DIG in Uganda

Along the steep mountainsides of Southwest Uganda, DIG works alongside communities that are too often overlooked by traditional agricultural programs. Local leaders, farmers, and facilitators are the ones shaping the work, because they understand the land, the challenges, and what their communities need most.

While the area is blessed with two rainy seasons per year, accessing water is a major obstacle. Collecting groundwater often involves traveling long distances. Extreme deforestation has left topsoil bare and, during heavy rains, hillsides are prone to landslides.

While we primarily teach restorative agriculture to improve nutrition and enable livelihoods, our advocacy also fosters productive relationships between these farmer groups and the government, the broader community, and other resources providers in the region. The non-threatening nature of our program allows us to build trust while having a positive systemic influence.

DIG Uganda’s  Commitment

In 2016, a generous grant from Together Women Rise (formerly Dining For Women) enabled DIG to expand our work to include the mountains of Southwest Uganda. What started as a pilot project has grown to have regional impact.

Here, along the edges of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, DIG has adapted our approach to serve three distinctly marginalized groups:

The Batwa, a tribe of conservation refugees, was officially evicted from their forest home in the early 1990s. Stripped of their forest resources, and with no tradition of agriculture, the Batwa have struggled to establish livelihoods and food security. They have a life expectancy reported as low as 28 years old and are often the victims of physical and sexual violence.

People Living with Disabilities – Due to the rugged terrain, poor transportation, community neglect and stigma, the barriers for people living with disabilities to live healthy, productive lives are great.

People Living with HIV – HIV stigma in the region coupled with an isolating mountainous landscape create unique barriers to quality care for people living with HIV. DIG has learned this population is widely underserved and has chosen to prioritize HIV community groups in our expansion plan.

DIG has been working diligently to build trusting relationships with these unique communities, and we’ve adapted our programs to best meet their specific needs.

We are committed to growing our impact in this region for years to come and invite potential partners to contact us with interest.