A graduand receives his certificate from Kyotera Woman MP Robinnah Ssentongo as Mr Rugambwa,the Kitovu Mobile CEO looks on.
RAKAI. Kitovu Mobile, under Mobile Farm School programme, on 25 October graduated 278 trainees from Lwamagwa and Byakabanda Sub-Counties, who were skilled in sustainable modern farming practices.
There was a lot making news during the graduation and handover ceremony which was held at Rakai District headquarters, but the students’ testimonies regarding how the project has improved their livelihoods was more captivating.
The graduands recalled how they used to loiter in villages after dropping out of school and hard nothing to do. But they have since become modern farmers who spend most of their time in gardens minting money.
Farm school trainees exhibit at their stall what they have harvested
Some like Kasibante Gyavira, a 19 old ,who says he was hopeless after dropping out of school in Primary Seven, but now owns a house and two plots of land each costing him Shs4million .
He says he managed to acquire such assets from piggery and bakery projects which he chose to concentrate on.
“Every after six months, I can sell four pigs each going for Shs 800,000 and this is the money I take to our saving groups and later buy such assets ” He testified
Such testimonies could not make Ms Goreth Nakayiwa, the project coordinator hide her feelings about teaching students who later emerge successful than their trainers.
“I have already heard that some of you have motorcycles, plots of land and houses. Those are assets which your some of your trainers are yet to possess. We feel challenged, but nevertheless, we feel happy because its is through our effort that you have achieved such and still achieve more if they continue working hard,”
She said they train job creators not seekers and requested parents not to send them to town to look for jobs ,but simply allow them use land at home to practice the skills attained before buying their own land.
Mr Justus Rugambwa, the Kitovu Mobile chief executive officer advised the graduands to delay marriage and when right time comes, they should have few children they can ably look for .
He further tasked them to set clear targets or goals and ensure that they are realized .
“Indiscipline, smoking should be far away from you. Keep the farm school standard, and don’t kill your reputation, for you’ re seen as graduates and uphold the good characters of a graduate”
Ms Robina Sentongo, the former Kitovu Mobile chief executive officer ,advised the youth to work hard because everything has been monetized in Uganda
Kyotera Woman MP Ms Sentongo(Green gomesi) mesmerised by the shoes made by the craft students.
About Kitovu Mobile Farm
The Mobile farm school started in 1998 with an aim of enabling the orphans and other vulnerable children who have dropped out of school live a better life.
School Project.
The farm school initiative, whose aim is to improve the capacity of people affected by HIV/Aids .
To help persons affected with HIV to engage in modern farming and sensitive about HIV, was started in 1998
It targets to ensure food security in homes and livelihood improvement.
The beneficiaries, who are mainly school dropouts are enrolled on a four year training, where they are engaged in modern farming as well as capacity building to fight against HIV and domestic violence.
They are given two weeks to go and implement what they learn and this, they are given seedlings to plant at home.
Farm school trainees exhibit at their stall what they have harvested
Trainees’ exhibit their agricultural products