The quality of the citizen of country depends on the education systems of that country. As Uganda adopts the Competency-Based Curriculum to match the 21st century skills, many teachers are trapped in the knowledge-Based curriculum that advocates for memorization instead of competency. For such teachers to be equipped with the 21st century skills, their professional Development is key. A well-motivated and equipped teacher delivers the right content using the right teaching methods and strategies. The Field of Hope is one of the organizations in Uganda that takes the professional Development of Agriculture Educators across the country in the centre of its programs. Since 2019, Field of Hope has been conducting teachers training to build the capacity of the agriculture teachers to keep abreast with the 21st century skills.

But what skills do Ag Educators need to teach agriculture in a more inspiring way? Drawing from my own experience, I will share the knowledge and skills that I have built over the years as an Ag educator through either the institutions I attended, professional development or personal experience as an educator which helped me transform my classroom into a lively, hands-on learning environment where students are motivated to learn.

Do you know that the first 5 minutes of your lesson determines how interesting and interactive or boring the lesson will be? Yes, it is critical that you capture the interest and curiosity of the students. This needs a lot of creativity. I use the interest approach. This interest approach should be relevant to topic that you are going to teach, engaging, and provoke critical thinking. This can be a poem, song, a scenario etc.

Example, when introducing a topic on cereal growing, I may ask students to read a bible verse that talks about cereals.

For example, when introducing a topic on cereal growing, I may ask students to read a bible verse that talks about cereals example.

Say: Hello, class? Today we are going to start our lesson by ready a verse in the Bible. Our reading is taken from the book of Leviticus 2:1-11 which reads:

“¹When anyone offers a grain offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour. And he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it. ² He shall bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests, one of whom shall take from it his handful of fine flour and oil with all the frankincense. And the priest shall burn it as a memorial on the altar, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord. ³ The rest of the grain offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. It is most holy of the offerings to the Lord made by fire.

⁴ ‘And if you bring as an offering a grain offering baked in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil. ⁵ But if your offering is a grain offering baked in a pan, it shall be of fine flour, unleavened, mixed with oil. ⁶ You shall break it in pieces and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering.

⁷ ‘If your offering is a grain offering baked in a covered pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil. ⁸ You shall bring the grain offering that is made of these things to the Lord. And when it is presented to the priest, he shall bring it to the altar. ⁹ Then the priest shall take from the grain offering a memorial portion, and burn it on the altar. It is an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord. ¹⁰ And what is left of the grain offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. It is most holy of the offerings to the Lord made by fire.

¹¹ ‘No grain offering which you bring to the Lord shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey in any offering to the Lord made by fir

Ask. What are the key words that you got from the bible verse?

Listen for: Grian, Offering, Priest, Aroma, Oil, Aroma

Say: Thank you all for the answers that you have given. From those I will pick three key words Grain, flour, and Aroma.

Ask. How many of you have ever grown cereals? Which type of cereal did you grow?

Listen for: maize, sorghum, rice, wheat

Ask: What did you use the cereal for?

Listen for: for making porridge, feeding animals, making posho.

Say: Thank you all so much for sharing your experience on cereals. For those that have not grown, we will learn together.

Say: So today we shall learn about cereal growing.

Such interest approach helps connect the learner’s experience to the topic you are going to teach which makes learning more relevant and applicable to their environment. I have had scenarios where teachers mixed interest approach with an energizer. Energizers are intended to get the class excited or awake, and they often do not relate to the lesson that a teacher is going to teach. However, an interest approach builds curiosity and engagement and should always relate directly to what you are teaching.

As an ag educator, you should be personally motivated. Therefore, writing your own teaching philosophy is key. A well thought philosophy will be a good reminder of your values and beliefs or commitment as an educator. To craft a good teaching philosophy, you need to consider your role as an educator, how you expect the students to learn and what teaching methods and strategies you think will make the students understand the concept you are teaching. Here is the creed one of Field of Hope partner teacher pinned on his room.

Knowing your students is critical as an Ag Educator. In every class we teach, there are extrovert, introvert and ambiverts. There are those with different backgrounds and learning styles. Knowing all these personalities helps you in co-creating of instructional materials and selecting methodologies and techniques to use in your classroom.

Are you aware that what we teach in agriculture if not all then most of them our students have interfaced with? That means it is important that we integrate students experience into our teaching. Structuring our teaching from known to unknown makes our students understand the concepts we teach easily. I always build my discussions from what the students know and mention in the classroom, which makes my lesson more interactive and engaging as students feel their experience, ideas and thoughts are valued.

Experience have shown me that agriculture is taught best when you have an outdoor laboratory were students conducts hands-on learning. Therefore, as an Ag Educator try as much as possible to set up a project(s) which the students have experiential learning. This could be in pots, buckets or in the open garden. Learners love to explore agriculture beyond the four walls of the classroom. Schools with limited space, can practice urban farming. I have utilized and witnessed teachers use projects in their communities for pedagogical purposes to interface with and discover solutions to real world challenges in agriculture.

This is a good opportunity to learn from the community and for the community to learn from students or teachers.

It is true that if not all then most schools do not have most of the tools or equipment or resources that the curriculum requires us to teach. Integration of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) has done wonders in my classroom. It makes me access these tools and equipment or resources that are either not available in my school or very expensive to afford. These ranges from virtual reality to simulations or YouTube videos.

Integration ICT in teaching has made my class very interactive and engaging as it helps students to generate questions and conduct research at their own pace.

Coaching and mentoring are key to students that we teach. Remember, they at the age of taking critical decisions that will determine their future careers. As an ag educator, I frequently conduct both group and individual career sessions to make my students understands what exist in agriculture industry. My guidance helped many get excited about agriculture.

As stated by William Author Ward “The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” Let’s be the teacher that teacher who inspire students to love agriculture. Let us not stop learning, since live will never stop teaching.

David Obong, Program Officer, Youth Agriculture Education Pillar Head

From April 9th to 11th, 2025, the Field of Hope team embarked on a comprehensive three-day training aimed at strengthening their skills in resource mobilization and grant management. Comprising five dedicated staff members, the training was meticulously designed to equip the organization with the tools necessary to identify funding opportunities, develop impactful proposals, and manage funded projects effectively. This highly impactful training was designed and conducted by a team of consultants i.e Joanita and Arafa, who have worked in this space for over 10 years.

The training’s core purpose was to build the capacity of Field of Hope staff to navigate the full cycle of resource mobilization—from spotting potential funding sources to ensuring successful project implementation and sustainability. The key objectives included improving the team’s ability to:

Identify and assess funding opportunities, enhance proposal writing skills, develop a clear Theory of Change (TOC) and logical frameworks and align proposals with donor interests, National Development Plan and Sustainable Development Goals.

To maximize engagement and learning, the training employed active learning techniques such as Presentations: PowerPoint-based sessions provided foundational knowledge, group Exercises: participants collaborated and presented findings to foster teamwork and case study analyses: hypothetical scenarios were examined to apply concepts practically and improve problem-solving skills.

Day One: Foundations of Resource Mobilization

Being the first day, it started on a relatively slow note, with God’s presence beig called amidst us, short remarks from the leadership, followed by introductions from both Field of Hope and AVSI teams. Participants shared their expectations, primarily focusing on understanding the process of resource mobilization and where to find grant opportunities. The team explored why mobilizing resources is vital—impact expansion and organizational sustainability being top reasons.

A self-assessment using the Organization Capacity Assessment Tool (OCAT) emphasized the importance of having a strategic plan, organizational policies, and policies on child protection, gender balance, and security—all critical for donor confidence. The day also covered donor landscape analysis, resource mapping, and building strong relationships with partners.

Day Two: Project Planning and Proposal Development Day two focused on problem analysis, with an emphasis on community participation in identifying issues. The team learned how to use solution tree analysis to address challenges, such as farmers’ lack of access to markets, by examining root causes.

The session introduced the Theory of Change (TOC) and Logical Framework (Log Frame) as tools for strategic planning and monitoring. Participants were encouraged to align proposals with National and Sustainable Development Goals, and to leverage survey data and statistics for evidence-based proposals.

Day Three: Proposal Writing and Donor Readiness The final day concentrated on crafting compelling proposals. Trainers outlined the essential elements—problem statements, goals, objectives, budgets, and work plans—and stressed the importance of tailoring language to meet donor expectations.

Participants also explored various grant application platforms like ENABEL and NORAD, learning the step-by-step process of applying for funding and the importance of proper documentation, including CVs, policies, and strategic plans.

Key Takeaways and Future Steps

The training culminated in several actionable recommendations such as to establish a dedicated Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) unit, develop and update strategic and Theory of Change documents regularly, formalize procurement, financial, and data protection policies, increase engagement with donors through participation in coordination meetings and create a resource mobilization strategy aligned with organizational interventions.

The team will stay in contact with facilitators for ongoing support, including developing a TOC for upcoming funding opportunities like NORAD. A follow-up workshop is planned to reinforce skills and address any remaining gaps.

This intensive training has significantly boosted Field of Hope’s capacity to mobilize resources effectively, develop quality proposals, and manage grants successfully. Strengthening these skills is a strategic step towards ensuring the organization’s sustainability and expanding its impact within the communities it serves.

We therefore take this opportunity to thank Field of Hope donors and management for investing in its staff as a way to create a sustainable pathway to advacing its mission.

God bless you all.

Walter Okullu, Country Coordinator

Let’s play a little game.

Go to your sink. Turn the faucet on. Fill a glass.

Now imagine if you had to walk six kilometers (about 3.7 miles) just to make that glass of water happen. Not once, but several times a day.

That’s the reality for many people in northern rural Uganda. But thanks to your steps—yep, you, the one who walked the Walk for Women 6K this spring—1800 people no longer have to make that daily trek.

In June, Field of Hope completed a deep borehole well project in Alebtong District, Uganda. And the story of how it came to be is one of generosity, grit, and gallons—lots of them.

Back in May, 127 of you laced up your shoes and hit your sidewalks, trails, and treadmills to stand in solidarity with the women who walk each day for water. Together, you raised $56,684—not just with your feet, but with your hearts, your voices, and your social media feeds.

That walk turned into a fully completed borehole that now connects three villages, bringing clean water to more than 1800 people. For some, that means drinking water that’s safer and more reliable. For others—like one woman who used to have to pay young girls to gather water because of physical limitations—it means saving the income she works so hard to earn, and gaining a new sense of independence.

The average American uses almost 100 gallons of water per day. In Alebtong, before this borehole? Some families were using just a few liters, rationed carefully between drinking, cooking, washing, and farming.

With this new well, life looks different. Girls have more time for school. Mothers are safer walking shorter distances. The clean water from this well will reduce waterborne illness and will improve crop irrigation. It is this kind of project that will ripple for generations.

While the borehole is a huge step forward, we’re not done. Field of Hope is working on a WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) curriculum to build on this infrastructure with education that changes behaviors and deepens impact. Think about: lessons on safe storage, hygiene habits, and community care of shared water points.

Plus, we’re already dreaming about future well projects—because no one should have to choose between water and safety, water and school, water and work.

Whether you walked 6K, donated, or simply cheered someone on, know this: you were part of something transformational.

Water is life. And because of you, water is flowing in the Alebtong District.

Olivia Murphy-Sweet, Executive Director, Field of Hope