Victory Gardens from Uganda to Iowa

Victory gardens became popular during WWII when the president’s wife encouraged people to grow crops in order to feed their families. They once more became popular in the US as our economy seems to be suffering.
Hope 4 Women decided to try victory gardens in Uganda and provided funds to Smile Africa, one of our Ugandan partners, to purchase seeds and supplies. Pastor Ruth called together 300 women and discussed how to plant and care for the gardens. The women were then given seeds and sent out to plant their crops. An overseer visited the gardens offering advice, spraying, etc as the crops came into being.
Each woman has been instructed that at the harvest she is to bring in 5,000 shillings from her profits and set aside enough money to fund next season’s garden. The 5,000 shillings ($2.50) from each woman will be put into a fund to pay for the person who goes around to the garden spraying for bugs, etc. It will also pay for the spray. With each harvest Smile Africa will be able to front more women with seeds.
We are seeing the harvest coming in and the women are filled with joy as they show off their beautiful crops. One woman sold her vegetables and had enough money left over to pay back the ministry and to rent a larger plot of land for her next crops!
As they prepare for the next season of planting Smile Africa will have a walk-behind motorized plow to aid them in plowing bigger plots.
Hope 4 Women provided funds this season to Outreach to Africa in Western Uganda and are looking forward to seeing how the crops do in that part of the country.
Our goal is to have 1500 gardens in one year. The ultimate goal is for Uganda to feed its children.
My husband Robert promoted the idea of victory gardens in Uganda and was thrilled to see a community garden in Forest City, Iowa. We visited the garden and were told community members are free to come to the garden and take what they need for their families. I’d love to see more of these here at home as well as in Uganda!