Sylivia’s Story

Sylivia is a disability justice activist and a farmer from Jinja, Uganda. She is a Trainer of Trainees (TOT) and one of the farmers supported under the 100% Homegrown Initiative to set up kitchen gardens to grow food and earn an independent income. She is a single mother and raises her children in her family home.

The 100% Homegrown Initiative was made possible thanks to our generous supporters and the UK government, through the UK Aid Match.

Motivation to start kitchen gardening.

“I was motivated to start my own kitchen gardening project because of the situation I was facing in the community, and I thought that having a small garden could help me earn a living. I was trained and tasked to train other people with disabilities who also set up their gardens at home.”

“Before this project started, the situation was hard and my family members saw me as someone who is not important and was always left out even in decision making. I was married and separated from my husband, and I am taking care of my children on my own. But after starting this project I have been recognised and involved in decision making in the family.”

Impact from the kitchen gardening project.

“Since this project started it has helped me so much, I am able to save and solve problems at home without being a burden to anyone. I am doing business and bought two goats and ten hens with the money I got from the harvest. I also visit and encourage my trainees.”

“I also no longer buy vegetables to feed my family. I just harvest from my garden. During rainy or sunny seasons, we always have vegetables to eat, because I harvest the vegetables and keep them in the solar dryer that I got through this project for later use. Now I can get food and eat well, I sell the harvest and buy other types of food too. Anytime I need money, I just go to the garden harvest and sell my produce.”

**Sylivia harvesting vegetables from her garden**

“Before starting kitchen gardening, I couldn’t save even 500 Uganda shillings, but since the project came, now I am in two savings groups where in the first group I save 30,000 Uganda shillings and in the second savings group I am able to save 40,000 Uganda shillings per month.”

“I have a stall in a trading center where I sell my harvest from the garden. I also help my group members who are trainees, to get market for their produce from their gardens. We formed a savings group with the trainees and from this we managed to purchase two goats each.”

“When I take my harvest to the market, I can be able to sell and get about 8,000 – 10,000 Uganda shillings in a day. I am now able to meet my basic needs on my own.”

“Before, I had low self-esteem but after I started selling vegetables and meeting other people, I became more confident and exposed, and I also share the knowledge I have with other members in the community.”

Sylivia, Disability Justice Activist, Uganda.

“Persons without disability from the community come to my garden and learn from me on how to do kitchen gardening. In the past I was seen as someone who is not important in the community and now, they come and learn from me, and I also raise awareness about disability.”

“Through this project, persons with disabilities are now acknowledged, and their visibility has increased in the community.”

Experience with project activities.

“When the project was introduced to us, I felt like it was a very difficult project for me as a person with a disability but after the training I decided to start small. I was given different seedlings to plant, watering cans, planting bags, and a solar dryer to start my garden.”

“I see the approach of leadership by persons with disabilities in this project because we are the ones managing and taking lead in the decisions we make for our kitchen gardens. After going through the training, we were given seedlings to plant in our gardens but then after that we have been buying our own seeds and planting the vegetables we want in our gardens.”

“When I started this project, I wanted somewhere I could sit and sell my produce and I was able to own a kiosk along the street in a trading center. But now due to challenges with the city council, kiosks are not wanted in the streets anymore, so I have to move. I hope to own one in a gazeted market. I also have plans to buy my own piece of land.”

“Through this project I have become a role model in the community. Whenever a person with a disability is having any challenges, I am called to support them. Even the parents of children with disabilities call me because of some connections I have that can help provide some assistive devices like wheelchairs.”

Sylivia, Disability Justice Activist, Uganda.

“What I have learned is that we must be confident enough and avoid looking at our disabilities, and I also encourage my group members to always be confident and to support themselves because we can manage.”

“In my home, I bring together persons with disabilities to raise awareness. People in the community admire our group because we are organised and work together.”