200 Street-connected youth benefit from commercial farming training
Martine Ojara Mapenduzi, Director of Gang Wa Peace Farm and Member of Parliament for Bardege-Layibi Division in Gulu City, stated that the trainees have become agents of transformation within their communities
GULU, April 29, 2025 — A total of 200 formerly street-connected youth are now reaping the rewards of commercial farming training received at Gang Wa Peace Farm in Pabwoo Village, Gulu district. The farm equips young people with practical skills in horticulture, commercial animal husbandry, and essential life skills.
In recent years, youth from Gulu district have benefited from training in various agricultural enterprises including horticulture, piggery, and poultry farming. This initiative is spearheaded by Gang Wa Peace Farm with support from AVSI Foundation and Hashtag Gulu, a Gulu City-based community organisation that supports children and youth living or working on the streets.
Erick Bush Aliker, one of the beneficiaries, trained in piggery and poultry farming. He later received 200 day-old chicks from AVSI Foundation, which supports education, job creation, health, youth livelihoods, and vulnerable communities in Northern Uganda.
Despite losing 21 birds, Aliker successfully sold the remaining 179 chickens to a buyer in South Sudan at Shs 45,000 each, earning a total of Shs 8.055 million.
He reinvested part of the proceeds in livestock, purchasing four cows and six goats, which have since multiplied to seven cows and eleven goats. “I am now saving money to buy a large piece of land where I plan to establish a commercial farm,” Aliker said.
Another beneficiary, Irene Aloyo, who trained in poultry keeping, now runs her own poultry project. She sold some of her birds to purchase a sewing machine, which she now uses to generate additional income for her family. She says the earnings from both ventures help her pay her child’s school fees.
Similarly, Charles Ojok, a piggery trainee, started with three piglets received from Hashtag Gulu. He now owns 11 pigs, although he sold some earlier to buy a two-acre plot of land in Paicho, where his mother has since relocated to engage in farming.
Michael Ojok, Director at Hashtag Gulu, said the success stories from the trainees clearly demonstrate that with the right training and support, youth can transform their lives and those of their families and communities.
“The knowledge they acquired has helped them empower themselves and support their families. From the testimonies we’ve received, that vision is being realised,” Ojok added.
Martine Ojara Mapenduzi, Director of Gang Wa Peace Farm and Member of Parliament for Bardege-Layibi Division in Gulu City, stated that the trainees have become agents of transformation within their communities.
“Society often overlooks street-connected youth, yet with support, they can make a positive impact,” he said.
The trainees were awarded Level One and Module Completion Certificates under the Directorate of Industrial Training. According to Mapenduzi, more vulnerable youth, including orphans and those formerly living on the streets will soon be enrolled in the programme.
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