Food Security, Dignity and School Fees

KRMA member Gorretti Abach

“No one in this community can look down on me anymore because I am now highly respected. I can pay my children’s school fees on time without having to wait and see if my husband will have enough money.” 
 
KRMA member Gorretti captures the essence of why krma-US Partners, with your help, supports the cassava agri-business in the far away corner of under-resourced Kobulubulu, Uganda. 

KRMA members share the dramatic impact of this year’s revenues on increased food security and payment of school fees for all of their children. Listen for the hope and sense of dignity that is revealed in their words: 
 
Beatrice, one of the farmers in Kobulubulu and current chair of KRMA, says: 
 “I never imagined I would one day make good money from cassava. Now I can pay tuition and fees on time for my seven children. I can now say to members and to our community how growing cassava has changed our lives. It has done so much for me at a personal level.” 
 
Anna recounted feelings echoed by other KRMA women:  
“I never thought to hold a million shillings in my hands at one time! “ (around $300) "I am so excited about the second year of the Cassava Project! Thank you to donors (who) help us!”
 
Rose said,  “I lent my husband Peter 200,000 UGX so he could start a fish trading
business, and paid school fees for my five children and three step-children. And
now we do not have to worry about enough food.”
 
And from Mary:  “My relationship with my husband is blossoming because we no longer harass each other for money.”
 
At krma-US Partners, we are in the business of building on and strengthening this hope. We believe this happens when women invest in themselves and their children. After this year's harvest, the Ugandan women farmers fulfilled their promise to us and to themselves by retaining revenues from sales of cassava in the amount of 3,500,000 shillings, a staggering amount to them, to be applied to this year's costs of their cassava business. With each crop cycle, they assume more responsibility for their costs.

 Your donations, our efforts -- and the work of the KRMA women -- were recognized at the annual conference of the American Red Cross Overseas Association (ARCOA) by granting krma-US Partners’ the 2016 International Humanitarian Service Award. We are so delighted by this recognition. 
 
Please keep your donations coming!  Send checks to krma-US Partners, 13217 New Hampshire Ave. #4291, Silver Spring, MD 20904, or click the DONATE tab on the website. If you don’t know whether you’ve made a 2016 contribution, please contact us and we will let you know.  Also, please "like" our new Facebook page at www.facebook.com/krmauspartners