The Acholi subregion was the epicenter of Lord’s Resistance Army atrocities. Many young women were abducted as child soldiers, raped, and had children who were culturally deemed illegitimate and thus not considered members of the community. When these women and children returned from the bush and tried to reintegrate into their communities, they frequently were rejected, even by their own families, and left to fend for themselves.

Because land passes through the male side of the family, these women were unable to make claims on their family’s land to ensure their livelihood and survival. And when they  contacted the families of their children’s fathers, typically former LRA soldiers, they were similarly rejected. They, and their children, are no longer recognized as part of any community.

Our project has therefore set aside 12,000 acres, 20% of the entire project land, for sugarcane cultivation by these women. Our projection is that they will have accumulated enough capital over five years to buy their own land. The land was provided to the project by the Cooperatives at no cost because we cultivated the land, a process valued at 300% of the rent over a five-year period.

In addition, the heads of the Farmers Cooperatives and about two-thirds of those employed by the program and heads of beneficiary households are women.