The Youth Empowerment through Agriculture – YEA project of Global Peace Chain Uganda Chapter finally gets blessed as the pilot phase gives birth to the full implementation as of 21st July 2022.

This is after One World Tree Planting – an Organization Based in Belgium – finally confirms its funding from the Fourth Pillar of Citizen Initiatives for Development Aid for the full-scale implementation of the project in West Nile.

The Youth Empowerment through Agriculture – YEA project took shape as a pilot project of GPC Uganda as of September 2021.

Under our previous campaigns such as Go Green Campaign, Global Peace Chain Uganda had planted over 41,000 trees across West Nile under the model farmer approach. Through the YEA Project, we intend to turn the model farmers in to agroforesters: growing of trees alongside crops on the same piece of land – a form of land management system.

With focus on livelihood restoration of the youth and a linked project to the August 2021 Go Green Campaign of GPC, the YEA Project as in the pilot phase had engaged farmer groups in Okra growing. However, based on the reports of the pilot phase, The GPC Team has finally agreed on the recommendations of the farmer groups and perfected this in the full phase implementation that our committed donor has accepted and confirmed to fund.

We therefore intend to engage more farmers in tree planting and become models in their community as well as grow food crops to boast their income levels hence a livelihood restoration approach.

With focus on livelihood restoration of the youth and a linked project to the August 2021 Go Green Campaign of GPC, the YEA Project as in the pilot phase had engaged farmer groups in Okra growing. Based on the reports of the pilot phase, The GPC Team has finally agreed on the recommendations of the farmer groups and perfected this in the full phase implementation that our committed donor has accepted and confirmed to fund.

This program is set to work with four farmer groups in West Nile based in Arua City and Maracha district. Whereas in Arua, Sinamakosa Farmer Group of Andelizua Village together with Onivu Farmer Group are set to benefit from this project based on the previous success in the Pilot project.

Meanwhile from Maracha, Aviayo farmer group shall be one of the beneficiary based on the previous engagement GPC had with the groups

With a funding sealing cap, the project aims to train the farmers on financial literacy, specific and tailored trainings on growing on of the selected crops the groups have identified and provide a seed capital fund to each group’s Savings and Credit (SACCO).

This financial support puts in motion the financial access that the groups had pointed as core to challenges facing their ability to engage in farming. This project therefore affirms Global Peace Chains efforts of Livelihood restoration in Uganda through its West Nile based projects.

As a refugee-hosting district, GPC Uganda looms its project activities in West Nile with core focus on livelihood restoration for development. We are grateful to our committed donors (One World Tree Planting, the Fourth Pillar and Klimaatdichters) among other local partners and donors such as DCA, NFA and Host Hub for continuously supporting us.

Global Peace Chain Uganda is a youth led organization working in Uganda and an affiliate to the Global Peace Chain International.