sustainable relations

Go to people, live with them, love them, learn from them. Start with what they know, build on what they have, and work with the leaders so when the work is done, people can say—We did this ourselves.-Lao Tzu

With the goal of generating more capital for the Bakusekamajja lending pool, and encouraging the utilization of natural means to increase yields I began to design my project. Although it is constantlay changing to adjust to the challenges that arise, the root intention of the project is to create community gardens where methods of traditional agriculture are demonstrated and crops are cultivated to be sold in the market for income generation for the organization. I will provide them with the spaces and the seeds, and then they will be maintained without having to purchase inputs, but by using natural inputs such as manure as fertilizer and pesticides made from native plants. I feel it is important to make it a communal project because people are more apt to be involved in something when they hold each other accountable and can see how their involvement affects not only their own success but that of others. There is also that incomparable feeling of affirmed purpose and accomplishment that comes from working together towards a common goal that acting individually cannot always bring. However, the gardens need to be situated in such a way that allows everyone in the community the ability to participate, so no one is feeling left out or the burden of doing. Inevitably, these situations will arise, but we are doing are best to prevent it by creating three different gardens spaced throughout the village so that no one has to travel too far to participate. Each garden has a raised area for germinating seeds, out of the reach of foraging farm animals, and a bed under the shade of papyrus mats where seedlings can be planted and grow protected from exposure to the heat of the sun. We are also trying out different designs for beds that will best maximize on the limited amount of water available, such as digging out a shallow reservoir where rainwater can collect and then planting around it. There will also be a compost pile and manure pile at each site for use in fertilizing the gardens. We are looking forward to learning more ways of planting, and natural fertilizing and pest control during the day-long workshop that I have arranged to take place in the village next Saturday. One of my fellow interns with FSD is interning at an organic farm, the only legitimate one I have heard of yet in Uganda in terms of not using any chemical products, and being a self-sustaining system that integrates all elements of the farm from the livestock to the rainwater to the soil. After visiting the farm I was impressed with what I saw and asked if they would be willing to send out a facilitator to hold a workshop in my village. They have never done any off-site training before, but were willing to send someone out who could share knowledge of sustainable farming and even make our gardens satellite projects of their farm that they can offer continued guidance on. It is heartening to know that they are concerned with becoming invested in our project rather than simply coming in for a day, teaching, and leaving with no follow-up. The importance of continuation after the inception of anything is something I constantly struggle with because I realize how short of a time I actually have here. Two months is a very short amount of time to implement a development project that is sustainable. When I think about how I will have to leave this project soon, it almost feels like I am knowingly abandoning a child, how I feel so responsible for it and will just be leaving it behind when I go. I keep reminding myself that if it is something that this community truly wants and needs, then they will make sure that it continues to flourish after I have gone.