Success story From Hardship to Hope Through Farming and Community Transformation

Success Story

Success Story of Ejaga Zuberi

My name is Ejaga Zuberi, a 50-year-old father from Melanga Village, Akuru Parish, Kululu Subcounty in Yumbe District. I am married to two wives and blessed with seven children. Before 2022, life was extremely difficult for my family. We lived in a dry, stony area that was mainly an animal corridor. Farming seemed impossible. I had only four goats, two cows, and no means of transport. We barely had one meal a day, and my children were struggling in under-resourced schools—four at Mengo Primary School and one at Aringa Secondary. I didn’t prioritize education, and domestic violence was common in my household due to the stress and hopelessness we lived in.

Everything changed in June 2022, when Caritas Arua, supported by Caritas Denmark and the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), approached me with a proposal to use my land—200 acres—for a consolidated farm to support both host and refugee communities. Initially, I was hesitant. I thought my land was too rocky and useless for farming. But with encouragement from the OPM and Caritas, I agreed and also registered as a beneficiary. I started small—just one acre—planting cassava and sesame after receiving training on group dynamics and good agronomic practices. That first harvest surprised me: 200 kg of sesame and 22 bags of cassava. I was motivated and expanded to two acres the next season, adding groundnuts. In 2023, I harvested 45 bags of cassava and 22 bags of groundnuts. The turning point came in 2024, when I sold 500 bags of cassava cuttings, earning UGX 10.5 million. This enabled me to start building a better home and send all five of my school-going children to better schools in Arua City. This year, I expanded to five acres of cassava and groundnuts. So far, I’ve sold 1,000 bags of cassava cuttings, earning UGX 20 million—an amount I had never seen before in my life. I used part of this money to buy a Bajaj motorcycle worth UGX 6 million, giving me reliable transport.

Today, life has completely transformed. We now eat three meals a day. Food security is no longer a concern. My children are receiving quality education. I can afford proper healthcare. Domestic harmony has returned to my home. Over 550 refugees are now using my land for farming. Even my siblings and father are benefitting. The local economy has also improved. Before Caritas' intervention, cassava flour cost UGX 2,000 per kg. Now, it's just UGX 400, making food more affordable for everyone. I am forever grateful to Caritas Arua, Caritas Denmark, and the Government of Uganda for turning what seemed like barren land into a source of life, hope, and prosperity. Long live Caritas. Long live Uganda.
Story By: Abiria Sunday Agronomist Caritas Arua