Vivayic gave Field of Hope much more than agriculture teacher guides. They gave us a gift of love, expressed through their time, talent, generosity, and belief in what might become possible in Uganda. In my previous post, I shared the story of that extraordinary gift. Now I want to share what grew from it as Uganda’s teachers, Field of Hope’s staff, and the students themselves began building upon that foundation.
When Vivayic completed the first S1 guide, covering the first year of secondary school, none of us knew what would happen next. Would agriculture teachers find it useful? Would they attend training? Would their schools support them? Or—and this was the question we were almost afraid to ask—what if nobody cared?
The guides came one year at a time: S1, followed roughly a year later by S2, then S3 and S4. In the beginning, we had one brand-new booklet and a few subject-matter experts and teachers we already knew. Kelly Huenink, a Field of Hope board member and subject-matter expert for the guides, taught our first classes. Fourteen people attended her first class, with fewer returning the second day.
There was no network of hundreds of teachers, no school grants, agriculture clubs, or WhatsApp discussions. There was certainly no assurance that any of those things would ever exist. We are grateful to Kelly for her hard work and patience during those first trainings. She had a big impact on the trainings that followed!
But Vivayic kept building, and something began to happen. Fourteen teachers became 30. Thirty became 60 or 70. Eventually, nearly 90 were gathering at a time. The most important change, however, was not the number of people in the room. It was the excitement inside it.
Vivayic helped us understand that giving teachers a book was only the beginning. How could teachers manage large classes and help head teachers recognize agriculture’s importance? How could students gain practical experience through gardens, demonstration plots, and animal projects? Most importantly, how could young people see agriculture not as a last resort, but as a profession, a business, and a meaningful future?
Vivayic helped Field of Hope learn to coach teachers so they, in turn, could help students recognize those possibilities.
As the trainings grew, the teachers became some of the greatest resources in the room. They raised classroom and curriculum challenges, shared ideas, and learned from their peers. We realized that making room for those conversations was an essential part of training.
These were lively gatherings, full of games, field exercises, singing, acting, debate, and laughter. We also introduced the idea of a creed, similar to the FFA Creed, inviting teachers to write their own statements about agriculture and the futures they wanted their students to imagine.
Today, we offer Level One training for new teachers and Level Two for those seeking further instruction. Level Three is for teachers working on future lesson plans and blueprints for S4.
Teachers may also voluntarily request classroom visits from Field of Hope’s Ugandan staff, who observe their use of the guides and offer encouragement and constructive suggestions. I initially wondered whether teachers would welcome this. They do—sometimes nearly begging us to visit their school next! These visits also allow our staff to speak with head teachers about supporting the instructor and providing the facilities students need to learn by doing.
After training, teachers become part of the Field of Hope family. Our WhatsApp group, connecting more than 400 teachers, has become a continuation of those gatherings. Teachers ask questions, request resources, and help one another solve problems. Field of Hope also arranges seminars with subject-matter experts on gardens, animals, classroom behavior, stress, and other topics teachers identify.
The books brought teachers together; the teachers began strengthening one another.
Practical school projects taught us another important lesson. Our early efforts sometimes involved spending approximately $1,000 on a small drip-irrigation garden. It was a noble idea, but holidays, water availability, and school schedules could make maintenance difficult.
Then someone much smarter than I am asked, “Why don’t we let the students, teachers, and schools decide what project they want?”
What a concept—ask the people who will actually operate it!
That question led to our Inspiring Students in Agriculture Grant program, or ISAG. Schools compete for $1,000 grants by preparing agricultural business plans. They explain their budgets, their own contributions, student benefits, sustainability, and community outreach. They also consider whether students could begin similar projects at home.
The ideas belong to the Ugandan schools. Through photographs, progress reports, and staff visits, we learn from successes and disappointments and share those lessons with others. Approximately 14,000 students have now been affected by these grants.
Yet the most touching result cannot be captured in numbers. When I visit, students beam with pride as they eagerly show me their fishponds, goats, rabbits, and gardens. I have fallen in love with these young people. Few things warm my heart more than seeing a love for agriculture taking root in them—and hearing their excitement as they explain what they have accomplished.
That excitement is finding new expression. Approximately 2,500 students are participating in agriculture clubs, patterned loosely after FFA but developed for Uganda. They create creeds, practice leadership and public speaking, manage projects, and explore ways to strengthen their communities.
Through newer poetry and drama activities, students are also writing and performing about hunger, disease, agriculture, and community needs. They are learning not only to grow food, but to speak about why it matters.
The circle continues to widen. We now provide training at Ugandan universities preparing future agriculture teachers and are seeking support from the National Curriculum Development Centre for broader use of the guides. Field of Hope has trained 469 teachers representing 438 schools, with approximately 219,000 students enrolled.
We cannot claim to have personally taught every student, but those numbers reveal the reach made possible when teachers are equipped, encouraged, connected, and trusted.
Vivayic gave gifts of love, valuable knowledge, and information. Field of Hope’s talented Ugandan team carried these resources into schools. Teachers made them their own, and students are turning that foundation into gardens, enterprises, friendships, and leadership.
What began with books has become a blessing shared by many hands.
The photos and videos accompanying this story show just some of the variety of projects Field of Hope has supported over the years. I hope they also capture some of the teachers and young people who have taken these opportunities and made them their own.
Years ago, my dream was simply to get young people excited about agriculture. Today, they are not merely excited about it. They are beginning to lead it.
Vivayic’s incredible gift was the beginning—and we are still discovering what can grow from love freely given.
Only God.
About the author: Mike Hafner is a co-founder of Field of Hope, which he helped establish alongside Cathy Hafner and Brandy Young 15 years ago. Since then, Mike has made nearly 40 trips to Uganda, witnessing firsthand the people, partnerships, and experiences that have shaped the organization. Through this series, he shares some of the stories that have stayed with him and the people who continue to remind him why this work matters.
