Uganda Branch
Initiating Development From the Ground Up
Welcome to a very special, experimental division of Growing the Grassroots. As you can see, this is not the typical operational area of GTGR as they primarily work in the Bo District of Sierra Leone. However, Moses Bulamu, an 18-year-old high-school student residing in the Kamuli District of Uganda, has become an institutional young figure in his community, in the eyes of GTGR.
This is the story behind Moses and GTGR joining forces to create an experimental sub-division of Growing the Grassroots in Uganda.
Background Information: How and Why Did a Branch in Uganda Form?
How? Moses Bulamu became aware of Growing the Grassroots through Instagram. He began reaching out to the social media team frequently; discussing the operations, the mission, vision, and values which GTGR represents. A group chat was made between the GTGR board of directors and Moses in which documents such as Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for cash crops, a methodology for composting, a diet plan with complete proteins, and a groundnut cropping summary from 2021 were sent. Moses shared this information with villagers in his district so they could learn together and enhance their current operations to become more effective farmers.
Why? The mission of GTGR does not solely include Sierra Leone, it encompasses all of Africa. When a talented young individual reaches out to them, the board of directors feels an obligation to help them. Although GTGR can’t give the same level of attention or resources in Uganda as in Sierra Leone, information and knowledge go a long way. There is a massive advantage for these Ugandan villagers in acquiring new knowledge to grow more food. Even if money isn’t involved, there are already many examples of those free advancements which are shown in the gallery below. Now, why Moses? Moses is a trustworthy, honest young man who seeks development in his community. He shows the same fire and tenacity in his unrelenting questions and willingness to help others. These same traits are shown in Mohamed Sallieu Bah (in-country director for GTGR), who is, to this day, the most intelligent and special person any of the board of directors has met. If Moses turns out anything like Mohamed, success is undeniable.
Again, this is not a decision that was made lightly. There are a number of factors and risks which will take up the time, energy, and resources for the board of directors. But at the end of the day, this is a dream come true for Growing the Grassroots. The goal of this organization is to spread Borlaug Agriculture across Africa. Even if that dream is only a seed right now, that seed has now been planted in Uganda.
Glyphosate Application
Moses visited a local farm in the Kamuli District and learned how to apply glyphosate mid-season. Moses is focused on learning and making connections with local farmers to find ways to improve their current processes.
Heavy Machinery Rental
On another local farm, they were behind on preparing the land for planting with one of the last steps being tilling the soil. Moses stepped up and used his own funds to rent a tractor to allow the farmers to plant on time for the upcoming season.
Thriving Small Garden
Moses is also helping out at a garden at a home in the Kamuli District. They are growing maize and based off GTGR’s recommendations, Moses was able to help them use compost instead of synthetic fertilizers!