AYOWECCA UGANDA is a community led NGO in Tororo, East Uganda. At AYOWECCA UGANDA, we train rural farmers on regenerative agricultural methods/smart agriculture that are environmentally sustainable, map agricultural practices in carbon credits, promote agroforestry and permaculture where farmers can plant fruit trees besides growing food or cash crops and learn how to make organic manure and pesticides. We also have a charity which works in our local communities to mobilize climate change awareness and education, crypto education, tree planting and wetlands and peatland restoration campaigns, workshops, storytelling, giving seeds to farmers, etc. For GG21, we request that with your support, we can create a thriving community training/skilling center and demonstration farm to help our community adapt to the escalating impacts of climate change. We seek to build climate resilience for rural, low-income communities with a focus on women, families and youth. Your support will also help us plant more fruit trees in schools, health centers and churches. Our training space is small and we would like to get a bigger place in order to help more people, and also to be able to pay additional facilitators. Our vision is that by next year, many of our Climate Round supporters can visit our farm and recommend interns for our organization. At Ayowecca Uganda, we believe the time to act is now to safeguard not only the natural heritage of Tororo, Eastern Uganda, but also the health, prosperity, and resilience of its communities in the frontlines affected by the climate crisis. We invite you to join us in making a difference to the lives of those who really need it.

About

In the heart of Tororo, Eastern Uganda, a crisis of environmental degradation threatens the region's biodiversity and agricultural productivity. Rampant deforestation and wetland destruction have led to irreversible damage, impacting the livelihoods of local communities. Our proposed solution aims to restore the natural landscapes through community awareness campaigns and large-scale tree planting efforts. By addressing the lack of awareness and engaging communities in restoration efforts, we can create a sustainable shift towards conservation practices.

Our project's goals include planting 1 million native trees, rehabilitating 100 hectares of wetlands, and increasing environmental conservation awareness among 80% of the local population. We are committed to reversing the tide of environmental degradation in Tororo and fostering a culture of conservation for generations to come.

AYOWECCA UGANDA’s wide range of programs provide support in some of the poorest and most underprivileged communities in Uganda, East Africa. We work with wetlands, peatlands and ecosystem restoration to help address climate change; we also plant fruit trees in schools, health centers and communities to fight food insecurity, increase plantations and provide forest cover. Besides agroforestry/permaculture, plastic wastes and management and energy conservation, AYOWECCA UGANDA also trains young adolescent girls on how to make reusable sanitary towels and provides scholastic materials to the most vulnerable to attend and access education and creates awareness among communities to actively empower women and children. Since AYOWECCA UGANDA is community founded, our activities are community based to benefit the local people facing both social and environmental challenges.

Update

1213 rural farmers and community members trained on regenerative/smart agricultural methods, onboarded into web3, sensitized and educated on the impacts of climate climate change 34,000+ fruit trees have been planted in 105 schools and 73 health centers 8 wetlands have been restored 683 women and girls are undertaking the skills training on both tailoring and hairdressing 3,000+ children receive scholastic materials every year 1067 girls and women have been trained on making reusable sanitary towels We also bought tailoring, catering and salon services to train rural girls and women who have dropped out of school and to empower them with hands-on skills to be economically empowered.

Project Objectives

Objective 1 Sensitize stakeholders on the importance of Agroforestry/permaculture/regenerative agriculture. Form groups among communities and train them in agroforestry practices. Enhance the capacity of 1,000 households in 50 groups to raise and plant seedlings on their individual/community farms. Establish nursery beds for raising seedlings to supply schools, health centers and across Tororo District. Train rural farmers on regenerative agricultural practices including making organic manure and pesticides. Objective 2 Procure training materials for agroforestry/permaculture demonstrations. Establish agroforestry seedlings/permaculture sites per Sub County. Objective 3 Distribute seedlings to their individual members/community members. Supervise and monitor planting by their members. Intercrop established plots with Agricultural crops. Objective 4 Distribute seedlings to schools, health centers, churches and to the communities. Supervise and monitor planting of trees in schools, health centers and churches. We welcome anyone or any organizations willing to work with us to make this world a better place for everyone as partners and collaborators.

Partnerships

We are so grateful for our continued collaboration and partnership with The Solar Foundation in the past years, financing our office with solar power, security fencing and solar lights at our greenhouse/nursery bed and powering 206 families with solar lanterns (women and vulnerable families).

We are also collaborating with Silvi Protocol to track the growth of fruit trees we have planted from potting at the nursery bed, to planting through maturity when they bear fruits through dMRV data.

Conclusion

The environmental crisis in Eastern Uganda presents a pressing need for action to reverse the tide of degradation and safeguard the region's natural heritage. Our proposed solution, centered on community awareness campaigns and large- scale tree planting efforts, addresses the root causes of environmental degradation while fostering a culture of conservation.

The significance of this project extends beyond local impact, as it contributes to global concerns such as climate change and biodiversity loss. Absolute poverty and water scarcity, education and technology literacy

The impact of our project will be transformative, leading to improved biodiversity, enhanced community resilience against climate change impacts, and a shift towards sustainable land use practices. By implementing a comprehensive framework for evaluation and planning for future funding through eco-tourism initiatives and international partnerships, we are dedicated to ensuring the long-term sustainability of our conservation efforts in Tororo Eastern Uganda and economic empowerment for women and rural farmers.