Update from Thomas Lubari

The year 2019 has been a year of greater achievement in terms of the projects run by the Life Gospel Ministries in Uganda. The ministry demonstrated greater expertise in the implementation of the projects that have been funded by Bright Hope World.

Recent Events

Vocational Training (UGA04c)

This year, 2019, four students graduated and we have twelve students continuing their studies and who will graduate next year, 2020. The training is very beneficial, giving skills to needy and vulnerable youth of Uganda and the South Sudanese refugees.

We are currently embarking on interviewing beneficiaries for the 2020 Vocational Training Scholarships.

We are proud that the students who graduated have obtained jobs and are living productive lives. They can now support themselves and even their families giving glory to God.

Amoding Ruth : Early Child Development (nursery). Ruth is now employed and is very grateful and happy. She is on the verge of getting a promotion for her excellent teaching abilities. 

Dominic John Abel : Building Construction. He has recently travelled to South Sudan after staying in Jinja for more than three months following his graduation. He has a job to renovate a building in Yambio.

Sijale Peace Doreen : Secretarial Studies. She graduated in absential while in Arua but expects to come to Jinja to pick up her certificate. She is very grateful that she is already doing some work.

Aligo Steven : Plumbing. He has travelled to South Sudan and is employed with a private company. He graduated in absential but expects to travel to Jinja, Uganda from Juba, South Sudan to pick up his certificate. 

Foundations for Farming (UGA08)

In Uganda Foundations for Farming has been conducted in all the refugee settlements with representative volunteer extension workers in each settlement.

Foundations for Farming training was also conducted in Juba, South Sudan and farmers received seeds. 46 farmers were issued with seeds in Juba to practice urban farming since they cannot access their land outside Juba. The farmers had challenges accessing mulch for their gardens although a few of them were able to mulch their gardens.

Pastor Isaiah Dada (right) lives in YoYo, Bidi Bidi refugee camp and is planting maize using Foundations for Farming. He serves as an extension worker at the camp. He represents Life Gospel Ministries Foundations for Farming project.

Andrew Diko is a refugee at Bweyale Refugee Camp. He plants maize alongside fish farming in Bweyale. He takes care of his late brother’s children in Bweyale. 

Susan a maize planter in Bweyale. Suzan is from Yei, South Sudan.

Foundations for Farming Training in Rhino Refugee camp  

Micro-loan Programmes (UGA04b and SUD01)

The Jinja and South Sudan micro-loan programmes are facing many challenges due to defaulters and high inflation.

Low capital or loan size has been a major cause of failure of many businesses affecting the programme.

Trauma Training (SUD05)

The last training held in 2017 left lasting effects causing peace among the warring ethnic tribes in the camps. More training is needed.

On the Rock Poultry Project (UGA04d)

Training was conducted but the chickens unfortunately died while planning was underway for them to be taken to the camp (Rhino Refugee camp). They died while being gathered at Lobule, in Koboko. Poultry require treatment for diseases on a regular basis. 

Ideas for the Future

Foundations for Farming is not regularly financially supported and this affects the training and supervision of the farmers. The project needs a permanent site where farmers can converge for training while seeing the maximum management of Foundations for Farming practices. Field days could be arranged to visit farmer's fields.

Farmers are not motivated apart from the training to practice the method. Farmers are motivated when they are supplied with farm inputs. This could be done on a credit basis payable twice in a year after each harvest. Most farmers are too poor to fund their farms on their own since they have responsibilities of children going to school. Better schools could impoverish a farmer having 12 head of cattle in a year.

We do work among vulnerable communities that include refugees. Medical camps are necessary among the refugees and in South Sudan. Many vulnerable adults and children die of malaria due to lack of finances to meet medical costs or poverty. Poverty is the major cause of deaths. The poor cannot afford medical bills so they often remain inside while at home without treatment and later die.