29 HIV-positive, orphaned girls who are the head of their households are learning an innovative, sustainable way to grow nutritious food and earn income. This project aims to increase their income by 50%, helping them stay healthy, attend school, and live with dignity in Mpigi District, Uganda.

Local Solution 

SOVHEN is tackling food insecurity and supporting Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) adherence among HIV-positive, orphaned girl-headed households by introducing portable, easy-to-maintain vertical micro-gardens. These gardens ensure a steady supply of vegetables and provide extra income from selling surplus produce.

In communities along Lake Victoria, many HIV+ households face severe food shortages, which affect their health and treatment. Many are headed by young girls who have no extended family or community support, and they spend over 65% of their income on food. Without enough nutritious food, some take ARVs without proper nutrition, risking health problems. With input from the 29 girls (aged 11-18), SOVHEN helps their households build and maintain these gardens, enabling them to produce fresh vegetables daily, support their treatment, and generate income.

Over a 3 month period, participants will learn practical skills from Agricultural Extension Officers, including how to assemble garden boxes, plant vegetables, breed earthworms for fertilizer, and maintain the gardens. The handmade boxes are made from locally available wood treated with neem extract to resist weather, pests, and decay. Within 3-4 weeks, they can grow cruciferous vegetables and Irish potatoes in less than 10 square feet. This simple, affordable solution is especially vital for young girls without family support, giving them control over their nutrition and income.

SOVHEN’s experienced team provides hands-on training and supervision. Local artisans help produce the garden boxes, ensuring sustainability and community ownership. The project also teaches participants how to plant, maintain, and harvest their gardens, equipping them with skills to continue growing food and earning income long after the project ends.

Lives Improved 

In the short term, 29 households will access fresh, nutritious food daily, improving their health and ART adherence. They will also earn about 10,000 UGX daily from surplus produce, benefiting approximately 116 family members with school fees and access to healthcare.

Long-term, these households will maintain their food supply, improve health, and increase income, enabling children to stay in school and families to thrive. We expect visible improvements in food security, health, and income within one year.

Community Impact

The community will see the project as successful when 80% of households are able to sustain their micro-gardens and income. Additionally, ART adherence and school attendance among children should increase by 50%. The micro-garden model is expected to be adopted and scaled by the community, creating a lasting impact beyond the initial households.

Budget 

The total budget is UGX UGX22,284,211(or € €5,348), allocated as follows:

• Raw materials for garden boxes
• Labour for constructing the boxes
• Seedlings and plants
• Earthworm breeding stock for organic fertilizer
• Training and support materials
• User manuals
• 5% to iMPACT direct for facilitating direct donations to local solutions (which helps to cover costs of the website, promotion and proposal writing, costs of financial services, and the support to NGOs).

Own Contribution: SOVHEN has secured UGX 880,000 in initial funding. Three staff members, including Dr. Richard Bbaale, provide free technical expertise in agriculture, engineering, and community mobilization.

Testimonial 

“Food shortages make it hard for us to manage our HIV treatment. Sometimes we take medication without eating, which weakens us. Thanks to the micro-gardens supported by SOVHEN, we now have fresh vegetables daily. This helps us stay healthy and attend school regularly.”  Rihana, 16, girl-head of her family