Hello all,
For those of you who read my blog from Haiti, I will apologize now – rarely updated it, and when I did, it was a few sentences as I ran in and out of an internet cafe. This blog, however, I will *try* to keep up.
So I’m going to Africa tomorrow… word. I’m going to Africa to farm… what? For those of you who know me, farming is not my forte (i.e. I’ve never even done gardening in the backyard). So why travel across the world to farm? Good question. Way back in summer of 2010, I received a scholarship from a New Zealand-based organization called Global Volunteer Network. The scholarship prize included a spot in the ‘Be The Change’ course/conference, where I will be learning how to start my own NGO or Non-profit organization, $2000 for travel expenses, and one month volunteering in the country of my choice. So why Uganda? And why the hell am I going to be doing organic farming? When I was deciding where to go, I was bouncing back and forth between childrens programs in Nepal and Kenya. I’ve always loved working with kids, and I know that in the very near future I want to do something sustainable to improve the lives of kids and youth around the world. ‘Sustainable’. That’s where the organic farming comes in. I believe that agriculture is the backbone to any society, and can aid in pulling a community out of poverty. Think about it – in a globalized world, local farmers find it increasingly difficult to compete with the cheap imported food that come from lowering tarriffs. They lose their jobs, the land becomes significantly less arable, and the community they live and farm in is no longer self-sufficient as they are thrust into an extremely competitive global market. Enabling local farmers to create a living for themselves and provide for their community is, in my opinion, a significant step to positive, long-lasting change.
Bringing it back to kids, I’m hoping to create an organization combining education and farming. Having a farm and a school on the same patch of land (obviously if the land allows for such) opens a world of possibilities. In addition to providing food for the students and a source of learning a new, valuable skill outside the classroom, the farms open up new employment opportunities for the local community – putting the power back in the hands of the people who are constantly affected by the decisions of others. That’s one thing that I’m huge on, and the ideals of The Real Uganda (the amazing organization I will be working with in Uganda) are parallel to mine – enable local people to create change in their own communities on their own terms.
This whole idea of mine may confuse some when it comes to logistics. It even confuses me; I have no idea how to go about doing all of the above. However, I’ve been given the most amazing opportunity to learn, both in Uganda and at the ‘Be The Change’ course, and I’m more excited than ever.
Well, I’ll end my first rant here. T minus 5 hours until I leave for JFK to depart on the adventure of a lifetime.
Tunaalabagana!
wakawakaafrica 