Seeds To Uganda effort was divided into four projects as follows:

Project 1:         Kyegegwa English As A Second Language School

                        Director Jacob Bahemeku

Kyegegwa, Uganda is located in the western region of Uganda . The terrain is of small mountains with fertile ground for planting.

I delivered seeds to the Kyegegwa ESL school. Knowing I was coming, they had already prepared the fields where the seeds were to be planted. Below is a picture of me standing with Mr. Bahemeku in the prepared field. I am holding our Mountain Home Rotary Club banner. Our Rotary Club is currently raising $6,650 for the purpose of constructing and equipping a fully functioning school building for them. They currently meet in a shed (for lack of a better word), with no electricity. Produce from the seeds will be used to feed the students in the school, thus lowering the cost of their education. There are students of all ages at the school. The older students learn English so they can get better jobs. The younger students learn English so they can attend Secondary school, which is taught in English.

Project 2:         Mbale International School and Orphanage

                        Director Philip Shero

Mbale is in the eastern region of Uganda . Last year, Mr. Shero purchase seeds locally for a garden. Due to the lack of quality seeds, the plants did not produce. Produce from the seeds we delivered will reduce the fees associate with his school and will also feed the orphans under their care.

Project 3:         Kampala Apostolic Orphan Care and School

                        Director Phil Tolstad

The majority of the seeds were delivered to this school which serves 850 students, 75% of which are orphans under the care of various orphanages in Kampala. On Thursday, August 27, 2009, I taught a class of 32 students (representing 12 countries), plus 3 staff teachers, using the green manual that came with the seeds. I focused the class on seed spacing, row spacing, weed control, water management and seed harvesting and preservation for planting during the next season. The students in the class are responsible for planting all of the seeds for the school. I went back to the school on Sunday and noticed the beans had already sprouted roots in the ziplock bag I used in a demonstration. I received an email the following week saying the students had taken the seeds out of the ziplock bag and planted them in the garden because they didn’t want to waste anything! Pictures follow…

Project 4:

I was unable to fit 300 packages into my luggage. Those seeds are being preserved here in Mountain Home, AR, and are being donated to local homeless shelters for planting next spring. The shelters are Alpha House For Men, Gamma House For Women and Serenity Shelter for Abused Persons.

Story in the Baxter Bulletin