About the Project
The project consisted of enhancing food and income security for better education outcomes of orphans and vulnerable children through Irish potato growing.
Location
Kyamukube Town Council, Bunyangabu District, Uganda
Quick Project Stats
| Funding Date | February – December 2024 |
| Luena Investment | $5,450 |
| CBO Partner | Rwenzori Youth in Development Network (RYID-Net) |
| Village | Nyamahwa Cell, Kyamukube Town Council |
| Country | Uganda |
| # of Children Impacted | 100 |
| Community Contribution | Land, labor, and money generated from the sale of Irish potatoes |
Barriers to Education for Orphans and Vulnerable Children
51% of Uganda’s children suffer from multiple deprivations and vulnerabilities including those infected and affected by HIV, survivors of gender-based violence, victims of child marriages, homeless orphans, and school dropouts[1]. For children growing up in poor families in Kyamukube, good education is a distant dream. Poor parents and caretakers can neither provide sufficient food at home nor pack a lunch meal for the children, besides providing fees and scholastic materials.
The above challenges are at the heart of RYID-Net’s Irish Potato Growing Project which aims to empower families of orphans and vulnerable children with a livelihood that enhances food security and incomes to invest in their children’s education.
Improved Food Security and Education Access
Luena Foundation’s donation provided Irish potato seed to 100 families of orphans and vulnerable children to plant in their gardens in order to get sufficient food for home consumption, pack a lunch meal for the children at school, and sell the surplus for income. A portion of the Irish potato seed was planted in the mother garden in order to generate income to pay school fees and buy scholastic materials for orphans and vulnerable children.
The project empowers poor families to participate in meeting the food and educational needs of their children as well as to invest in their long-term financial stability. It encourages beneficiaries to continually keep seed for successive seasons so that the benefits outlive the time-boundness of donor support. After harvest, supported families are urged to refund a portion of the seed to give to other needy families of orphans and vulnerable children, and the cycle continues.
Meet our Partner Community-Based Organization
RYID-Net was founded in 2021 by a group young people who are passionate about transforming the livelihoods of fellow young people from impoverished communities through sustainable agriculture, micro-businesses, skilling, and education. Our orphan and vulnerable children empowerment initiative empowers children in their formative years to live dignified lives.
To learn more about our partner organization, click here.
