b'SEEDING AFUTUREBy JEAN KUHIRWA RWOMWIJHU, World Ark contributorPhotographs by JOSEPH MUHUMUZAROBINA AKELLO IS JUST OVER 5 FEET TALL,Robina is from the district of Dokolo in SLIGHTLY BUILT AND SOFT SPOKEN, herNorthern Uganda, a region that, from the late 80s delicate features disguising the resilient 22-year- to 2006 suffered the scourges of a prolonged war old mother that she is. The third born in a familybetween the government and rebel forces. of eight children, Robina is bright and intelligentTogether with the ravages of an HIV/AIDS and had the potential to excel at school and, thus,epidemic that endured from the early 80s increase her chances of accessing thethrough the mid-90s, the conflict damaged opportunities it might have provided.community, social and economic structures, like However, her journey of formal education wasschools and health facilities, and resulted in a cut short when she fell pregnant with her son,high incidence of poverty.now 2, and had to drop out just before moving onToday, agriculture forms the crux of the to secondary level. When the father abandonedcountrys economy, employing about 70% of the her after their baby was born, Robina was lefttotal labor force, most of whom are rural facing what could have been a bleak future.producers whose farms have low productivity Fortunately, she refused to give upand she hadand profits. In Dokolo District, where Robina lives, her Heifer self-help group to support her.90% of the population are primarily low-income HEIFER.ORG |21'