• Smart Change International helps landless and hungry families in Northern Uganda (Arua & Koboko) grow their own food and feed themselves indefinitely. 

• Smart Change International was founded in 2002 by the late Alice Layiki-Dehne. It all started when some of her mother's neighbours in Arua, Uganda invaded her house to steal food because they were hungry. Alice responded by helping those neighbours grow their own food. 

• So far, more than 70 families in Arua and Koboko who previously had no land and no food, have started growing their own food with the help of Smart Change International. Check out the pictures of some of those families.

The Smart Change methodology is very simple:

• • For a landless family in need of food, Smart Change makes a one time investment to secure a plot of agricultural land.

  • Smart Change provides seeds and simple agricultural tools.

  • Knowledgeable community elders volunteer as consultants to ensure good agricultural methods and yields.

  • Encouragement workshops lead by volunteer "graduates" of Smart Change help hungry families raise their self esteem and become active in shaping their own future.

  • In total, Smart Change makes a one time investment of $300 - $550 per family (depending on family size). From the first harvest, families feed themselves but also sell some surplus on the village market to obtain the funds to secure the land for subsequent years. This way, the solution becomes sustainable and permanent.

Smart Change Uganda is in charge of executing the Smart Change methodology in Northern Uganda (Arua & Koboko).

Smart Change Canada is in charge of fundraising to help more hungry families grow their own food.

How your donations are invested:

• Depending on family size, a landless and hungry family needs two to four acres of land to feed themselves. Smart Change makes a one time startup investment of approx. $100 per acre to secure the land.

• Smart Change makes a one time investment of between $100 and $150 per family to provide seeds and simple agricultural tools.

• With this one time investment, we enable a previously landless and hungry family to feed themselves indefinitely without any further financial assistance.

• 100% of your donations are invested in securing land, purchasing seeds, and purchasing simple agricultural tools. All gardening work is done manually. Out there in the hot African sun, families are working hard to feed themselves. Check out the pictures of some of those families.

• All members of the Smart Change organization are unpaid volunteers. For travel to Uganda or inside Uganda, our members pay all travel expenses from their own pocket.

Summary: 

A one-time investment of $300 - $550 (depending on family size) enables a previously landless and hungry family to feed themselves indefinitely without any further financial assistance.