In 2024, Mill Hill Kotido (Northern Uganda) won the second prize in horizont3000’s Knowlympics by sharing their experience with self-help groups. They decided to use the prize money to organize an exchange visit to their colleagues from Caritas MADDO (Southern Uganda). The visit focused on understanding the implementation and impact of Caritas MADDO’s initiatives, providing invaluable insights and reinforcing their shared commitment to community empowerment and resilience.
Compiled by Lokawa Martin (Mill Hill Kotido) and Mulindwa Joseph (Caritas MADDO).
On June 10th 2024 a small team from Mill Hill Kotido’s Women and Youth Empowerment Project (WYEP) made their long journey from Kotido to Masaka, where Caritas MADDO is located. After a warm welcome and opening prayer led by Mr. Mulindwa Joseph, the Caritas MADDO coordinator, Mr. Joseph delivered a presentation on Caritas MADDO’s history.
Founded in 1979 during the Tanzanian war, Caritas MADDO initially supported refugees in Masaka before pivoting to agriculture to meet the growing community’s needs. Operating across nine districts, the organization employs over 100 staff members and is dedicated to holistic and self-sustaining community development.
The ERI project, a cornerstone of Caritas MADDO’s work since 2013, was a focal point of the visit. The project, now in its fourth phase, aims at strengthening farmer groups and cooperatives, promoting gender equality, ensuring food security, and encouraging climate-resilient practices, for example through the use of energy efficient cookstoves.
Field visits provided first-hand insights into the ERI project’s impact. The WYEP team visited the Rakai Women Group, consisting of 21 members engaged in savings, agriculture, and environmental conservation. Members noted significant improvements in market connectivity, health, adoption of better farming practices. Despite challenges like market price fluctuations and limited access to farming inputs, the group displayed strong cohesion and resilience.
The second visit was to the Nsimbo Farmers and Traders Cooperative Society Ltd, a cooperative of over 426 members focusing on coffee farming. Achievements included value addition to coffee, better market prices, and improved member incomes. Challenges such as transportation difficulties, climate change, and disease attacks were highlighted, but the cooperative’s strong governance and sense of togetherness ensured continued progress.
The WYEP team identified several key learnings of the visit:
Mill Hill Kotido and the WYEP team extends heartfelt gratitude to horizont3000 for their generous support and recognition. Winning the prize at the 7th Knowlympics competition has been a testament to the project's innovative approach. It not only boosted morale but also enabled further collaboration and learning opportunities like the exchange visit. We equally thank our long term and dedicated project partners; Caritas Kärnten, Brothers and Sister in Need and Missio Austria.