DRDIP strengthens community resilience through fish farming in Kyegegwa

In the heart of Itambabiniga watershed situated in Kyaka II Refugee Settlement, Kyegegwa district, a story of resilience, environmental protection and economic freedom is unfolding. It lays bare the power of transformative community-driven initiatives.

Fish farming  preserved  Itambabiniga wetland, Kyegegwa

Within Itambabiniga; three villages: Humura, Ruchinga Central and Bukere B have been transfigured when a group of 95 (58 women, 37 men) committed members joined hands. They were propelled by the Office of the Prime Minister's Development Response to Displacement Impacts Project (DRDIP) to invest, preserve nature, create jobs while extinguishing poverty within their community.

The group wrote a fish farming sub-project proposal which was approved and funded by DRDIP to a tune of Shs56 million. The group was supported by technical experts from a local partner to set up the fish farm. They paid for the services of the experts by themselves. Group members actively took part in the project implementation. Through, Labor-Intensive Public Works (LIPWs) methodology, each member could earn up to Shs5,500 per day: of this; each saved Shs1,500 and went home with Shs4,000 for each day of work.

Some of the catch from Itambabiniga pond

Testimonies revealed that the daily earnings through LIPWs to members enabled them to acquire household assets, support school going children and open up small family businesses. Concile Ndikumagene 41, a group member said, “I bought two goats, and five chicken using my savings before deciding to start up a small family shop”.  “I bought solar after renovating my house and the money also helped me to buy clothes for my children”, another beneficiary shouted out proudly during a visit. 

Itambabiniga wetland, was a death trap before it was transformed into a fish farming point, according to local residents. There was uncontrolled flowing water and people used it for dumping rubbish. The odor was agonizing with incessant contamination causing pollution of the environment. The fish farm installation was useful in restricting unfriendly activities and with fencing, the place is now a clean and well protected income generating arena.  

The project also controlled pressures from crop farmers, sand harvesters, brick makers who were driving the wetland towards extinction. These activities had affected aquatic life, but now sounds of frogs and other living things have returned, indicating a successful revival of the ecosystem.

At the same time, communities are benefitting from the fish. "The wetland restoration is not just about fish, it's about reclaiming our environment”, says Innocent Bahati, the Community Project Management Committee Chairperson. “Our community wetland is now a symbol of resilience", he boasts.

Bahati revealed that the group have so far earned revenue amounting to Shs3,850,000 from fish sales. “We have started saving accrued profits as a group so that we can think of expanding the project by ourselves”. Bahati said, "through DRDIP, we've learnt not just to fish for today, but to manage our resources for the future”.

The initiative is thus fostering a robust saving culture by providing financial foundation to the group and to individual members and households.

"The success in fish sales has opened new doors for us. We are saving, investing, and securing a better future for our families", one member said. A visit to the sub project site showed group beneficiaries actively engaged in stocking fish and harvesting. This demonstrates commitment for long-term sustainability of the project.

The project also incorporated vegetable growing: cabbages, Sukuma wiki, eggplants, and green peppers are planted around the fish pond to enhance dietary and to diversity group and household income. "Beyond fish, we've cultivated a variety of vegetables to enable us to call it a balanced diet at home when we sell to our esteemed customers”, Esther Nikonwabiman revealed.