“Stealing the village drum is easy, but finding a place to beat it peacefully is the problem.” Simply put, getting away with something is easy; living with the consequences is another story.

“The hunter who returns home with a goat is a thief.” This African proverb reminds us to question how and where the prize came from. A hunter’s job is to hunt wild animals, not someone’s domestic livestock.

“Let the young man go and hunt; if he kills an elephant, his poverty ends…if the elephant kills him, his poverty ends.” This one is about taking big risks. Sometimes the stakes are so high that you either become incredibly rich or die trying. Either way, your suffering ends.

“A child that is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.” This is a warning against neglect. People who feel unwanted (unloved) can eventually make their pain everyone’s problem.

“Once you carry your own water, you will learn the value of every drop.” This African proverb illustrates that true gratitude and financial discipline stem from personal struggle and effort, not from privilege.

“Not everyone who chased the zebra caught it, but he who caught it chased it.” Though it’s never guaranteed, it’s impossible to succeed without effort.

“Before you tell the truth, first look for your shoes.” Truth is important, but you’d better be prepared for the consequences.

“Be careful when you do too much for people; they start loving your hand and not your heart.” This is self-explanatory.

“The poor man’s wisdom is ignored, but the rich man’s joke is taken as advice.” Here, wisdom is judged often by status, not truth.

“Don’t seek to hurt any man, but if any man seeks to hurt you, break his neck.” Basically, don’t start a fight, but don’t volunteer to be anyone’s punching bag.

“A mosquito that sucks blood from the testicles receives the softest slap.” Careful! Some situations are so delicate that even revenge requires self-control.

“Men need money to become a member of their own family.” A painful observation: a man’s respect and voice in his own home are often tied to his wallet; without money, …

“Knowledge is like a garden; If it’s not cultivated, it cannot be harvested.” Knowledge is useless if you don’t keep learning and applying it.

“A goat cannot win a case where the judge sells meat.” Wisdom is knowing that fairness cannot come from those who benefit from your pain.

“Even a poor man feels like a king when he marries the right woman.” The right partner can make a rich life out of very little.

“The young grow strong while the old grow weak.” Accept that your time to lead won’t last forever. Prepare the next generation.

“The youth can walk faster, but the elders know the road.” Energy is good, but experience saves you from unnecessary detours.

“You might win a woman with lies, but you cannot feed her with lies.” Reality check: sweet talk won’t pay the bills.

“The sun does not forget a village just because it is small.” No matter how small or insignificant you may seem, you still deserve an opportunity to shine. Your circumstances don’t make you any less worthy of recognition or possibility.

“One may be lucky today, but tomorrow belongs to discipline.” Luck might open the door, but it’s discipline that keeps you in the room.

“Those who do not move, do not notice their chains.” Sometimes, you only realise how trapped you are when you try to leave.

“When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.” Sort out your internal weaknesses before worrying about external enemies.

“The sheep will spend its entire life fearing the wolf, only to be eaten by the shepherd.” Sometimes, the danger you fear isn’t the real threat. Beware of those you trust to protect you.

“On the day a monkey is destined to die, all the trees get slippery!” This African proverb tells us that sometimes, no matter how hard you try, fate has other plans.

“If a tree does not know how to dance, the wind will teach it.” I’ll leave this one to you. What do you think this African proverb is trying to teach us?

What began as Frank Gashumba’s bold criticism of Uganda’s Balokole pastors appears to have turned into a personal exchange between Gashumba and Pastor Robert Kayanja. (Read summary here) As a result, the ongoing exchange threatens to distract attention from the core issue.

This article steps back from the personalities to examine, through Scripture, the key controversies Gashumba raised about Uganda’s Pentecostal (born-again Balokole) church, as well as the responses to his criticism.

#1. Is Gashumba Persecuting the Church?
Many of the pastors who roared at Gashumba say he is persecuting the church of God, as happened in the early church. Gashumba has always affirmed that he is a Christian who believes in Christ.

So, the question is: can a Christian persecute a fellow Christian, or are there now two classes of Christians, the pulpit Christian who, when he is corrected, assumes persecution, and the floor Christian, who has no right to say anything because he will be branded as the enemy of faith?

Is the pulpit Christian “more Christian” and is the one that could be persecuted?

First, what makes anyone a Christian? Profession of faith in Christ. Simple. Scripture does not create two classes of Christians.

Galatians 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 10:9 – “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

A Christian is a Christian by faith in Jesus, not by title. Pastor and flock stand on the same ground. Modern Christianity often tends to push this aside with the idea of “spiritual maturity,” insinuating that some people are more spiritually grown than others. That may be true, but it does not give the more mature person the right to judge another’s standing in Christ.

Also, a believer’s shortcomings do not make them un-Christian; they make him a Christian still being sanctified, just like all pastors. Truth is, pastors are also secretly living sinful lives, being sanctified slowly. Disagreeing with pastors does not excommunicate anyone from the Body. Gashumba’s opinion may be unpopular among leaders, but unpopular is not the same as un-Christian.

#2. Church Exploitation
The Bible is not silent when religious leaders abuse their office. In the Old Testament, God Himself becomes the prosecutor. In 1 Samuel 2:12-17, Eli’s sons used the priesthood to take the best sacrifices for themselves, and they slept with women who served at the tent of meeting. God judged Eli’s house for it.

Malachi 2:8 – “But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi.”

Jeremiah 23:1 – “Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!”

In the New Testament, Jesus calls out the Pharisees, teachers of the law of God, who were quick to point at people’s sins in public while sinning in private. They used the law to create two classes: the holy class and the sinful class that needed redeeming.

Matthew 23:27-28 – “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs…”

The Brokers of Faith
Jesus is our great High Priest, and any believer has direct access to God (Hebrews 4:14-16) and can ask Him anything and receive it. Yet many church leaders have long made themselves brokers between sinful people and God, with money flowing through that role as tithes and “sowing seed.” That’s the system Martin Luther was fighting.

In reality, tithe theology works like this: the tithe was collected for the Levites, who, by God’s law, weren’t given an inheritance in the Promised Land, were only to do temple work, and had their needs met by the other tribes (Numbers 18:21).

That system was tied to priesthood and a temple that Christ fulfilled and abolished; it stopped working when Jesus came. The New Testament law doesn’t appoint church leaders as the new Levites to have entitlement to the tithe. If anything, the New Testament encourages leaders to work not to burden the flock (Acts 20:33-35, 2 Thessalonians 3:8-9).

In fairness, Paul also teaches that those who preach the gospel may be supported (1 Corinthians 9:14). The point is not that leaders may never be supported, but rather that support is not a legal tithe, nor is it ever a licence for luxury. If the tithe is claimed as law, then all the laws should come with it (Galatians 5:3, James 2:10).

You cannot pick tithe out of the more than 600 commands in the Torah and drop the rest. Ask your leader why he emphasises the tithe while leaving out animal sacrifices and other things.

If we are to give a tithe offering to Christ, our new Chief Priest, it should not necessarily be to the church; Christ has told us where He receives it (Matthew 25:35-40) – “I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat… Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

How often do church leaders in Uganda encourage their flocks to visit the needy in their communities instead of focusing on collecting for the church’s needs? Why don’t leaders simply encourage people to give directly to the needy around them? Perhaps because many leaders do not want to lose the broker role, since they benefit from it.

In a typical Ugandan church, as Gashumba stresses, the pastor drives an SUV while the flock wallows in poverty. The pastor prays for the flock’s needs while his are taken care of by that same impoverished congregation. People even pay exorbitant prices for ‘special prayers’ and ‘holy rice.’ God has a harsh pronouncement on every one of these things:

Ezekiel 34:2-3 – “Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.”

Micah 3:11 – “Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money.”

Jeremiah 6:13 – “From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; prophets and priests alike, all practice deceit.”

Personalising Ministry
Another concern: ministry becoming a family estate. In Acts, churches were led by a plurality of elders (Acts 14:23): “Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord.”

Not one CEO pastor. Today, some churches are registered in the pastor’s personal name, with the wife as co-pastor and the son as an apparent heir. When Gen Sejusa said churches operate like family businesses, he raised a question worth considering, regardless of one’s opinion of the messenger. Jesus said:

Matthew 23:8 – “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one Teacher, and you are all brothers.”

Should a ministry be passed down like a plot of land?

#3. The Trauma Economy
To understand why this fight is so loud, we have to look at where it is happening. Uganda is a traumatised nation: decades of war, the HIV epidemic, unemployment that keeps a whole generation waiting. Into that pain, pastors offer hope. Gashumba offers cynicism. Both, in different ways, feed on trauma.

The poor do not go to pastors because they are foolish. They go because the hospital has no drugs and the job does not come. When the system has failed you, and a man in a pulpit says “God will heal you,” that is not stupidity; it is the only door left open. Which is exactly why exploitation of that hope is so grave. The scripture that applies is not only the one that condemns false shepherds, but the one that describes the true one:

Matthew 9:36 – “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”

So, the church must also ask itself an uncomfortable question: why is its healing found in the cathedral and on the TV programme, and not in the street where the sick line up, and in the wards where people die waiting for medicine? Where is the compassion?

#4. Is It Biblical to Demand a Public Demonstration of God’s Power?
Yes, in a sense. Gashumba’s “show it” challenge sounds provocative, but the Bible records several public demonstrations of God’s power in response to unbelief.

Elijah did exactly that on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18). Jesus raised Lazarus publicly, after four days in the tomb, saying, “I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

When Thomas doubted the resurrection, Jesus gave him proof: “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe” (John 20:27). When Daniel and his friends were threatened with death if they failed to tell and interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, God showed His power. So did He with Joseph before Pharaoh.

If Gashumba is genuinely struggling to believe, what he needs is an answer, not just criticism. It is an opportunity to strengthen his faith.

But we must also be honest about what Jesus said to people who demanded a sign merely to test Him:

Matthew 12:39 – “A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.”

The difference lies in the heart. Thomas wanted to believe; the Pharisees wanted to trap Jesus. If Gashumba’s challenge is a genuine search for truth, he deserves a patient answer. If it is meant only to humiliate, he may not receive the sign he demands.

Only God knows his intentions. But the Pentecostal church should not use that distinction to avoid accountability.

Could God Be Using This Confrontation for Good?
Two good things could come from Frank Gashumba’s demands.

Correction and revival: God has often used criticism to clean His house. God has often used criticism to bring correction. If the church is indeed corrupt, Gashumba’s challenge could force some self-examination and spark revival in Uganda’s born-again church.

Restoration of Faith in Miracles: If a pastor visits an ICU and a verifiable miracle happens, it would be a powerful testimony that John 14:12 still holds: “Whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these.”

This Is Important for Gashumba, though…
God’s ways are complex. He can use people like Gashumba to correct His people, yet still hold them accountable. In the bible, He used Babylon to punish Israel, then judged Babylon for it (Jeremiah 25:12; Zechariah 1:15). Satan entered Judas, whose betrayal served God’s salvation plan, yet Judas met a tragic end (Luke 22:3; Acts 1:18).

If God is using Gashumba to cleanse the church, he should also be mindful. Being used by God does not necessarily mean being approved by God. This is why Gashumba needs prayer, not just applause or insults.

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#5. The Test of a True Miracle
The church and its critics keep debating whether miracles happen. But Scripture points to another test: the character and teachings of the person performing them.

Deuteronomy 13:1-3 – If a prophet’s sign or wonder comes true, but he says, “Let us follow other gods,” you must not listen to him. “The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Matthew 7:22-23 – “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

A miracle is not proof of God’s anointing. Character is. A leader who leads you into greed, dependence on him or something other than Christ has failed the test.

Theatre or Power of God?
Gashumba does not deny God’s healings; he questions whether what is presented on some pulpits is real. He suggests true miracles are logical, such as prayer working alongside cancer treatment. Here, he is mistaken. Medical treatment is one way God heals, but Scripture shows it is not the only way. Biblical miracles were often supernatural and defied ordinary explanation.

For instance, Jesus healed a blind man with mud made from saliva (John 9:6-7).

Acts 5:15 – “People brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.”

Acts 19:12 – “Even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured.”

These miracles would look dubious today, and they would be called satanic. Yet they happened.

Why, then, are some modern Christians uneasy about miracles? Three possible reasons stand out: (a) the apparent absence of undeniable miracles, despite Mark 16:17-18; (b) allegations of staged miracles in churches; and (c) the commercialisation of miracles through appeals such as “sow a seed for a miracle”.

Consider also where Jesus healed people. Not in a brightly lit cathedral or on TV, but among the people:

Matthew 9:35 – “Jesus went through all the towns and villages… healing every disease and sickness.”

Luke 4:18 – “He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free.”

He went where the sick were because He had compassion, not for self-actualisation or glory. He did not advertise healing crusades or conferences. If church leaders are following Christ’s compassion, they should not be offended when Gashumba asks them to go to the ICU.

#6. Touch Not My Anointed: What Does It Really Mean?
The verse most quoted by angry pastors and those defending them in such situations.

Psalm 105:15 / 1 Chronicles 16:22 – “Touch not my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.”

We must first ask how anointing works in the New Testament compared with the Old. In the Old Testament, anointing involved prophets pouring physical oil on kings and priests. In the New Testament, anointing comes through the Holy Spirit and belongs to every believer. The Bible calls believers a royal priesthood, and every believer shares in this anointing, including Gashumba himself, not only pastors.

1 John 2:20 – “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.”

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 – “Now it is God, who… anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us…”

#7. Gashumba’s Sin Was Not the Question, But the Mockery
The question “Are pastors faking miracles?” is fair, and Scripture invites us to test claims (Acts 17:11). Gashumba was wrong in how he raised the issue.

Ephesians 4:29 – “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs.”

Calling pastors “miyaayu” is a blanket insult. He was no longer testing fruit; he was touching believers, including honest pastors who never took a coin from the poor. Even if some are fake, the label hurts the genuine ones.

On the other hand, pastors hurling insults at Gashumba make two mistakes. First, they are touching God’s anointed too, because he is a believer. Second, they are trying to defend a God who doesn’t need defending. In the old statement, when the Ark stumbled, Uzzah reached out to steady it, and God struck him down (2 Samuel 6:6-7). The Ark did not need Uzzah’s help. If these pastors are truly anointed, God will fight for them. They did not need to curse back; instead, let God vindicate.

Romans 12:19 – “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

#8. Robert Kayanja Cursing Frank Gashumba
It was reported that Pastor Kayanja pronounced a curse on Gashumba: “Your own blood will kill you.”

Scripture records prophets with the power to curse. Elisha cursed youths who mocked him, and bears mauled them (2 Kings 2:23-24). Elijah called fire from heaven (2 Kings 1:10). Peter confronted Ananias and Sapphira over their lie, and both fell dead (Acts 5:1-11). So, we cannot dismiss the possibility that such words can carry weight.

But those are not Christ-like attitudes. Look at what Jesus did when His own disciples wanted the same:

Luke 9:54-55 – “When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, ‘Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?’ But Jesus turned and rebuked them.”

The New Covenant ethic is restraint and forgiveness (Matthew 5:44; Romans 12:14). Having power does not make its use right, especially when anger drives it.

More seriously, the curse “your own blood will kill you” appears to draw on Old Covenant ideas of inherited family curses. Yet under the New Covenant, Christ took the curse upon Himself:

Galatians 3:13 – “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.”

Even in the Old Testament, God rejected the idea that children should bear the guilt of their parents:

Ezekiel 18:20 – “The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child.”

Using curse theology to silence a critic and frighten his family is not an exercise of apostolic authority. It is spiritual abuse.

#9. Why We Must Pray for Gashumba
Everything can be used for the good of the church. But like Judas, who played a part in the salvation plan through Jesus’s death, the vessel used for a difficult task often pays a price. If God has allowed Gashumba to be the irritant that provokes reform, he needs our prayers, not our stones, lest he end like those whom God used and then judged.

Romans 8:28 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

#10. The Way Forward for the Pentecostal Church in Uganda
Pastors must not use sacred things, such as miracles, reverence and authority, for personal gain (1 Peter 5:2).

Christians must read the Bible for themselves: The Bereans examined the Scriptures daily to see whether what Paul said was true (Acts 17:11). If they checked Paul, we must check everyone, even pastors. Do not just believe everything you are told.

Rediscover faith in miracles: Study what the Bible actually says about miracles, so that unbelief born of disappointment doesn’t replace faith in God’s extraordinary power.

Study church history: The rot in the church is not new. It has long existed, especially when kings and rulers infiltrated and shaped religion for money and power. The Catholic and Anglican churches are not innocent either. Modern Pentecostal excesses may be more visible because they involve individual leaders rather than entire institutions.

So Before Castigating Pastors:
Study how the early church in Acts lived. Sharing was for everyone, not just leaders. The church was powerful, not docile, and it practised accountability. Then ask how far our denominations have moved from that model.

Study how the Old Testament temple system, with Levites who depended on the tithe (Numbers 18:21), was fulfilled and abolished in Christ (Hebrews 7:12; 8:13).

Ask your leaders why some Old Covenant practices, such as tithing as a law, remain mandatory while others, such as animal sacrifices, do not. How much of the old worship system are we carrying into the New Covenant, and why? Why do priests still wear gowns and hats and swing incense in ways that resemble Old Testament practices? Did Christ not bring that system to fulfilment?

The church does not need to win an argument against Frank Gashumba. It needs to win back its credibility, compassion for the sick on the streets, and faith in the living Christ.

Compiled by Mwesigwa Joshua.

For William Kimera, a passionate 50-year-old farmer and community mobilizer, the journey to becoming a pioneer of agroforestry began most unexpectedly, at a dusty local pitch in Kyondo sub-county.

As a lifelong lover of nature, Kimera grew up watching his father plant eucalyptus and macadamia gardens. But it wasn’t until a chance encounter after a football match that Kimera realised his family’s passion could become a vehicle to lift his entire community from poverty.

“For my case, I’m a footballer,” Kimera recalls. “There was one member of staff at ECOTRUST who attended those competitions. After the match, he talked about ECOTRUST and tree planting. I had never heard of it, but having talked about it, I became interested.”

The interest quickly turned into a green revolution in Kisanga village in Kyarumba Town Council, Kasese District. He learned about the Trees for Global Benefits (TGB) program, an initiative that pays farmers for the carbon sequestered by the trees grown.

Sceptical but curious, Kimera and his fellow cooperative members from Kyarumba Banywani Tree Farmers (KBT) made an exchange visit to MIFA, a neighbouring SACCO that had also benefited from ECOTRUST, to see if the “cash for trees” was real. “They were,” he exclaims.

Returning home inspired, Kimera immediately set to work. He enrolled in the TGB program in 2015 and planted his first 200 trees that same year. He chose a diverse mix of species, including Grevillea, Mahogany, Albizia, Macadamia, and various fruit trees, especially Mangoes. Kimera carefully selected each variety not just for timber, but for climate modification, firewood, bee forage, and, in the case of Albizia, to shade and nourish his coffee plants.

The financial structure of the program provided immediate relief, but true wealth lies in the long-term vision, as he explains.

“When I first heard about the program, I loved it because I had never heard about anyone being paid for simply planting trees. My first thought was how this could relieve our people from poverty. I mobilised the community, which embraced the program, and indeed, they have not ashamed me. They have grown the trees, and the cash is changing their lives.”  Kimera says.

The ongoing carbon payments act as a bridge, helping the farmers and their families while the green investments mature.

“According to the training we received, this money is for motivation and maintenance so that people don’t cut down their trees prematurely. While the short-term payments help us manage our homes, the long-term target is what excites us. When we did the calculations, we realised a farmer can get over UGX 100 million if they maintain their trees until harvest time.”

For Kimera, forestry is not about replacing agriculture; it is about enhancing it. By practising agroforestry, he has watched his crop yields and farm biodiversity grow. This healthy environment inspired him to start beekeeping as well.

“I have integrated my trees directly into my coffee plantations. Species like Albizia provide natural manure to the soil, and our coffee yields have heavily increased. Meanwhile, the Toona ciliata and Macadamia trees have increased our honey production because of their heavy nectar.”

The partnership with ECOTRUST also helped Kimera’s cooperative buy a pulping machine. This allows them to process raw coffee cherries into high-value parchment coffee, making Kimera incredibly proud as a group leader.

“Through the support of ECOTRUST, we’ve gone from just growing coffee to adding value. We received pulping machines to process red cherries into parchment coffee, and now we are drying, grinding, and packaging our own brand. It has completely changed our business.”

The environmental benefits of the tree-planting initiative have been felt far beyond Kimera’s farm. The trees have improved the local weather and protected the land from harsh weather. They have also brought peace to a long-standing conflict between local communities and the nearby national park.

“The rains we are receiving these days have increased compared to the past because of these trees. Soil erosion, which used to be a massive problem for us here, has been minimised, and the trees are even consuming the fumes from local grinding and processing factories to clear our air.”

Importantly, planting indigenous medicinal trees on private land has stopped dangerous encroachment into gazetted wildlife areas.

“People used to illegally encroach on the National Park looking for herbal medicines. Many would get trapped there, arrested, and suffer in prison. Today, those conflicts have been minimised because we have planted our own herbal medicine trees right in our gardens to treat common ailments.”

Now a father of five, Kimera is making sure the roots he has planted run deep into the next generation. He spends his afternoons teaching his children the delicate art of forest management, ensuring that his family’s relationship with the land remains unbroken.

“I am raising my children to love the environment. Even if you visit my home today, my children will gladly show you where our trees are. I involve them in pruning, weeding, and protecting the forest from fires. I teach them the use of each species so that they can keep this heritage alive long after I am gone.”

Most of us never question monthly bills. Yaka, water, rent, internet, girlfriend, TV money leaves the account every month like the monsoon winds are sweeping it away, and we shrug and call it ‘this Museveni country.’ Truth is, we are so addicted to this city life that we never think about how much it drains our pockets and sanity, and we are so in love with calling a friend for an urgent ka-10K!

Because if you actually sit down and think about it, almost none of those costs have to be paid monthly. It just takes upfront money and a plan. And I am not even a genius.

Step One: Buy The Land, Or Put It in Place
Everything else on this list depends on this one decision, so get it right first.

Land you own outright lets you do anything you want on it without asking anyone’s permission. Rented land, or land you’re still paying off, keeps you one disagreement away from losing everything you’ve built on it.

Go for rural or peri-urban land zoned agricultural rather than urban plots; it’s cheaper to buy, carries lower ongoing property rates, and gives you room to run a farm rather than a garden box. Get the title properly searched and registered before you build anything. Skipping that step to save a bit of money is how people lose land they thought they owned. And get a lawyer; LC chairmen will fleece you.

Once the land is yours, everything below becomes a construction project instead of a negotiation.

Water: Dig Once, Drink for Decades
A borehole is the single biggest lever here; once it’s drilled, your water bill is essentially gone for good.

Add a solar-powered pump, an elevated tank, and rainwater harvesting off your roof as backup; Uganda’s rains make this genuinely worthwhile. Get the water tested before you drink it straight; shallow groundwater here can carry iron or bacteria you’ll want filtered out first.

Power: Let The Sun Send the Bill
Uganda’s sun shows up to work daily, making solar sizing far more predictable than in other places. Start by tallying what you actually use: every appliance, its wattage, hours per day. Most households in Uganda land somewhere between 5 and 15 kWh per day. Build from there: enough solar panels to cover it, a lithium battery bank to ride out a cloudy day or two, a hybrid inverter to tie it together, and a small generator kept strictly for emergencies, not daily use.

Get quotes from installers who’ve actually been around a while; after-sales support in this market varies wildly, and a cheap install with no support is a bad trade.

TV: Pay Once, Watch Forever
This one is simple. Buy a television with a built-in DVB-T2 tuner, or a standalone free-to-air decoder, usually at UGX 70,000 to 120,000, and you get NTV, NBS, Bukedde, UBC, and the rest with no subscription, ever. Look for the Signet or UCC compliance mark and buy from a licensed dealer; many knockoff boxes are floating around that aren’t worth the savings.

Want more than local channels? A satellite dish paired with a proper FTA receiver opens up a much bigger world, hundreds of genuinely unencrypted international channels beamed from satellites like Intelsat 20, Eutelsat, and Astra, covering news (Al Jazeera, Press TV, BBC-adjacent feeds), religious programming, documentaries, and African diaspora content. In Uganda, people usually reach for StarSat-branded boxes, Strong receivers, Zgemma units, or generic combo boxes sold as “Q-Box” on Jumia and in electronics shops around Kampala.

Food and Fuel: Make the Land Earn Its Keep
Museveni’s One-acre model is not as bad as we think. Divide your land into modest plots with a vegetable patch, some fruit trees, and a handful of chickens or goats.

If you’re keeping animals anyway, add a biogas digester: manure and kitchen scraps turn into cooking gas, and your charcoal bill quietly disappears. No livestock yet? A fast-growing woodlot does the same job for firewood, turning a monthly purchase into something your own land produces.

A composting toilet closes the loop even further; no sewage bill, and it feeds straight back into the compost heap.

The Costs that Don’t Look Like Bills but Are
A few expenses hide in plain sight because nobody labels them “utilities,” but they behave exactly like one:

Charcoal and firewood – solved above with biogas or a woodlot.
Fuel for transport – an electric motorcycle charged off your own solar setup.
Airtime – WiFi-powered calls (WhatsApp) instead of buying telecom credit.
Bank fees and loan interest – a SACCO for savings, an emergency fund instead of borrowing.
Private security subscriptions – a solid wall and a couple of dogs, the old rural standby.

Put Some Money to Work, Not Just into the Ground
Everything above is about cutting expenses. But there’s a second half to real financial independence: making your money grow on its own, without you having to farm it or fix it. That’s where the stock market comes in.

Uganda has its own securities exchange, the Uganda Securities Exchange (USE), where you can buy shares in publicly listed companies and government or corporate bonds through a licensed stockbroker. Shares give you a stake in a company’s profits (paid out as dividends) and its growth in value over time. Bonds pay you fixed interest for lending money to a government or company, generally steadier and lower-risk than shares.

The appeal for someone chasing self-sufficiency is simple: unlike a borehole or a solar array, this is money that works for you without any maintenance, land, or supervision. A portion of whatever you would otherwise spend on rent or subscriptions is redirected into a mix of shares and bonds over years, building a second income stream that isn’t tied to your farm, your health, or the weather.

A few honest notes: this isn’t free money, and it isn’t guaranteed. Share prices go up and down, and you can lose money as well as make it. Spread your money across several companies and a mix of bonds rather than betting on one stock, and treat it as a long-term holding, not something you touch every month. I’m not a financial advisor, so talk to a licensed stockbroker or financial advisor before you commit real money; they can walk you through the actual companies and bonds on offer and what fits your situation.

Where This Leaves You
Nothing here gets you to absolutely zero. Property rates, government taxes that keep appearing from nowhere, occasional equipment servicing, and basic legal compliance tend to stick around no matter how self-sufficient you get. But land, water, power, television, food, and a chunk of your fuel costs really can move from “money out the door every month” to “paid for once,” and the money you free up from cutting those bills can go straight into shares and bonds that quietly grow while you’re busy running the farm.

Buy the land first; everything else follows from that one decision.

Compiled by Mwesigwa Joshua

At least 211 people contracted HIV in Kampala every week between July 2025 and June 2026, according to a KCCA study. The study recorded 11,241 new infections over the 12 months, equivalent to about 937 per month, and an average of 30 new cases a day.

Reviewing 649,570 HIV tests conducted at health facilities across Kampala, women accounted for 64% of the total HIV tests and 62% of new positive cases, while men made up 38% of new positive cases. Although most people tested were aged 20–24, new positive cases were highest among people aged 30–39.

Presenting the results, KCCA’s care and treatment lead, Dr Douglas Tuhumwire, attributed the increase to factors including sexual activity in massage parlours, spas and lodges, domestic violence, structural inequalities and social media-influenced exposure, although further investigation is needed.

Health stakeholders have called for stronger HIV prevention efforts, particularly among young people, amid concerns over declining funding for HIV programmes. They also pointed to stigma, discrimination and gaps in awareness as continuing challenges.

Kampala currently stands at 88% for people who know their HIV status and 78% for diagnosed people enrolled on antiretroviral treatment. However, 97.5% of those on treatment have achieved viral suppression, surpassing the third UNAIDS 95-95-95 target.

The figures were presented at the 2026 Kampala HIV/TB Stakeholders’ Meeting on Friday, 21 August, organised under the Reach out Mbuya Community Health Initiative’s PEPFAR-supported HIV/TB project.

World Nature Conservation Day stands as a critical global reminder that the finite natural resources that keep our world in balance, our air, water, soil, forests, wetlands, and wildlife, demand our careful, collective stewardship.

Uganda is currently facing a severe deforestation crisis, losing 23% of its tree cover between 2000 and 2020. Because the country’s economy relies heavily on small-scale farming, this forest loss is largely driven by the expansion of agricultural land, alongside logging and fossil fuel extraction.

This crisis reflects a harsh global reality. In 2025 alone, the planet lost about 4.3 million hectares of tropical rainforest. This continuous loss is worsening the global climate crisis, leading to more frequent and severe fires, floods, and droughts that directly impact local communities.

When we lose plant and animal species, the natural systems we rely on begin to break down. This directly threatens our food supply, health, and economy. World Nature Conservation Day reminds us of these connections, urging us to act before the damage becomes permanent.

Since 1999, the Environmental Conservation Trust of Uganda (ECOTRUST) has spent nearly three decades changing how we protect nature. They have pioneered creative funding methods that make conservation financially rewarding for local communities. ECOTRUST’s mission is to connect people with nature by ensuring that protecting the environment also helps them earn a living.

Through its landmark Trees for Global Benefits (TGB) initiative launched in 2003, ECOTRUST designed a market-based carbon financing system that treats landscape restoration as a sustainable business.

By linking smallholder farmers to the voluntary carbon market, ECOTRUST has empowered over 54,000 households across major ecological landscapes to plant native trees, restore degraded soils, and generate reliable income, proving that performance-based green finance can turn local populations into long-term environmental stewards.

Building on this 27-year foundation of green finance, ECOTRUST is now leveraging new technology and financial frameworks to address a critical ecological emergency: the fragmentation of the Northern Albertine Rift.

The tropical forests of the Albertine Rift are home to an incredible amount of Africa’s wildlife. This single area protects 52% of the continent’s bird species, 39% of its mammal species, 19% of its amphibians, and 14% of its reptiles and plants.

However, rapid deforestation and land damage have broken these forests into isolated patches. This has created a severe crisis for Uganda’s remaining 5,000 endangered eastern chimpanzees, forcing them to walk through human farmlands to get from one forest patch to another.

To drive urgent action, ECOTRUST introduced the Bio-credits program, a community-led framework designed to restore these vital forest pathways.

The program targets a pilot area of approximately 2,000 hectares, focusing heavily on a land area of 1,228 hectares connecting the Bugoma and Wambabya forests, alongside ten patches of highly degraded community land earmarked to become community reserves between Budongo, Kasongoire, and Mukhihani.

By utilising biodiversity credits as economic incentives, the project supports local forest owners and communities in restoring the riverine and moist semi-deciduous forests that serve as crucial physical stepping stones for wildlife.

Through collaborative partnerships with local organisations, government bodies, and international agencies, this initiative blends rigorous biodiversity assessments and community capacity building to catalyse a transformative shift in landscape preservation.

True nature conservation is an ongoing commitment to working together for a sustainable future. The importance of this day stems entirely from its connection to our quality of life when habitats are looked after, wildlife thrives, human health improves, and our shared future becomes more secure.

By working with smallholder farmers, ECOTRUST is planting native trees and creating pollinator-friendly garden patches to store carbon and restore local habitats.

These initiatives actively reduce reliance on charcoal to decrease localised logging pressures, supporting sustainable local agri-businesses such as beekeeping, livestock farming, and shea nut oil production.

As the world marks World Nature Conservation Day, ECOTRUST’s 27-year journey highlights the power of combining conservation with community empowerment. Through innovative financing models, restoration initiatives and sustainable livelihood programmes, the organisation has shown that protecting nature can also create economic opportunities and build a more resilient future for communities and ecosystems.

As the Transformative Approach to Sustainable Landscapes and Livelihoods (TASLL) project officially winds down, key implementation partners recently gathered for a high-level stakeholder engagement to review achievements, evaluate challenges, and secure a robust sustainability plan.

The TASLL Northern Uganda project targeted the critical conservation of over 65,548 hectares of natural forest in the Agoro-Agu landscape, an area in the Acholi sub-region spanning Lamwo, Pader, Kitgum, and Agago districts. To combat local deforestation, the project set out to sustainably reforest 15,000 hectares by planting 6 million native trees, intentionally extending these restoration efforts into refugee-hosting communities.

While the sudden end of funding from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) was a major talking point at the engagement meeting, ECOTRUST leadership made it clear that such contingencies are always incorporated into project design.

“We received word from the donor that they are unlikely to provide additional funding,” noted Freddie Kalibwani, representing ECOTRUST. “However, the design of this project already anticipated its conclusion. We prepared for this exit strategy, and our message today is clear: we are ready. How do you exit a forestry project? You stay with your trees. We are going nowhere because the trees are right here. We are now transitioning from TASLL to Trees for Global Benefit (TGB), falling back on our mother program. Projects may come and go, but we remain. We are committed to staying by the side of these households for another 25 years.”

This structural shift moves local farmers into ECOTRUST’s long-running Trees for Global Benefit (TGB) program. Gerald Kairu, the Head of Programmes at ECOTRUST, emphasised that local communities will receive full support throughout this next phase.

“We are ensuring that the activities don’t stop here; they continue,” Kairu explained. “That’s why we call it transiting from the donor-funded FCDO to the ECOTRUST-supported Trees for Global Benefit project. We are still around, so we shall continue supporting these farmers until they join the carbon project. They sign what they call the carbon sales contracts, not land contracts.”

Over its two-year implementation cycle, the project achieved remarkable milestones across the landscape, conducting home visits to digitally map 5,000 farmers, training 22 local tree nursery operators, and planting a total of 508,820 trees including naturalised species like teak (Tectona grandis) alongside nutritional fruit trees such as jackfruit and avocado.

To drive the adoption of indigenous species, the team conducted 45 community meetings, resulting in the planting of 416,488 native trees across 1,041.22 hectares. Continuous digital tree-tracking proved highly successful, revealing that an exceptional 98.6% of the trees monitored from the 2025 planting season were in good, healthy condition.

Beyond environmental restoration, the project placed a heavy emphasis on social inclusion and household economic resilience. Using Gender Action Learning Systems (GALS) tools, 3,430 community members comprising 2,227 males and 1,203 females were trained in collaborative land-use planning.

ECOTRUST is also moving quickly to establish market-based sustainability enterprises, such as apiculture and shea value chain enterprises, to boost immediate household incomes while communities wait for long-term carbon yields.

“We want to construct a centre of excellence in Pader and honey collection centres in Lamwo and Agago,” Kairu highlighted. “The intention is to support our people to improve their livelihood. There’s nothing else to benefit from this; the moment you improve somebody’s livelihood, you have done your job.”

To guarantee long-term success, sustainability arrangements will be integrated with District Local Government development plans, working closely with technical and political teams, including; Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs), District Forest Officers (DFOs), District Community Development Officers (DCDOs), Local Council 3 and 5 chairpersons, as well as the National Forestry Authority (NFA), and the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE).

“We are deeply grateful for this project because it has directly contributed to our targets in the District Development Plan, particularly in establishing woodlots and boosting local livelihoods,” said Richard Ociti, the Lamwo District Environmental Officer and project focal person. “The milestones achieved so far are remarkable. Moving forward, our focus is to continue supporting our beneficiary groups to ensure these benefits are sustained, while empowering others to learn and reap as much as they can from this initiative.”

Proscovia Kisembo, the Regional Coordinator for the project, expressed profound gratitude to this institutional network for their unwavering support since the initiative’s inception in 2024.

“I would like to thank the district leadership that has worked with us since 2024, with support towards the mobilisation of farmers to participate in the project, supply of seedlings, and monitoring of the planted trees,” Kisembo said. “We look forward to working with the leaders as we head towards the transition.”

While physical project offices in Agago, Lamwo, and Pader will close to streamline costs, operations are consolidating into the regional Kitgum hub, ensuring that the environmental and economic roots planted over the last two years remain permanently anchored in the community.

Communities across northern and western Uganda are beginning to experience the benefits of the Forests and Protected Areas for Climate Smart Development (IFPA-CD) Project, an initiative implemented by NIRAS International Consulting and its consortium partners, the Environmental Conservation Trust of Uganda (ECOTRUST), Green Life International and Havilla Company Limited, under the Ministry of Water and Environment with funding from the World Bank.

The project, which came to an end on 30th June 2026, was being implemented in 19 districts, with the aim of restoring degraded landscapes while improving household incomes through commercial tree growing. The districts included: Adjumani, Amuru, Lamwo, Obongi, Moyo, Arua, Koboko, Yumbe, Madi-Okollo, Kiryandongo, Hoima, Kagadi, Kikuube, Kibaale, Kakumiro, Kyegegwa, Kitagwenda, Kyenjojo and Kamwenge.

Working closely with district and sub-county local governments, the project has identified interested farmers and supported them with quality tree seedlings and technical guidance. Farmers have voluntarily offered land ranging from 0.25 hectares to nearly 10 hectares for tree planting.

Although the project was originally designed to run for several years, it was implemented over nine months, prompting the consortium and the Ministry of Water and Environment to focus on achieving 40% of the overall target area. Despite the shorter implementation period, several districts have surpassed their targets, with Adjumani, Amuru and Yumbe recording remarkable performance.

Besides supplying seedlings, the project has emphasised proper land preparation, quality standards and farmer participation. Communities have been trained in the importance of planting the right tree species, preparing planting pits and managing their woodlots to ensure high survival rates and long-term benefits.

According to Deziderius Irumba, Community Engagement Expert at NIRAS International, the project has generated strong interest among communities, with many people continuing to register even after the exercise had officially closed.

“One of the biggest impacts we have seen is the enthusiasm among communities. People have embraced tree growing because they understand its value. We have also ensured quality standards and prepared farmers properly so that the trees planted can provide lasting benefits to families and reduce pressure on natural forests,” said Irumba.

He explained that the project has introduced a different approach from previous initiatives by ensuring that farmers willingly participate, select tree species based on their needs and are digitally mapped to simplify monitoring and future support. The project has also promoted family ownership of woodlots, which is expected to strengthen sustainability.

In addition to supporting livelihoods, the project has promoted environmental conservation by encouraging communities to plant trees for timber, poles and firewood, thereby reducing dependence on natural forests while contributing to climate change mitigation.

Inclusiveness has also been a major priority. NIRAS has intentionally worked to ensure that women, youth, older persons and persons with disabilities participate in the project. Through gender assessments, training and awareness campaigns, the project has created opportunities for vulnerable groups to benefit from tree growing.

Nagawa Gladys, Gender and Safeguarding Expert at NIRAS International, said the project has exceeded its target for women beneficiaries.

“Our target was to have women account for 10% of the beneficiaries, but we have reached 16%. We are also encouraging families to give women and young people access rights to land so that they can benefit from tree growing and improve the welfare of the entire household,” she said.

As part of the project’s efforts to promote environmental conservation, NIRAS and its partners recently joined Adjumani District Local Government to commemorate World Environment Day at Arinyapi Seed Secondary School. The school was selected because it is located in an open area with limited shade and is vulnerable to strong winds. District leaders and the school administration had also expressed the need for support to improve the school’s environment.

According to NIRAS, the trees planted at the school will provide shade, serve as windbreaks and create a better learning environment for students in the future.

With strong collaboration between NIRAS, ECOTRUST, Green Life International, Havilla Company Limited and local governments, the FPA-CD Project is demonstrating that restoring landscapes and improving livelihoods can go hand in hand. As communities continue to embrace tree growing, the initiative is laying the foundation for a greener and more resilient future for Uganda.

Adjumani District has emerged as the best-performing district under the recently closed Investing in Forests and Protected Areas for Climate-Smart Development (IFPA-CD) Woodlots Programme, surpassing its five-year target and strengthening the supply of timber, poles, fuelwood and other plantation products in refugee-hosting communities.

Implemented by the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Water and Environment with support from the World Bank, the programme seeks to improve sustainable forest management while creating economic opportunities and increasing tree cover in areas that host refugees.

According to project records, Adjumani had been allocated a target of establishing 368 hectares of woodlots over five years. However, the district exceeded expectations by establishing 544 hectares, making it the top performer among the districts covered under the programme.

Amuru District followed with 482 hectares against a target of 412 hectares, while Moyo surpassed its target of 184 hectares by establishing 219 hectares. Lamwo also registered impressive progress, achieving 291 hectares against a target of 255 hectares. Obongi District, which had the smallest target of 93 hectares, nearly doubled it by establishing 160 hectares.

The achievements come despite the programme experiencing delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the time required to bring implementing partners on board. Although initially designed as a 5-year initiative beginning in 2020, implementation was delayed and eventually compressed into a shorter period.

Speaking about the project, Denis Emmanuel Oweka, Regional Coordinator for the IFPA-CD Project in the West Nile North-East region, said the programme was designed to support refugee-hosting communities through commercial tree growing while at the same time contributing to environmental conservation.

“The objective of the project is to supply timber, poles and firewood to refugee-hosting areas while also increasing tree cover and contributing to climate change mitigation,” he explained.

He noted that the growing demand for forest products in refugee settlements presents a ready market for farmers.

“We are looking at tree growing as a business. Communities living near refugee settlements have an opportunity to supply timber, poles and firewood directly to the camps, creating an additional source of income for households,” he said.

The programme is being implemented through a consortium comprising NIRAS, Environmental Conservation Trust of Uganda (ECOTRUST), Havilah Company Limited and Green Life International. ECOTRUST has taken the lead in community engagement, farmer mobilisation and training, helping farmers understand tree growing as a long-term investment.

Farmers under the programme have been trained in land preparation, proper spacing, pitting, weed management and pest control. They have also been guided through what the project calls a “Vision Road Journey,” enabling them to plan for the long-term benefits of commercial forestry.

The project has promoted fast-growing clonal eucalyptus species that mature within 3 to 5 years, providing farmers with quicker returns. In addition, farmers have planted Tectona grandis (Sudanese teak), which produces high-value timber and can mature within eight to fifteen years under good management.

Beyond generating income, the woodlots are expected to provide environmental benefits, including carbon sequestration, improved air quality and increased resilience to climate change.

The exceptional performance recorded in Adjumani and other districts demonstrates the willingness of communities to embrace tree growing as a viable enterprise. It also highlights the growing importance of sustainable forestry in supporting livelihoods and addressing the increasing demand for forest products in refugee-hosting areas.

As the programme finally closed, its achievements leave behind a strong foundation for commercial forestry and environmental restoration, with Adjumani standing out as a model of what can be achieved through community participation and strategic partnerships.

As the project nears its end, the two-year Investing in Forests and Protected Areas for Climate-Smart Development (IFPA-CD) MAS Project is concluding its operations under the Government of Uganda’s Ministry of Water and Environment. Funded by the World Bank, this initiative focuses on implementing intensive, mixed-use agroforestry systems on household plots.

By integrating trees, crops, and livestock into local farming setups, the project aims to counter environmental degradation, boost land productivity, and improve food security and livelihoods across nineteen refugee-hosting districts in Northern and Western Uganda.

The massive project relied on a strong network of partners for its field execution. Catholic Relief Services (CRS) served as the primary consultant for the ministry, partnering with NIRAS International Consulting Uganda and the Environmental Conservation Trust of Uganda (ECOTRUST). As a sub-consultant, ECOTRUST took the lead on managing community implementation within five specific refugee settlement districts: Kamwenge, Lamwo, Kagadi, Kakumiro, and Kitagwenda.

Through inclusive community mobilisation, the IFPA-CD MAS Project set ambitious targets to reach 87,782 households and restore 17,550 hectares of degraded land. As the two-year intervention wrapped up, its real-world impact was celebrated locally. In Kagadi District, the project recognised and rewarded more than 20 outstanding model farmers across four sub-counties, honouring their exceptional commitment to tree planting and sustainable farming practices that will safeguard the region’s climate future.

Through the project, each farmer received over 5,000 tree seedlings of different species, which they planted and nurtured on their farms, demonstrating strong environmental stewardship. The project focused on planting indigenous tree seedlings such as Albizia, Prunus africana, Grevillea, Terminalia, Maesopsis, and Mahogany.

“These particular seedlings were supplied to the farmers because they align with agroforestry practices and have a higher survival rate in the region based on our review process. The species were also selected and distributed according to individual farmer choices,” said Christopher Byamukama, the project officer for the IFPA-CD MAS Project in Kagadi District.

In recognition of their efforts, recently, each of the model farmers was awarded two goats to strengthen household incomes and improve livelihoods at the Kagadi District headquarters where the handover was carried out.

The distribution marked an important close-out activity of the IFPA-CD MAS Project in Kagadi District, which has been among the best-performing districts under the World Bank-funded initiative.

Kagadi District LCV Chairperson Tumusiime Elly commended the farmers for their dedication, noting that their efforts have made them role models within their communities.

“The agroforestry initiative will improve soil fertility, restore rainfall patterns, and support sustainable livelihoods, while the distribution of goats is expected to boost household incomes through breeding and livestock production. I encourage farmers to view these animals as capital for the future, rather than a quick fix for immediate challenges,” Tumusiime said.

Across all implementation areas, the project aimed to promote agroforestry adoption among 87,782 households. In total, 25,314 farmers were reached against a target of 25,807, demonstrating strong performance across districts. Kagadi District emerged as the top performer, reaching its target of 7,180 households.

This reflects strong community participation and commitment to integrating trees into farming systems to improve soil fertility, food security, improve livelihoods, and promote climate resilience.

Under the land restoration component, the project aimed to restore degraded landscapes and strengthen ecosystem services. Kagadi District once again exceeded expectations, meeting and surpassing its target by planting trees across 1,420 hectares of land.

These efforts have contributed to improved watershed protection, increased tree cover, and enhanced environmental sustainability.

Community engagement was strengthened through the Farmers’ Voice Radio approach, which uses radio as an innovative way of providing vital information to farmers while promoting two-way dialogue between farmers and experts. The approach was implemented through Kibale Kagadi Community Radio, often known as KKCR 91.7 FM, enabling farmers to interact with experts on radio, share challenges, and receive agricultural information and practical guidance in local languages.

Tom Kizza, a model farmer from Isunga sub-county, shared his experience: “Before the project came, I had a coffee garden but lacked knowledge about the importance of shade trees. Through the project’s training, I learned how integrating trees into my farm could improve coffee production and protect the environment. Through the project, I received over 700 tree seedlings, including mahogany, grevillea, coffee, and cocoa, and I am proud that all of them are growing well. I have also gained a lot of knowledge from the Farmers’ Voice radio program, and I am confident that I will take proper care of these animals to boost my returns even more.”

Abigaba Patrick, the District Forest Officer and focal person for the project in Kagadi District, also appreciated the initiative, noting that the project’s training and the distribution of tree seedlings and goats will help communities improve their incomes while protecting forests.

“In Kagadi District, over 60% of the forest reserves have been degraded. Working through this project is enabling the district to restore these degraded areas while improving the livelihoods of rural farmers by providing alternative sources of income. As a district, we have also noticed a growing understanding among community members regarding the importance of nature protection,” he said.

‎On Thursday, 11 June 2026, students, local leaders, conservation experts and development partners gathered at Arinyapi Seed Secondary School in Adjumani District in Northern Uganda to commemorate World Environment Day with a large-scale tree-planting exercise.

‎During the activity, a total of 5,000 high-quality clonal eucalyptus trees were planted across 5 acres of the school woodlot. To ensure optimal growth, proper spacing and long-term sustainability, the trees were planted at a standard spacing of 2 by 2 meters.

‎The activity was implemented under the Investing in Forests and Protected Areas for Climate-Smart Development (IFPA-CD) Project, which is ending this month, June 2026. This project is an initiative of the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Water and Environment, funded by the World Bank, and implemented by a consortium comprising NIRAS International Consulting, The Environmental Conservation Trust of Uganda (ECOTRUST), Havilah Company Limited and Green Life International.

‎In Adjumani District, this initiative has achieved outstanding success. According to the project’s performance records, Adjumani set a target to establish 368 hectares of institutional woodlots. Today, the district has exceeded this target, reaching 601 hectares.

Furthermore, from a target of enrolling 1,000 local farmers into the programme, ECOTRUST’s community mobilisation has surpassed expectations, registering 1,085 farmers. This brings Adjumani’s overall project progress to 108.5% against original targets.

‎As the lead partner in community engagement and model farmer enrolment, ECOTRUST coordinated the tree-planting exercise, managed the layout setup, mobilised the community, and worked with students and district local leaders in Adjumani to ensure the successful establishment of the school woodlot.

‎The choice of Arinyapi Seed Secondary School was deliberate. According to district leaders, the area is among the most affected by climate change in Adjumani District. The area experiences extreme heat during dry seasons and severe flooding during rainy seasons, making environmental restoration a priority.

‎Speaking during the event, Adjumani District Natural Resources Officer Charles Gayoyo said the tree-planting exercise aimed at protecting important water sources and preparing communities for the growing effects of climate change.

“Arinyapi is one of the areas most affected by climate change in Adjumani. During the dry season, it becomes extremely hot, and when it rains, the area experiences flooding. Our goal is to protect the Tete River catchment and River Nile. If we plant more trees, we will protect our water resources and strengthen our environment for future generations,” he said.

‎The event also highlighted the progress of Arinyapi Seed Secondary School, which has grown significantly since it was established. School administrators welcomed the tree planting initiative, saying it will improve the school environment while providing long-term benefits to learners.

‎Deputy Head Teacher Dricih Festo Lahn was grateful for this offer through the district level, when he stated, “We are grateful that our school has been selected for this important tree planting exercise because it will help improve our environment and support future generations of learners,”

‎To improve the survival rate of the trees, ECOTRUST introduced aqua soil technology, which helps retain water around the roots during dry periods. “We are using aqua soil technology to help the trees survive during drought,” said Denis Emmanuel Oweka, ECOTRUST Regional Coordinator for the West Nile Northeast Region covering Adjumani, Moyo, Lamwo, Amuru and Obongi districts.

“ECOTRUST is leading community engagement, training and farmer enrolment to ensure communities understand the long-term value of environmental conservation. Today, we brought 5,000 seedlings provided by NIRAS to this school, and the students are actively participating. These learners will grow together with these trees and become future custodians of the environment,” Oweka said.

‎Local leaders encouraged students and community members to protect the trees and recognise their economic value. They noted that tree planting can improve livelihoods while contributing to climate action.

‎Adjumani District Vice Chairperson LC5, Geoffrey Obulejo, urged the school community to take ownership of the woodlot and protect it from destruction.

“The trees we are planting today will beautify the school and protect the buildings from strong winds. Trees can also become a source of income. Personally, tree planting changed my life and helped me generate income over the years. That is why I encourage the students and the school administration to protect these trees and ensure they grow,” he said.

‎NIRAS International Consulting, which serves as the lead contract holder with the Ministry of Water and Environment, appreciated ECOTRUST for the successful mobilisation and partnership.

Speaking on behalf of NIRAS, Deziderius Irumba, Community Engagement Expert, noted that the success of the project is being driven by strong community participation and ECOTRUST’s effective mobilisation efforts.

“NIRAS manages the project on behalf of the Ministry of Water and Environment, but conservation requires teamwork. We are pleased to see strong community participation and registration levels exceeding our targets. Also, the trees belong to the community and the schools. They will contribute to livelihoods, environmental protection and long-term resilience,” he said.

‎Through the support of the Government of Uganda, the Ministry of Water and Environment, the World Bank, and implementing partners led by NIRAS, the initiative is helping communities fight against climate change while improving people’s livelihoods.

In an effort to combat environmental degradation and uplift the livelihoods of communities, the Government of Uganda (GoU), through the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE), with financing from the World Bank (WB), designed the Investing in Forests and Protected Areas for Climate-Smart Development (IFPA-CD) Project. The project’s overall objective is to improve the sustainable management of forests and protected areas while increasing the benefits that surrounding communities derive from forests within targeted landscapes.

Component 3 of the project specifically focuses on refugee-hosting areas and is funded under the Refugee Sub-Window of the International Development Association’s (IDA) 18th funding round. The component promotes the establishment of tree cover in landscapes outside protected areas, contributing to sustainable forest management, enhanced landscape resilience, and improved livelihoods for both refugee-hosting and surrounding communities on private and customary lands.

Under this framework, the Intensive Mixed-Use Agroforestry Systems on Household Plots (MAS) Project was launched at the beginning of 2025 and is scheduled to conclude in June 2026. The innovative two-year initiative is designed to increase the adoption of intensive mixed-use agroforestry practices across 19 targeted districts in Western and Northern Uganda, particularly in communities hosting refugees or located within a five-kilometre radius of refugee settlements.

ECOTRUST is leading implementation in five project districts, while Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) oversee implementation in the remaining districts. Although the MAS project is set to end in June 2026, ECOTRUST will continue engaging farmer beneficiaries to ensure the long-term survival and management of the trees planted, including onboarding them into the existing Trees Grow Back (TGB) Project to sustain the project’s impact beyond its implementation period.

By integrating trees, crops and livestock, the project aims to transform traditional farming systems, enhance land productivity, restore degraded ecosystems, improve food security, and secure sustainable livelihoods.

Central to the sustainability of this forest conservation initiative is providing farmers with viable, alternative sources of income. To achieve this, the Environmental Conservation Trust of Uganda (ECOTRUST), in partnership with Catholic Relief Services (CRS), is implementing a crucial component of the project: supporting selected “model farmers” in various parishes, including Palabek Nyimur, Palabek Kal, Aceba and Agora.

Beyond tree planting, ECOTRUST is committing to long-term community resilience by helping farmers branch into diverse business ventures, such as livestock farming, beekeeping, honey production, and shea nut and oil processing.

“The selected model farmers are our pioneers,” explains Lamwaka Grace, ECOTRUST’s project coordinator, Lamwo District.  “We hope to work with them as they improve their livelihoods and inspire those around them in the community. This initiative enables our farmers to have alternative sources of income while they actively conserve the environment,” she adds.

To boost their livelihoods, model farmers have been provided with ruminant animals, specifically goats, to serve as a direct reward and incentive, directly improving household wealth as farmers continue their reforestation efforts.

The success of the project rests on the deep local expertise of its participants. The selected model farmers possess extensive knowledge of indigenous crops, livestock, and tree species perfectly adapted to local climate and soil conditions. Furthermore, they demonstrate strong community leadership, environmental stewardship, and a long-term commitment to the project’s success.

Among these pioneers is Alice Achan, a dedicated tree grower from Agora sub-county. Working with ECOTRUST, Achan has already planted more than 1,760 trees, blending white teak (indigenous timber) and various fruit trees.

For Achan, the addition of livestock to her farm is changing life.

“When these animals grow and multiply, I will sell them to help pay school fees for my children and take care of the family,” Achan says. “I will also be in a better position to get more money to reinvest in and support my farming.”

A core pillar of the IFPA-CD project is its strict commitment to gender equality and social inclusion. In many rural hosting communities, women bear the brunt of agricultural labour but rarely see the financial rewards or decision-making power.

According to Odong Cosmos, the Assistant District Veterinary Officer (DVO), prioritising women in this project is not just fair; it is economically vital for the region.

“Gender sensitivity in this project is crucial,” Cosmos notes. “In our community, a disproportionate amount of work has historically been left to women. Therefore, more women need to be actively involved in projects like this, ensuring they can directly improve their own livelihoods as well as those of their families.”

While the official mixed-use agroforestry project is a time-bound, two-year initiative, local leaders are confident that its impact will endure. The strong institutional presence of organisations like ECOTRUST ensures that communities will not be abandoned when the initial project cycle ends.

“We have been working closely with ECOTRUST to protect the environment and support local livelihoods through different projects,” says Justine Peace Odur, the Chairperson LC4 of Lamwo district. “Even with the eventual closure of this specific program, I am confident that ECOTRUST will continue its monitoring and support of the farmers in this region.”

By blending ecological restoration with real financial incentives, the IFPA-CD project, Intensive Mixed Use Agroforestry Systems on household Plots, is laying down deep roots for a climate-resilient future in Uganda’s most critical landscapes.