St. Isaac’s Training Center was founded by Kuluba Chris Kula and his family in 2001. Located in Kanigoga village about 40 minutes outside of Jinja, Uganda, St. Isaac’s mission is to help educate and empower rural farmers throughout southern Uganda through adaptation of sustainable and organic farming practices. St. Isaac’s techniques significantly increase crop output in small-scale farming, resulting in more food and more income for rural villagers.
Chris began his work after attending a course in sustainable farming in Masaka. After raising himself and his family out of poverty, Chris set out to share his knowledge with those around him in hopes of improving his community and his country.
Chris and his team of St. Isaac’s volunteers travel to nearby villages, training men, women and children to farm using the double dug method – a technique that increases crop output – and other innovations including a pepper-based organic pesticide. Since its launch in 2001, St. Isaac’s has set up over 500 demonstration farms across southern Uganda.
Chris and his family also operate their own organic farm in Kanigoga which serves as St. Isaac’s main training and demonstration site, growing a variety of local crops including g-nuts, matooke, sunflowers and dodo, as well as raising goats, chickens, rabbits and pigs.
In addition, Chris and his team at St. Isaac’s also operate a pre-school on the farm compound to provide free education to local children who otherwise could not afford to attend. Due to the overwhelming success of the preschool, one of St. Isaacs’s major goals is to build a primary school near the farm compound by the end of 2010.
Challenges and Opportunities
Despite St. Isaacs many triumphs, there are challenges. Because St. Isaac’s is focused on community outreach to rural villages, reliable transportation is a necessity. However, the St. Isaac’s truck frequently breaks down, preventing travel to reach those most in need. Further, local volunteer staff do not have their own transportation, resulting in extra costs to hire trucks and motorcycles. Volunteers also routinely face food and housing shortages while in the field, relying heavily on the hospitality of low-income villagers they are training. Finally, St. Isaac’s is also in need of seedlings for demonstration farms; Chris can only provide so many seedlings from his farm without destroying his own livelihood. Much needed additional funds will support reliable transportation, ensure volunteers have necessary resources, and guarantee an adequate level of seed supply to expand and improve training courses.
World Action is excited to partner with Chris and his dedicated team to help support the innovative programming at St. Isaac’s Training Center. Please join us today to help impact the lives of hundreds of families in Uganda.