She led Teso war victims to the ‘promised land’
Mar 03, 2009
SHE kept answering her phone as we drove on the dusty and uneven road to her home. We went past dry shrubs and grass-thatched huts before getting to her house, a permanent structure.
BY FREDERICK WOMAKUYU
SHE kept answering her phone as we drove on the dusty and uneven road to her home. We went past dry shrubs and grass-thatched huts before getting to her house, a permanent structure.
Winnie Asege, 38, of Dakabela village in Soroti district, is a successful farmer, who has inspired many in Teso region, eastern Uganda. But her journey has not been rosy.
Asege suffered extreme poverty, hunger, war and community bias against women, but she managed to pull through.
In 1987, the Uganda People’s Army, a rebel group based in Teso, launched a struggle against the Government. The women were mostly affected; many were raped and killed, but fortunately, some of them like Asege managed to escape.
“The rebels attacked our home at night and burnt two grass-thatched huts, but my husband and our child were hiding in a nearby bush. We had to walk through thick bushes for several days till we reached Karamoja. We were terrified by the several corpses we saw on our way.
Asege did jobs like washing plates, till she raised enough money to start brewing malwa, a local brew. “I couldn’t do any other business apart from making local brew. But since I was getting wasted, I abandoned the business and returned home in the 1990s when the region was peaceful,†she says.
But on getting home, there was poverty and hunger. “All our gardens had turned into bushes. There was virtually no crop — there was nothing to eat,†she says. “Together with other women, we went back to cultivate our farms, but digging in bushy gardens was a task.â€
Realising that it would take months or even years for one woman to plough a garden, she mobilised the Dakabela to form a group, to pull resources together and cultivate their fields.
“We formed a group of 10 women and set up a timetable. We ploughed each member’s gardens in turns, until we finished the entire group’s gardens,†she adds. “We started by growing cassava on 10 acres.â€
They sold the cassava at sh105,000. “We decided to continue growing cassava and also start growing cereal. Our earnings increased to about sh400,000,†she adds. We named our group Dakabela Rural Women’s Development Association. In 2001, when the group learnt that they were getting a raw deal from cereals, they went into citrus fruit growing.
“We had planted maize and had to wait for the next season to be able to grow more and besides, there was no income security. We also learnt that despite the fact that citrus fruits do not mature quickly, they can be harvested two to three times a year,†Asege, the chairperson of the group, says. “When we zeroed down on citrus fruits, the group acquired about eight acres of land for the project.â€
They bought 400 trees of improved citrus fruits at sh2,000 per tree from the National Agricultural Research Organisation. They sold cassava and acquired a loan of sh1m to buy Valencia and Washington orange breeds.
In 2005, they harvested fruits on four acres. “We managed to get about 284 bags because the weather was not good, but in 2006, we harvested 500 bags,†says Rose Alaso, a member of the group. “We sold the fruits to our customers in Kenya at sh40,000 per bag. We also sold some in Rwanda, Kampala and Soroti.
By 2006, the group had grown to about 35 members. More women joined the group due to the large profits it was making. “We divided the money among ourselves. The National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) was teaching farmers modern farming methods in Soroti, so we invited them to educate us†Alaso adds.
NAADS asked the group to identify a project in which to acquire more knowledge. “Since we were already growing citrus fruits, we decided to concentrate on fruit growing,†Asege explains.
Armed with knowledge, they went back home and started individual projects. “I set aside four acres of land for fruit growing. I bought about 400 seedlings from farmers in Soroti,†says Asege. “My first harvest was last year. I got about 116 bags from two acres. I will harvest about 400 bags in December this year. I sell my fruits to Kenyans at sh50,000 a bag. I supplement my earnings with the group earning. In total, I make about sh20m annually.â€
In 2006, the group planted more oranges, totalling to about 1,200. Each tree produces about two bags of oranges. “Kenyans booked the fruits already and paid sh75,000 per tree. We made sh60m from the 800 trees,†she says.
The group also started a bee-keeping project. “The NAADS sensitised us on bee-keeping and we learnt that it requires less labour,†Alaso says.
The NAADS and Italian Cooperazion, an NGO, gave the group four hives. From their fruit sales, they bought another 101 hives at sh50,000 each. Last year, the group harvested about 1,200kg of honey and sold each at sh6,000. “We harvested honey from 30 hives. We hope to collect about 3,000 litres annually,†Asege says.
The group used its earnings from honey to start a piggery and goat keeping project. “We bought six exotic pigs; two males and four females,†says Asege. “We sold 10 piglets at sh20,000 each and acquired another six.â€
The NAADS gave the women a hybrid he-goat to improve their breed. “The project is still in infancy, but soon, we shall be able to sell one hybrid at sh150,000. A local breed costs sh40,000.†They group has about 40 local goats.
These projects have solved the groups’ worries, as the members have been able to educate their children, access quality healthcare and live in decent houses.
“I make about sh20m from both my individual projects and the group investments. Three of my children are in good boarding schools in Kampala. I have also managed to build a house,†Asege says.
“I can afford to eat a balanced diet and will soon buy a vehicle,†she boasts.
At least six farmers in the group earn sh20m annually. Alaso makes sh4m annually. She is also constructing a permanent house.
During his recent visit to the region, President Yoweri Museveni visited the Dakabela association and pledged an irrigation pump. “If the President fulfills his pledge, we shall be able to deal with the drought and cultivate more crops,†Asege says.
“We also don’t have ready market; sometimes the price of a bag of oranges drops from sh40,000 to sh20,000,†Alaso says. “The Government should find ready market for our products.â€
The group is focusing on initiating new projects, like pineapple mango and pine growing.
Nominate a woman who has overcome adverse circumstances, but has managed to pick up the pieces and move on to greater heights to rebuild themselves and the community. Send an email to women@newvision.co.ug
SHE kept answering her phone as we drove on the dusty and uneven road to her home. We went past dry shrubs and grass-thatched huts before getting to her house, a permanent structure.
Winnie Asege, 38, of Dakabela village in Soroti district, is a successful farmer, who has inspired many in Teso region, eastern Uganda. But her journey has not been rosy.
Asege suffered extreme poverty, hunger, war and community bias against women, but she managed to pull through.
In 1987, the Uganda People’s Army, a rebel group based in Teso, launched a struggle against the Government. The women were mostly affected; many were raped and killed, but fortunately, some of them like Asege managed to escape.
“The rebels attacked our home at night and burnt two grass-thatched huts, but my husband and our child were hiding in a nearby bush. We had to walk through thick bushes for several days till we reached Karamoja. We were terrified by the several corpses we saw on our way.
Asege did jobs like washing plates, till she raised enough money to start brewing malwa, a local brew. “I couldn’t do any other business apart from making local brew. But since I was getting wasted, I abandoned the business and returned home in the 1990s when the region was peaceful,†she says.
But on getting home, there was poverty and hunger. “All our gardens had turned into bushes. There was virtually no crop — there was nothing to eat,†she says. “Together with other women, we went back to cultivate our farms, but digging in bushy gardens was a task.â€
Realising that it would take months or even years for one woman to plough a garden, she mobilised the Dakabela to form a group, to pull resources together and cultivate their fields.
“We formed a group of 10 women and set up a timetable. We ploughed each member’s gardens in turns, until we finished the entire group’s gardens,†she adds. “We started by growing cassava on 10 acres.â€
They sold the cassava at sh105,000. “We decided to continue growing cassava and also start growing cereal. Our earnings increased to about sh400,000,†she adds. We named our group Dakabela Rural Women’s Development Association. In 2001, when the group learnt that they were getting a raw deal from cereals, they went into citrus fruit growing.
“We had planted maize and had to wait for the next season to be able to grow more and besides, there was no income security. We also learnt that despite the fact that citrus fruits do not mature quickly, they can be harvested two to three times a year,†Asege, the chairperson of the group, says. “When we zeroed down on citrus fruits, the group acquired about eight acres of land for the project.â€
They bought 400 trees of improved citrus fruits at sh2,000 per tree from the National Agricultural Research Organisation. They sold cassava and acquired a loan of sh1m to buy Valencia and Washington orange breeds.
In 2005, they harvested fruits on four acres. “We managed to get about 284 bags because the weather was not good, but in 2006, we harvested 500 bags,†says Rose Alaso, a member of the group. “We sold the fruits to our customers in Kenya at sh40,000 per bag. We also sold some in Rwanda, Kampala and Soroti.
By 2006, the group had grown to about 35 members. More women joined the group due to the large profits it was making. “We divided the money among ourselves. The National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) was teaching farmers modern farming methods in Soroti, so we invited them to educate us†Alaso adds.
NAADS asked the group to identify a project in which to acquire more knowledge. “Since we were already growing citrus fruits, we decided to concentrate on fruit growing,†Asege explains.
Armed with knowledge, they went back home and started individual projects. “I set aside four acres of land for fruit growing. I bought about 400 seedlings from farmers in Soroti,†says Asege. “My first harvest was last year. I got about 116 bags from two acres. I will harvest about 400 bags in December this year. I sell my fruits to Kenyans at sh50,000 a bag. I supplement my earnings with the group earning. In total, I make about sh20m annually.â€
In 2006, the group planted more oranges, totalling to about 1,200. Each tree produces about two bags of oranges. “Kenyans booked the fruits already and paid sh75,000 per tree. We made sh60m from the 800 trees,†she says.
The group also started a bee-keeping project. “The NAADS sensitised us on bee-keeping and we learnt that it requires less labour,†Alaso says.
The NAADS and Italian Cooperazion, an NGO, gave the group four hives. From their fruit sales, they bought another 101 hives at sh50,000 each. Last year, the group harvested about 1,200kg of honey and sold each at sh6,000. “We harvested honey from 30 hives. We hope to collect about 3,000 litres annually,†Asege says.
The group used its earnings from honey to start a piggery and goat keeping project. “We bought six exotic pigs; two males and four females,†says Asege. “We sold 10 piglets at sh20,000 each and acquired another six.â€
The NAADS gave the women a hybrid he-goat to improve their breed. “The project is still in infancy, but soon, we shall be able to sell one hybrid at sh150,000. A local breed costs sh40,000.†They group has about 40 local goats.
These projects have solved the groups’ worries, as the members have been able to educate their children, access quality healthcare and live in decent houses.
“I make about sh20m from both my individual projects and the group investments. Three of my children are in good boarding schools in Kampala. I have also managed to build a house,†Asege says.
“I can afford to eat a balanced diet and will soon buy a vehicle,†she boasts.
At least six farmers in the group earn sh20m annually. Alaso makes sh4m annually. She is also constructing a permanent house.
During his recent visit to the region, President Yoweri Museveni visited the Dakabela association and pledged an irrigation pump. “If the President fulfills his pledge, we shall be able to deal with the drought and cultivate more crops,†Asege says.
“We also don’t have ready market; sometimes the price of a bag of oranges drops from sh40,000 to sh20,000,†Alaso says. “The Government should find ready market for our products.â€
The group is focusing on initiating new projects, like pineapple mango and pine growing.
Nominate a woman who has overcome adverse circumstances, but has managed to pick up the pieces and move on to greater heights to rebuild themselves and the community. Send an email to women@newvision.co.ug