Fr. Frank's Creative Strategy to Feed Our Children
In late March, when Uganda was forced into a lockdown, our friend Fr. Frank was unable to continue his work as Dean of Studies at St. Joseph Seminary. Since all public Masses were also forbidden, he reached out to CARITAS in the hope of doing something significant through our Special Feeding Program.
When 24 acres of land were made available to him, Fr. Frank decided to put it to good use by starting a farm! Thanks to funds raised through our Special Feeding Program, Father was quickly able to purchase seeds, farming tools, supplies, and pay local laborers to help work on the land.
For the past three months, they’ve been plowing the fields and planting cassava, corn, beans, potatoes, and bananas, which are all staple foods for Ugandans.
As our next step, we are discussing options for expanding the farm, such as raising pigs and installing a well and irrigation system.
Currently, the farm workers have been spending much of their time carrying heavy buckets of water to the fields, and an irrigation system would greatly save them time and effort, as well as lower expenses.
In addition, a Water Well will also provide a much-needed source of clean water for potentially 5,000 local residents who otherwise must walk 9 miles to and from the nearest ground-surface water supply.
Knowing that Fr. Frank will be going back to his regular priestly duties after the COVID crisis has subsided, we are now consulting with him on how to make this farm sustainable, to benefit the primary school children for years to come.
It’s been very inspiring to see Fr. Frank, who graduated from our Sponsor-a-Seminarian program in 2017, now use his time, treasure, and talent to expand the blessings that our organization brings to his Ugandan brothers and sisters.
Father is very grateful to our CARITAS donors who are making this agricultural initiative possible, and we are thankful to him for his dedicated service as a priest for the Church, a mentor at the Seminary, and even a farmer in the fields!
Click here to learn more or contribute to our campaign to fund Fr. Frank's much-needed water well and irrigation system for the farm!