By Solomon Hamala
BUGIRI
Youth teenagers in Bugiri district have discovered gold in mushroom farming they hope will help them in alleviating on their poverty.
These are found in Musongola village in Kapyanga Sub County and are under their association called Kapyanga GTA one of the youth networks in Bugiri district which is affiliated to Straight Talk Foundation Uganda together with Men Engage and Sonke Gender Justice. It’s comprised of around 40 male and female teenagers and some of whom were in acts of prostitution, drug abuse while others are school drop outs.
“We discovered that poverty was our main problem as youth. So we decided to startup an income generating activity to help us fight poverty,” Tibikoma Jalia said. Tibikoma is one of the GTA champions for Bugiri district and doubles as the group youth leader charged with engaging and mobilizing the youth towards positive programs that affect them in Straight Talk Foundation Uganda and Men Engage.
“We started with G/nut growing however it had its own challenges. So we identified mushroom farming and it’s much promising as compared to G/nut farming,” Tibikoma said adding “every day they do harvest and earn 150,000 sh daily.” She said part of the proceeds is saved for the project activities and the balance is shared amongst members.
Namaganda Zaina a group member said her life has changed as the project puts money in her pocket on a daily basis. Namaganda is a teenage mother and a school dropout. She said before joining the SRHR programme, she was part of the bad peer groups in Bugiri town which saw her dropout of school.
“Through the knowledge and farming skills I have acquired here, I hope to start up my own garden project,” Namaganda said. Besides earning a living, the project keeps the group member’s busy, united and focused under SRHR programs.
They however expressed the concern of limited capital for buying land and constructing their own mushroom shelters to tap the growing market.
The Coordinator for Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights in Straight Talk Foundation Uganda in Iganga and Bugiri district, Twesigye Luke said he was happy their effort and programs have started transforming and shaping communities.
“During community engagements, young people always ask for money, facilitation, food and transport allowances so we empowered them with skills and knowledge to identify issues that affect them and also come up with solutions.”
“So we said you can identify an enterprise which you think would be easy for you as you also conduct these dialogues and they were to identify mushroom growing alongside other enterprises like G/nut growing,” Twesigye said. He said he is happy that they had an idea about mushroom project which is helping them move well as youth.
He said the main goal of SRHR is to capacitate women, girls, adolescents, young people and persons with disabilities and gender transformative approaches, policy advocacy, promote SRHR and to reduce gender inequalities as well as engaging communities to understand issues that affect them like pregnancies, child marriage, school dropout, drug and substance abuse, child parenting and family care, economic empowerment and livelihood and be able to come up with solid solutions.
The GTA Champion for Bugiri district Barbra Mutesi Evelyn during a community dialogue in Nabitende Sub County said before Straight Talk Foundation Uganda GBV, school dropout, drug and substance abuse, child abuse was high however that communities are now vigilant.
“The youth now having poultry and goats projects, have a saving group and are now very productive in the society,” Mutesi said. Out of the continued engagements, some parents have taken the responsibilities of taking back their children to school while some have enrolled and graduated in vocational skills like tailoring, hair dressing, metal fabrication which is helping them to make a positive living and being responsible citizens in the society.
The former district education officer for Bugiri district, Kawo Kawerenayi who doubles as the Prime Minister for Bukholi Chiefdom in Bugiri district is part of the campaign under Straight Talk Foundation Uganda to streamline the society through school visits and community dialogues and engagements.
