“No one in this community can look down on me anymore because I am now highly respected. I can pay my children’s school fees on time without having to wait and see if my husband will have enough money.” 
 
KRMA member Gorretti captures the essence of why krma-US Partners, with your help, supports the cassava agri-business in the far away corner of under-resourced Kobulubulu, Uganda. 

KRMA members share the dramatic impact of this year’s revenues on increased food security and payment of school fees for all of their children. Listen for the hope and sense of dignity that is revealed in their words: 
 
Beatrice, one of the farmers in Kobulubulu and current chair of KRMA, says: 
 “I never imagined I would one day make good money from cassava. Now I can pay tuition and fees on time for my seven children. I can now say to members and to our community how growing cassava has changed our lives. It has done so much for me at a personal level.” 
 

(Excerpts from Award Acceptance Remarks written by Lois Stovall, president of krma­-US Partners and volunteer Jackie Walters. The speech was delivered by Walters in Charleston, S.C. on May 21, 2016)

I read with great interest that part of ARCOA’s mission is to “renew and continue friendships created while in service overseas” and “contribute to international understanding.” These inspiring words of friendship and understanding permeate the essence of the partnership between a group of diverse volunteers, mostly women,  who represent krma-­US Partners here in the U.S. and the 20 women farmers of Kobulubulu, Uganda known as KRMA. In addition to friendship and understanding, I would suggest a third word that drives our organization and this is hope.

Yoga! which is Hello! in Kumam.  We have important news to share!

First, on April 10th, we are hosting an event at Christ Congregational Church on Colesville Road for an exciting update on the First Cassava Harvest in Uganda (see location and directions below). Despite great odds the past several months, the cassava is in and already being sold!

Also at the April 10th event, The Uganda Ministry Team of the church will announce a special project they have adopted to help with girls’ education and women’s empowerment in Kobulubulu. Thank you gifts for all donations will be available for your choice depending on level of the donation.

Before our gathering, here's A Preview of the News from Uganda…

Have you wondered how your contribution made a difference in the lives of 20 women and their approximately 120 children in faraway Uganda this year? The photos of the two women and one young girl below help me tell you by sharing the story of my most recent trip to evaluate the progress of the Cassava Project.

Agnes, the young mother on the left, has planted two acres of cassava. The crop in the photo is nearing harvest and will be included in the first revenues to be used for her children’s school fees and to help raise her family out of poverty. Her second acre has been cleared, plowed and planted with new cassava stems for the second crop, which will be ready 15 months from now.

Did you know that he/she who wields the plow (and oxen!) often calls the shots? A new study attributes use of plows as one cause for lingering gender inequality. Uganda is named the least gender-equal society in East Africa according to the 2014 Global Gender Gap Index and one of the reasons is this agricultural power play.

I suspect the women farmers of KRMA haven’t read this study. But they have named the purchase of plows and oxen as a top priority upon sale of their first cassava crop.