This is How change ignites: Lokoru's story

📍 Karamoja, Uganda

My name is Lokoru Calisto, and I live in Karamoja, Uganda. I’m 38 years old.

All my life, I’ve struggled to provide food for my family. When someone got sick, I couldn’t take them to hospital. We simply couldn’t afford it.

But everything started to change when I joined a community group supported by Vision Terudo, Tearfund's partner here in Uganda. I’ve learned so much—about hygiene and sanitation, about farming as a business, how to grow kitchen gardens, and how to manage my finances.

Because of these trainings, I’ve been able to improve the food and nutrition in our home.

And with the savings I’ve built up through the group, I’ve even been able to buy more land so I can grow more crops. Our chances of going hungry have gone down a lot.

Still, the weather here is difficult. We face long droughts and sometimes sudden flash floods. It’s not uncommon for families to lose everything—crops, animals, and income.

Even though we try hard to adapt, there are seasons when things get too hard. In those times, Vision Terudo steps in with emergency support.

I’ve received food through their Emergency Food Distribution program during a time of great hunger. That food sustained us for three months.

Vision Terudo also helped our group connect with government programs. Our group became one of the best-performing in the region.

One of the things that’s helped us the most is the special fast-growing seeds they provided. These seeds produce better harvests and allow us to grow more throughout the year.

Now we grow peanuts (locally called ground nuts), sesame (simsim), and beans (green grams).

We’ve also planted a kitchen garden with sweet potatoes, pumpkins, cassava and peas—so our family can eat a variety of nutritious foods.

We no longer have to search for food, and my children are healthier. That’s why I’m committed to continuing our garden.

Our biggest prayer now is for a well.

If Vision Terudo can get support to help us drill one, we could grow even more—larger gardens and bigger fields. Water shortages hold us back. I also wish there were a way to reduce the damage caused by floods.

I look back on where I used to be—and where I am now. If I’ve made it this far, I believe there’s even greater change ahead.”

Lokoru shared his story with the Vision Terudo team as a testimony to the change taking place in his community. We’re grateful to Lokoru and honoured to pass it on.