2022 can only be summed up by saying that GOD IS GOOD! Your continued prayers, support, partnerships, and words of encouragement have made Him tangible in our communities. You helped now train over 1000 under-resourced and forgotten farmers in the most impoverished regions in Uganda. You have provided them with Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) training which is new knowledge for improving their crops, giving them more access to food and income, and making them more sustainable. You provided tools where none existed before, making their work more efficient and effective, leaving room for allowing the farmer to focus on improving other areas on their land to generate more income, spend a little more time functioning as a family, and even more time helping their neighbors.
With your support we have been able to connect directly with the Uganda government Ministry of Agriculture connecting our communities to new sources of support and resources. You have helped ensure that the government knows these communities are there and through our new relationships and the work you have helped accomplish, our communities have been recognized as "model communities" and received 10 newly created jobs in agriculture that the government will fund. They no longer feel forgotten. We have also received the support to form an agriculture cooperative that will include all the farmers we have reached so far (>1000) helping them to reach more resources at an affordable price and connecting them to safe and fair-trade relationships helping to end exploitation.
You have helped start new businesses with micro-loans, from new tomato businesses to selling white ants (termites are a delicacy there), silverfish, ground nuts, and soya bean production businesses.
You have begun to help close the gender gap by educating the communities on the importance, and massive value women add to society by allowing them to have roles in leadership and become business owners.
You have contributed to the development of one of our core values that working together, loving thy neighbor, and implementing the Village Savings Group concept, where we provide a micro-loan to those who have received a micro-loan after saving a certain amount. It has made a real impact, and we are seeing villages help one of their own by pooling their money to help one of their village members get medical support for a child, provide a proper funeral, help cover complicated labor and delivery costs, and so much more.
You have helped grow a new church plant by providing food, chairs and bibles. The new church grew from 12 members to over 250 members this year.
You have supported so much more, enabling these severely impoverished communities to feel empowered and find new hope. Our communities have begun to understand that getting out of poverty is within their control. Being rescued from poverty is not done by outsiders but from within through a change in mindset, helping them seek support from their local and national resources, providing them with new knowledge, and continuing to walk alongside them, encouraging them through their path out of poverty.
Boon means blessing, benefit, good, aid, economic improvement, and a godsend. You have been “the boon” and helped to “create the boon” this year. We are so excited to see what 2023 has in store for our communities, our partnerships, and those advocating for us in helping to “do charity differently”! We are working so hard to “teach them to fish,” and it was all possible because of you!
We are so thankful and love you all so much! We hope you know just how much of an impact you have made, and we hope you have an excellent and fruitful 2023! Please share with your friends and family how you are transforming (creating the boon) the most impoverished communities in the world!
Webale Nyu (Thank you),
Tosha Wallace and The Boon Project Team