Past Projects

Most of PFAI’s past projects are ongoing. The following are a few of the projects that have continued to benefit their communities.

* Lira Palwo Livestock Project

Living in internally displaced people’s (IDP) camps severely reduces the capacity of communities to generate income. Therefore, as a pilot project PFAI partnered with the Lira Palwo Women’s Groups and provided 10 cows and 15 goats to the most impoverished and vulnerable widows of Lira Palwo, Pader district. Each beneficiary donated the first offspring to the group allowing more members of the community to join the project. The majority of the women in this women’s group now have livestock and the number is still increasing. Once all families have livestock, the women’s group will begin selling the excess livestock to generate even more income for the community.

* Pit-Tek Grinding Mill

While working with the Pit-Tek Women’s Group to identify an income generating activity that could be employed in their community, the community identified a grinding mill operation as a potential option. PFAI raised the funds to purchase and donate a grinding mill. Since then, this multi-purpose initiative has provided a source of additional income for the locals employed by the grinding mill; it has acted as a source of additional revenue for the community to support other income generating activities managed by the group; and it has provided grinding services at a subsidised price to group members.

An example of one of the past projects the grinding mill supported was a temporary youth learning centre. The centre conducted both formal and informal education lessons twice a week for about six hours covering topics such as peace and conflict resolution, tolerance and co-existence, and reading, writing and arithmetic. Lessons were conducted both in English and the local language. On lesson days, children were provided with breakfast.

One of the future goals is to use the communally generated funds to begin other social and income generating projects.

* Agriculture Support Project

As part of the PFAI’s income generating initiatives and in partnership with communities, PFAI provided two women groups, Pawodi and Gum-Pero, with farm tools. Each group got a pair of oxen and ox plough, pangas, and hoes. The groups owned these tools, with individual group members entitled to their use. These tools are meant to increase the land acreage used and the agriculture output levels of the beneficiaries. PFAI also provided training to the beneficiaries in bookkeeping and marketing.

Currently, the women’s groups are renting out the oxen and ox plough services at subsidized rates to third parties to boost their revenues.

* Youth Learning Centre

Most of the people previously living in IDP camps in northern Uganda are suffering from the psychological effects of the war. If this trauma is not properly addressed it can become the basis of further violence within the resettled communities.

PFAI was previously supporting 61 children who were orphaned by the war or whose families were killed by HIV/AIDS. The Learning Centre provided lessons on peacebuilding, coping strategies, and basic skills training. The centre also provided three meals a day to the orphans.

The project has since been discontinued as the community in which the centre was located has disbanded.

* Traditional Dance Project

PFAI has trained seven traditional dancing groups in the areas of peace and conflict resolution. These dancing groups act as agents of peace, spreading the message of peace through dance and song. Six other groups are awaiting training.

* Primary School Virtual Exchange Program

PFAI has conducted peace awareness campaigns in two primary schools in Pader District. The pupils were taught the importance of learning to live peacefully with one another, forgiveness for those who have wronged them, and tolerance towards others, particularly those from different cultures or who have different beliefs. The students were then linked with youth in Kitchener, Canada through a drawing exchange, using art as a medium to share their experiences and understanding of peace. From here, PFAI hopes to expand the program and use the internet (such as Skype, MSN, etc.) as an alternative medium to exchange ideas

Registered Charity Number: 85776 9558 RR0001