To ensure goats grow up healthy
320 families are involved in the current three-year rural development project in the Kasese district of Uganda, which is supported by ‘Sei So Frei OÖ’. Some of the families have already received goats. Consequently, training sessions on keeping and caring for the animals took centre stage in July 2026. The participants learnt how to recognise diseases and parasites at an early stage, what is important when it comes to care, and how to provide their animals with feed tailored to their needs. After all, healthy goats grow better, produce offspring and can become an important source of income in the long term. In many respects, these small animals are also better suited than cows: they are significantly cheaper to purchase, better adapted to difficult climatic conditions and can be kept even by families with small plots of agricultural land. At the same time, they provide valuable manure, which can be used as a natural fertiliser in home gardens and on fields.
Knowledge that has a long-term impact
The production and use of organic fertiliser is therefore also part of the training provided by RIFO, which implements the project on the ground. In this way, families learn how to make high-quality fertiliser from readily available materials and use it in their home gardens, which results in significantly higher yields. For many families, this means a noticeable improvement in their diet and, consequently, their health: fresh vegetables provide more variety and essential nutrients in their diet. Any surplus that is not consumed by the family can be sold at local markets. This generates additional income which can be used, for example, to pay for school fees, medicines or other necessary expenses.
Working together for a better future
The practical approach of the joint, weekly training sessions is particularly valuable: participants take turns meeting at a different group member’s home and put what they have learnt into practice straight away at home. They often pass on their experiences to neighbouring families, so that the knowledge spreads step by step throughout the village communities, thereby improving the living conditions of many people.
#absolutelybrilliant when smallholder families in Uganda improve their health and increase their income, thereby moving step by step towards a self-determined future.
