(Please note all photos shared are of the families working on the plantation)

Who am I ?

My name is Sabina King, from London, England. During my childhood I had the privilege to travel around the world due to my dad’s job.  During this time, I spent two and a half years living in Uganda. My time living in Uganda has always held a special place in my heart, not only because I am originally half Ugandan myself but because living in ‘The Pearl of Africa’ gave me the opportunity to see and learn about Uganda’s abundant biodiversity and profusion of serene beauty. The Ugandan landscape is truly beautiful, filled with so much fertile land, and greenery ranging from forests to farmlands, which has driven me to return to this location year after year, learning more on every visit giving me a true feeling of having a second home.

Although Uganda is filled with natural resources, the country continues to face large problems with poverty, sufficient healthcare, and up to date technology to support a sustainable life. Illiteracy, lack of relevant skills/training have not allowed the people to improve their quality of life with the resources available, which is a constant battle Ugandans face every day. Most families from rural villages struggle to support their families with basic food, water, and sanitation.

For the last 15 years, I have been privately contributing to one of Uganda’s rural plantations (30 acres) to aid local farmers cultivate the land. After a recent trip back to East Africa, my partner and I (John McBride) decided we wanted to do more for this region and help locals develop the necessary skills for becoming self-sufficient, find work and improve their lives by their own hands.

The Project

I have decided to initiate a sustainability project on the plantation to improve the current poor agricultural practices, low technological adoption, and low commercial agricultural levels. The projects’ main goal is aimed at improving the link between current technology and natural resources with local farmers. Our initial focus will be to provide power for supplying clean water by installing a solar water pumping system, solar generated electricity, farming equipment, and a renovated/irrigated landscape for the plantation. In turn, these changes will yield a natural food supply over the 30 acres. Once this stage has been completed, we will be able to provide local training and a new skill set for the farmers on the plantation, not only creating more job opportunities, but increase the yield from the land for sustainability. Achieving these milestones will allow the local people to receive the full benefit from their natural resources.

Where in Uganda

John and I have decided to initiate this project in a place called Kyotera. Kyotera is a town in the southern part of the Central Region of Uganda. 

Why Kyotera?

Kyotera is a place I have been visiting (Pre- CoronaVirus) over the last 15 years on my trips to Uganda. It hosts several small surrounding villages which hold a place near and dear to my heart.  The reason for visiting this district is simple… looking down at my ancestral family tree, Kyotera is where I originate from and feel the strongest connection. Over the years I have fallen in love with the people, culture, and their passion to learn and improve their lives. Their constant battle and zest for life is a true inspiration and we plan to help them as much as possible.

The history around these villages is filled with hardship and a constant fight to survive. Kyotera saw the first recorded case of HIV/AIDS in Uganda and despite numerous interventions by government and humanitarian organisations, the prevalence of HIV is the highest of any district in the country.  Whilst there are medical facilities located in the region, the Kyotera population continues their struggle to get the appropriate medical care, mainly due to lack of job opportunities to develop the means to pay for medication. Kyotera is one of the epicentres of the HIV pandemic and the disease continues to be a huge problem in the region.

Any contribution is a blessing and would be very much appreciated, helping to improve the current conditions in rural Uganda.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and I look forward to you following our progress