STARTING SMALL AND GROWING BIG-RAJO ALICE VENTURES INTO GOAT REARING IN ELEMA REFUGEE SETTLEMENT
Adjumani is one of the major refugee hosting districts in Uganda with a total refugee population of 205,762 and 234,300 host population (UNHCR, August, 2019).
The joint inter-agency Multi-Sector Needs Assessment (MSNA) found that 51% of refugee and 14% of host community households are in need of livelihood support, with the highest percentage among refugee households in West Nile 55%.
Rajo Alice a 38 years old south Sudanese refugee fled South Sudan to Uganda on the 12th July 2016 through Afogi border in Moyo district and was relocated to Nyumanzi reception center. Alice recaps her horrible experience, “When the war broke out, my husband was caught up in Juba and I was left with the children at Kajo Keji town, Yei County, Central Equatorial State”. I had to treck with thousands of other people to Uganda with my four children, we were re-settled at Elema refugee settlement and started receiving help from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Food Programme (WFP) through the implementing partner Alliance Forum for Development (AFOD Uganda).
We are currently receiving monthly food rations from WFP through AFOD. However, the rations we receive is inadequate to sustain the household. To supplement on the monthly food ration, I have hired land where I cultivate for domestic use and for sale. I have benefited from sensitization messages on financial literacy from AFOD where we are encouraged to save and start small. I have been able to save from the payments I get through casual work of food distribution in Elema Refugee settlement where I am paid 15,000= (fifteen thousand shilling) per day of work and on average I get 45,000= (forty five thousand shillings) which enabled me to buy two goats which has produced many kids. I plan to buy 3 more improved quality goats and hopefully I will be able to educate my children and improve my household income.
I hope my story will one day prove helpful in ensuring participation of more women in farming for their social and economic empowerment.
Caption: Rajo Alice at her home in Elema with the acquired two goats that has produced many Kids
