40 The New Vision, FrIday, June 4, 2010

NAKASEKE DISTRICT REVIEW SUPPLEMENT Farmers benefit from Caritas support

JOHN KASOZI By John Kasozi education, in August 1993 increased, I got married truck. Next year, he plans he moved to to the following year.” to buy a plot in Kampala ILSON Nsobya find employment. He initial- Nsobya now has 15 and build a commercial could not ly wanted to work as a acres of land under structure in future. believe, when vehicle mechanic, but he pineapples. He pays school fees Wa lady she met ended up as a cleaner. He notes that on for his four children and six in the bank paid sh24,000 “I decided to go back average an acre of others. as school fees for her home after working for one pineapple brings in about Joyce Kizito, the kindergarten child. That and half years,” says sh5m per year. But with Kamukamu community was in 1993 when his Nsobya. intensive farming, a farmer resource person from monthly pay was One morning in 1994, can garner about sh10m, Kawula, who sh20,000. Nsobya decided to pack his he says. is also a CARITAS “From that day, I became four-inch mattress, The cost of one pineapple beneficiary says before restless. I wondered how Panasonic radio, a basin ranges between sh600 to they started getting I would pay fees for my and utensils. He used his sh1, 000, Nsobya says support from from the children, rent, feed the savings of sh3,000 for adding that his clientele is organisation in 2002, their family, settle medical transport. mainly from Kenya and farming practices were expenses and other “I was determined to northern . poor. unforeseeable demands?” start a new life at home. I “I am a member of a CARITAS gave them he wondered. began by opening up half Community Based improved cross-breed He was working as a an acre of land where I Organisation known as St. livestock, maize and coffee compound cleaner at planted sweet potatoes for Joseph, Kibula with 30 seeds as well as plantlets St. Andrew’s Church of my own consumption. I people. We are also for pineapples and Uganda in Bukoto in then cleared more forest members of Nature Uganda cassava. They also received Kampala after dropping out land to grow pineapples. a cooperative society under wheel-barrows, spades, of school. I took on digging other Caritas Kasanaensis” he watering cans, hoes, rakes Nsobya now a successful people’s gardens to says. and fork lifters. pineapple farmer in earn a living. I also made From the pineapple Kamukamu has 60 Ndagga village in Luweero, bricks for my first house,” Wilson Nsobya (right) with Caritas staff proceeds, he has bought members divided into says the fees paid for a he explains. 15-acres of land at Ndagga groups A and B. Every kindergarten child, changed Nsobya borrowed his and Bamugolodde and week each member his life. brother’s bicycle and pineapple harvest 1996. replaced it with iron three plots in Kasana- contributes sh1,000 to He recalls that after rode six kilometres to “In July the same year, I sheets. I also built a house Luweero township. sh5,000. Since January, failing to raise tuition to collect pineapple removed the grass thatch for my parents. As In September, last year 2010, A has saved sh2.8m continue with his ‘A level’ suckers. He had his first from my house and pineapple incomes he bought a Toyota Hiace and B sh1.7m. makes model town plan

JOHN KASOZI From Page 39

Last year, we carried out a sanitation competition in which a each model village participated and Bulyake village in Kasangombe sub- county took the cock,” says Ssennoga. He, however, laments that the amount of money allo- cated for district roads is very little yet there are many kilometres of marram roads to maintain. He says the northern part of the district is sparsely populat- ed and needs a good road network. The new office block under construction at Staff houses have been put up to ease the housing shortage He appeals for more financial support to put up more schools. There are 509 female. central region. The district Kinyogoga, Wakyato, 94kms from Kampala to November. 113 primary government The projected population shares boarders with , Ngoma, through Luweero-- Forest cover is 26,428ha aided schools in the district for Nakaseke for the years Wakiso and Mityana dis- Nakaseke, , Butalangu. But its 75kms and three-quarters of the which he says are not 2003-2008 based on the tricts in the south, Luweero Kikamulo, Kasangombe from Kampala via - district is covered with enough. 2002 census using the district in the east, Masindi and Butalangu TC. It has Semuto-Kapeeka- savannah. In the northern In 2002, Population and growth rate of 0.033 gives and Nakasongola district in one town council, 48 Butalangu. area which is drier, cattle Housing Census, Nakaseke 177,000 people by the the north and Kiboga in parishes and 323 local It receives an annual rain- farming is the dominant district had a total of 137, year 2009. west. council villages. fall of 1,300mm with two occupation. The southern 278 people of whom lies The district is made up of The district headquarters rainfall seasons, from part is relatively fertile and 68,769 were male and 68, north of Kampala in the eight sub-counties; is located at Butalangu March to June and August can support crop farming.