19th August 2021
Back in 2011 youth volunteers in Mubende District, Central Uganda found themselves wanting to make a difference in their community. There was a need for providing services and improving the living standards of children, youth and women. So, young people came together and founded Youth Initiative for Community Empowerment (YICE). Over the past decade YICE have provided Women’s Small Enterprise development training, orphans and vulnerable children programme, reproductive health and HIV/Aids support, information and communication technology training, and vocational training and youth skills development, particularly for those no longer in school.
More recently YICE have engaged with providing nutrition for all in their community and bringing back healthy soil. The group trained women, and young people including refugees, in regenerative farming techniques.
Ashden
Smallholder farmers from rural areas have few opportunities or resources to make a living, resorting to deforesting local forests for charcoal production. Monoculture crop growing of maize and beans, using fertilizers and pesticides, have also left the land barren and unproductive. YICE saved the day by teaching these small holders techniques of regenerative farming. This traditional permaculture method invests in multi-crop growth. Use of compost fertilizer, biochar from waste charcoal dust, and no-dig mulching using natural pest control ingredients, have worked their magic to return soil to its natural healthy state. Water comes from new water harvesting tanks and drip irrigation kits.
Farmers have also been provided with high yield seeds to ensure future healthy crops. Gradually the healthy soil is able to capture CO2 and retain water in the land.
The YICE initiative has helped communities establish local micro credit savings groups. Mobile technology developed by YICE partners have helped farmers with training and information about market prices for produce.
This work has caught the attention of Ashden, a UK-based climate change charity who give annual awards to organisations and individuals who are making a difference to find solutions in their community. Agricultural regeneration meets the Sustainable Development Goals against climate change. YICE are teaching others to grow their own and not go hungry.
Ashden
Such training has helped Joyce Nabukalu, a refugee living in Kanyogoga in Kassanda District. Over 5 years she has progressed from growing crops to feed her family to now having a surplus to sell at market and earn an income. Previously Joyce could not get much from her small plot and the family health suffered, being unable to buy basic things like soap let alone school books. With YICE’s intervention Joyce and other refugee families are able to grow their own vegetables, feed themselves, stay healthy and some like Joyce, can now send their children to school.
Find out more about Ashden’s work on climate change.
Find out more about YICE here
