UOA-T has so far served orphans located in six wards in the three districts of Kagera region. It has assisted villages to create about 65% of resources needed to raise the orphans. The household needs assessments that were conducted in 1990 and 1991 revealed two types of needs: (1) short term: provision of basic needs such as schooling, food, clothing and bedding, shelter and health care which required immediate attention, and (2) long-term needs of food and economic security including food production, income generation, and rehabilitation of orphans’ houses. The long-term needs, especially food production and the economy were given priority. Consequently UOA-T undertook the following activities:

1. Food Production and Economic Development: The Banana / Coffee Farm-Based Development

The development of the kibanja (plural= bibanja) a permanent family land and basis for livelihood where the family grows its staple food such as bananas, and coffee as a cash crop; and supplemental foods including maize, beans, yams, cassava and vegetables are also grown on the kibanja. UOA works at the village and individual household levels. An average village has 300 bibanja. This is a very important as it is at the village where program stakeholders caring for their community’s orphans are found. Local citizens are facilitated to identify and define the needs or challenges their village is facing. UOA village programs are organized according to the African traditional administrative model and managed on the basis of strict accountability.

Kibanja is the mainstay of the program and the hope for the orphans. Its sustainable development ensures food and economy security and the empowerment of the families who care for the orphans. A productive kibanja is the hope of orphans as they become adults. Sustainable kibanja development has three main components:

a) Food Production, mainly of staple banana, seasonal foods and vegetables. This plot of land is a permanent and perennial source of nourishment and income for each extended family. To ensure productivity, soil fertility is maintained by using traditional mulching and composting techniques, recycling of all parts of the banana tree and the application of cow dung as a natural fertilizer.

b) Shade-Grown Coffee, an indigenous product of the area turned into a commodity has been responsible, particularly, for relatively high human and economic development achievements. Coffee is grown without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers on the kibanja and shares the same care given to the banana section of the kibanja. The income obtained from the sale of coffee is able to cover much of the costs and expenses required in the upbringing of a kinship’s orphans.

c) Purchase and distribution of heifers for nutrition and manure: traditionally, cattle have been regarded not only as a highly treasured possession for their milk, and a social status symbol, but at the same time, they are a source of valuable natural fertilizer to the kibanja resulting in high-yield of banana and coffee production. UOA program provides heifers to families capable of maintaining animals. The heifers also provide much needed milk for the family, and ultimately, meat. UOA has requested assistance from and now works in cooperation with the local government and other agencies that provide supportive agricultural extension and veterinary services. Sustainable Kibanja Development has consistently borne fruit since 1996. Annual Report reflects significant improvements and increase in banana crop (staple food) by 5.7% and 6.7% in 2001 and 2002 respectively; maize production by 9.4% and 3.3%, in beans and corn crop production and food as well as in the production of cash coffee crops (increased by 22.8% and 29% same period) used to generate much needed income. Unfortunately, the price of coffee on international markets had plummeted to as low as US$0.04 per kilo, although it has now shown slight signs of recovery. This situation has caused indigent orphans and their families to fall from “a frying pan into the fire.” Efforts are underway working towards Fair Trade Price for coffee.

Complementary Support Services to the Kibanja

2. Education

The UOA Needs Assessment Studies referred to earlier identified education of the orphaned children as one of the major need facing the households. Undoubtedly, education builds the children’s future. Through AIDS many orphans have lose the source of the means to go to school; many drop out after the death of a parent. UOA program has worked hard to provide educational opportunities for indigent orphans and the children at risk from the elementary to at least the secondary level. Formal education is supplemented by traditional education in many areas where children are raised to meet their civic and community responsibilities.

• UOA-T assists needy orphans to attending primary/secondary schools by providing school fees, uniforms, books and pencils;

• Each ward now has built several kindergartens for younger children in which orphans are also included;

• UOA has collaborates with a number of other organizations including the African Action on AIDS (AAA) to finance primary and secondary education for a number of orphans attending school in Kagera, and for 30 students outside Kagera.

• Rehabilitated a village primary school at Bushumba, which is also used as a community center.

3. Health and Well-being

The future is also built on healthy mind, body and soul. Health in developing countries has been in a state of crisis precipitated by the neglect of the traditional medical sector. UOA has facilitated cooperation in some areas between a network of biomedical and traditional medical professionals thus extending local clinical care to a much wider clientele.

The AIDS crisis has robbed orphans and today’s children of their precious childhood but also their future in life. Many have been tremendously traumatized by AIDS tragedies and need strong character to face a harsh future. UOA promotes youth arts, games and sports programs for self-expression, creativity and character formation.

4. Skills Development and Vocational Training

Many children lack both modern and traditional skills to compete in today’s world. UOA has, through vocational training, given the available means and environment, attempted to provide orphaned children with the skills needed to be self-reliant and compete with their counterparts.

• UOA-T recruits young people for metal and bicycle repair, masonry, arts and crafts and small business. The workshop serves as a nucleus for a larger youth vocational training program that incorporates training in and preservation of indigenous knowledge essential in banana and coffee husbandry.

• UOA-T started and trains young people in carpentry at Bwanja

• Home economics training for women, The Bushumba Women’s Group, which has contributed to the well being of the orphans: health, nutrition, physical fitness and appearance.

• UOA-T elderly farmers train the young in the traditional banana and coffee husbandry the art that is soon dying out. The training features a special project of Shade Grown Coffee carried out on the kibanja without the use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides.

5. Maruku Youth Fishing Project

Lake Victoria is rich in a variety of fish. From times immemorial, the lake has been a great source of nutrition and livelihood for the Kagera residents.

• UOA-T has launched a small fishing project for 40 Maruku youths on Lake Victoria to boost nutrition in the area, to provide employment, income and skills. The fish project has the potential to grow into a sizable industry.

6. Farm Implements: UOA-T provides various implements to support farming households including hauling truck, grain mill, thrashing knives, etc. to support the farmers

7. HIV/AIDS Education & Prevention: a long-term effort to reduce the number of orphans.

UOA activities reflect a community commitment to the sustainable reduction of the spread of HIV/AIDS through preventive health education, risk avoidance, parental/community involvement in education and training, in proper care of people affected and infected with HIV/AIDS. UOA-T activities include community education and sensitization about HIV/AIDS, peer education and information sharing, counseling, etc. Pending on the availability of funding, UOA-T is planning an unprecedented, full fledged, culturally appropriate community education campaign in Kagera Region and beyond, focusing on the young people between the ages of 14 - 25.

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