Field Visits

Like I mentioned before, while Edward, our supervisor, is in North America, I've been helping out with some of his work in his absence.  One part of that is visiting the programs that KIDO and KMDP are doing to see how things are going and actually talk to the community members who are participating in the projects.  Here are some of the things that are going on.

Allen, one of the World Renew staff from Kampala came for a few days and made the visits with me.  She is so good at her job!  I loved hearing her ask all the right questions of the community members to draw them out and get them talking about what they have been doing.

The first day, we visited community groups in Amuria where we heard about the livelihood skills that the people have been learning through KIDO, like improved methods for caring for pigs and chickens and running village savings groups.  Ben was with us that day and amused people by deciding he would be more comfortable sitting on the floor of the church (which is made from cow dung, by the way).

Another day, we visited Kaberamaido, where KMDP is doing a project to help prevent the spread of HIV.  They have community groups who meet in a fishing village right next to Lake Kyoga.

I got to sit in on a Stepping Stones meeting of married men.  Stepping Stones is this really awesome curriculum for training people on HIV and communication between men and women and in the family.  That day, they were talking about what love is and how you can/should show your love to your wife and children.

Our vehicle got overrun by sheep while we were away.

The last day was also in Kaberamaido, but visiting people who have been learning about conservation agriculture, especially green manure/cover crops (gm/ccs) for improving their soils.

They showed us the organic pesticides and fertilizers that they learned to make from local materials.

And the different techniques for kitchen gardens near their home.  One lady said she loves just being able to stick her hand outside her house to pick greens for dinner!

Here's another kitchen garden.

And the seeds from two of the gm/ccs (mucuna and jackbean) drying in the sun.  The groups started with a small amount of seed and are multiplying them to share amongst the members.

It was good to see and hear the ways that people are being impacted by KIDO and KMDP's work.