FLEAT member feature: Jackline Wananda

My little garden

Farming in small spaces

In this week's Faith Leader Environmental Advocacy Training (FLEAT) feature story, we introduce Ms. Jackline Rebecca Wananda, a member of FLEAT Uganda who represents her Christian Community. Jackline is the founder of FLOW NGO, working to improve the livelihood of girls and women.

Jackline takes us back to where her love for growing food has started. She says: When SAFCEI organized the FLEAT training in Uganda in September 2017, I thought I couldn’t make it because my daughter Zion was only four months old and still breastfeeding. Fortunately, the organizers let me attend with her. During the training, I learned a lot from the facilitators and the experiences of other participants. After the training, I started a vegetable garden in my compound at home. I started small with the little space at home and today, it has become a source of income. I have gardens in sacks, bottles, old tyres, on walls and verandas. I also pick used drip bottles from the hospital and use them to irrigate my garden.

My little garden is now an attraction and a learning center for children, women and other members of the community. My bumper harvests of tomatoes, Spinach, coriander, eggplants, pepper, onions, carrots, among other vegetables have attracted many to come and learn as well as buy seeds and seedlings from me. Seeing how much food I’m harvesting in a small area, I believe everyone can have a garden anywhere, not just to get food on the table, but also to sell. You don’t need acres of land to engage in commercial gardening.

The women in my village savings group have now adopted this idea and their homes are now green with vegetables.

I plan to expand this small farm into a bigger learning center with a few cows, a poultry farm and a biogas kitchen. The cows and chicken will be sources of organic manure for the vegetables as well as extra income from selling eggs and milk.

We have been following Jackline’s work with women and particular her campaign around free sanitary towels for young girls on school. She has been a real inspiration to us all by following her passion and believing in her abilities to make a difference. This to us is no surprise about Jackline!