Sh*t Rocks!

Field visits to cooperatives who received goats and began composting in January, 2012 were an awesome and reassuring experience.
Over and over we heard uplifting stories of small but significant (and repeatable!) successes, related to us by people filled with joy and pride.
And remember, this is all organic fertilizer, with none of the health risks associated with chemical fertilizers
Take a moment to read these brief but incredible testimonials...

GOOM (opportunity) + TICHA TEK (hard work) = KATO (success)
YEE WA YOM! (we are all happy!)

Abraham, Community Chief and leader of the Kamdini Cooperative
Understanding that there is strength in numbers, 110 cooperative members (each a group leader) have come together to create a Learning Centre on his land.
They all contribute goat and cow manure to common pits and farm larger plots together to create even larger yields which command a better price.
From first round of fertilizer production - harvesting corn, millet, sesame and beans - the yield is expected to fetch 5 million shillings (roughly $2,000.US)
Strength of numbers allows for good bargaining and increased profit sharing!
And please note that this is the first time in over 20 years that this community has generated any monetary income!!!
And, they have begun a Pine Tree nursery, using fertilizer, that produced a bumper crop of 2000 saplings in 2013 alone.
These will be planted on various farm properties to create the forests that will clean the air, hold the soil, and provide shade and future building material.
They will repeat the process next year and begin to sell excess saplings!

James, leader of Barlonyo Cooperative
Using the motto 'Together We Are Stronger' they are no longer selling their sunflower seed harvest individually, but have entered into profit-sharing with a bumper harvest of just under 8,000kgs grown from an upgraded seed.
Their yield will fetch 8million shillings ($3,100.US)
And James is leading members of his cooperative to test different seeds using compost in controlled environments, showing increase in yield every time.
He is also trying out different different growing methods for dry-season farming using direct-to-root irrigation planting in tubs and black polyurethane sacks so that crops can be generated year-round.
Wow!

Molly
planting Nakati, a cabbage-like vegetable
in 2012 another year of poor quality harvests nets 20,000Ugandan Shillings (roughly $8US)
in 2013, after applying her organic fertilizer, harvest nets 80,000 Ugandan Shillings (roughly $32.US)
a 400% increase!
and a buyer said, "next year don't take your nakati to the market, we will come to your farm and buy the whole harvest from you directly."
and nakati seeds mixed into chicken feed helps to prevent diseases so Molly has set aside 2kg for her chickens and plans to sell extra seed from increased crop yields.
and Molly has begun to set aside funds to purchase a cow in the coming years.

Phoebe
planting Antola, an eggplant-like vegetable
in 2012 another year of poor quality harvest nets 50,000 Ugandan Shillings (roughly $20.US)
in 2013, after applying her organic fertilizer, harvest nets 150,000 Ugandan Shillings (roughly $60.US)
a 300% increase!
Buoyed by this wonderful result of her hard work, Phoebe has expanded her farm plot for harvest in June.

 

Lois (in front of a communal compost pit)
diligent use of her fertilizer allowed her to harvest enough peanuts, potatoes and tomatoes to cover school fees for her 3 children.
Lois, like all too many of the women in this area, suffer abuse at home because they are seen as 'not producing anything!' 

Now there is a new peace in the house as their weak (lazy!) husbands have stopped nagging (yelling and often beating!) seeing a return on their dowry 'investments'.
Lois looks forward to going to the field each day knowing there will be a benefit to her toil.
And her 'weak' husband has even started to help out!