At ROWH, we believe in equipping families to deal with the challenges that they face each day. We have installed a grain mill machine in Bukuma village to help vulnerable families mill and preserve their grain through what they call the “hungry season”, a situation of extended droughts or if crops destroyed by severe weather changes.
In Uganda, food security is a major concern. Many families do not have enough food to last through the “hungry season” between harvests, as a result, more than one in four children under the age of five has stunted growth. In the north, the peace returned, but poverty, a lack of protection for children, and a lack of food, create dismal human conditions. There are an estimated 1.5 million people living in camps for internally displaced persons, of whom 80 percent are women and children, with very limited access to land for cultivation, clean water or health and education services.
The grain mill is a timely project as much of East Africa is highly susceptible to extended droughts and famine. With this tool, we can reach vulnerable villages and/or respond swiftly to humanitarian relief missions, especially in the hunger stricken areas. Bukuma Village’s location is on the main highway to South Sudan, which is one of the hardest hit regions of famine.
Families can mill their grain at a subsidized cost and mill proceeds are first designated for fuel and maintenance of the mill. Surplus funds go to Hope Clinic for the purchase of medication for local residents. The mill also contributes food supplies to a HIV/AIDS community group and to Save the Elderly Uganda, a local NGO.