Kenneth had a busy week at IGF’s farm, clearing and ploughing 15 acres in preparation for planting maize and soya this week. There are still many tree stumps which need to be removed before we can bring the tractor in, but using traditional methods have worked this time. Once harvested in early January, the maize will help feed the children in our primary schools.
Some of you might remember meeting Kenneth last year during the trip to Australia in May/June, or reading his story. As a young boy Kenneth endured many traumas, including the loss of his mother to suicide. Mama Irene took Kenneth and his brothers into her care, connected him to a sponsor in Australia, and supported him through school where he performed very well. Kenneth is currently completing a Bachelor degree in accounting and serving at IGF during the holidays. With all educational institutions in Uganda closed since March, Kenneth has played an important role at IGF’s farm.
Once the maize and soya are planted, we are planning to build a temporary structure for Kenneth and the team to stay in when working at the farm. The next priority is gaining access to water by drilling two boreholes. Currently the local community relies on a ground spring and a small creek for water, including drinking water.
As we seek funding for necessary infrastructure, we have leased out 70 acres of the land to 42 local farmers for this planting season. This will allow us to earn approx. AUD$37 per acre in the next 5 months. Rather than leave the land sitting idle while we seek funding, we decided it important to not only build relationships with the local community surrounding the farm, but also earn some income from it before we move into larger operations. We have spent the past few months planning, designing, budgeting and preparing to move onto the next phase.
There is a lot to do to achieve this dream, but we are excited by the progress.
By supporting this farming project, you are empowering IGF to transition from dependence towards greater sustainability. This farming project directly enables the continuation of Mama Irene’s legacy of improving the lives of the most vulnerable children in northern Uganda.
You can get involved by donating to the ‘Sustainability Project’
or emailing colin@irenegleesonfoundation.com for more information.
