My name is Kade Rose. I’m 39 years old and originally from South Sudan. In 2018, my family and I fled to Uganda because of the violence back home. We settled in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement, Zone 1, Village 2. Life hasn’t been easy.

I’m married to Wani Alex, and we have four children. For a long time, we survived only on food aid from the World Food Program. But the food was never enough. Sometimes, the rations didn’t even last until the next distribution. The beans we received were often the only sauce, and my younger children sometimes refused to eat them, even when they were hungry. I would try to make porridge just to give them something different.

Things started to change in 2020 when we heard about an organisation called AFARD, which was running a project in our zone. I later found out it was called the Strengthening Resilient Livelihoods Project (RELIP). Since only one person per household could participate, my husband joined on behalf of our family and became a member of the Amanzora Farmers’ Group.

The project gave us farming tools and seeds—cassava cuttings, rice seeds, vegetable seeds, hoes, tarpaulins, fruit trees, and even animal traction to help with land preparation. My husband also received training in climate-smart agriculture, nutrition, and kitchen gardening. He shared what he learned with me, and we began growing vegetables around our home. This helped improve our diet in ways I hadn’t imagined. I was so grateful.

From January to June 2025, we experienced a serious drought, and vegetables became scarce in the markets. I used the skills my husband had taught me and applied water conservation methods to grow vegetables like okra and amaranthus. I then started selling what I grew. Within one month, I earned UGX 200,000 from the vegetables, and I used that money to pay school fees for my daughter.

Today, I no longer receive food aid from the WFP. My household is under Category 3, meaning we produce our own food. My husband and I work together in the garden. My children now eat better, healthier food. They look strong and happy. I feel proud when I look at them. We are still supported by AFARD’s team, who visit and continue teaching us more about backyard gardening and climate-smart farming. I also see the impact on my neighbours, many of them have started their kitchen gardens after seeing ours. All I ask is for access to land. With that, I know we can feed our families and live with dignity.