Owiny Milton weeding his Cassava garden.
Owiny Milton’s life and family have been transformed through Participatory Integrated Planning (PIP) training introduced by Share An Opportunity (SAO). What began as a simple training became a turning point that reshaped his household, livelihood, and relationships.
After receiving the PIP training, Owiny involved his entire family in planning for their future.
“The training taught me that development starts when the whole family plans together.” He explains.
Together with his wife and children, they made clear plans for their resources and land. One of their first decisions was to buy cows. These cows enabled Owiny to raise bride price and officially marry his wife. Over time, the cows gave birth and became a strong and reliable family asset.
Through family planning and discipline, Owiny later sold the cows and earned about UGX 3 million.
“When I sold the cows, I got about three million shillings. I used two million to pay school fees for my children, and with the remaining money, I decided to build a permanent house for my family.” He shares.
He hired people to make bricks, which he used to construct a decent home.
In the second year of applying PIP, Owiny expanded his farming activities by cultivating beans and cassava on about two acres of land. The income from livestock and farming enabled him to educate his children. Today, all his children are in secondary school, and two are enrolled in institutions pursuing different courses.
“Because of planning, all my children are now studying. Education has become our first priority as a family.” He proudly notes.
The training also introduced him to sustainable practices such as planting orange trees and other trees around his homestead. Pointing at the trees,
“I learned that planning is not only for today, but also for the future of my children.” Owiny says.
Owiny Milton and his wife standing in front of the house that he constructed.
A Realisation for Change
Before the PIP training, Owiny’s household faced serious challenges. After harvest, he and his wife would divide the produce and sell separately, which often led to conflict.
“I used to sell my share of the harvest and spend the money on alcohol. This caused many fights in my home.” he admits.
The PIP training marked a turning point. Today, Owiny and his family work together, plan together, and make decisions jointly.
“We no longer fight at home. We now sit together as a family and decide what to do, including my wife and children.” He explains.
Every February, the family plans what they will do and which crops to grow. In March, they prepare different gardens cash crops for school fees and food crops for home consumption. Through this organised approach, Owiny has also managed to construct separate houses for his children to sleep in.
Owiny’s farming methods have also improved greatly. Before the training, he lacked knowledge of proper agricultural practices. After PIP, he learned how to plant in lines, spray crops correctly, and manage gardens well, leading to higher yields.
“Before the training, we did not know the right way to plant. After learning how to plant in lines and spray, my yields increased, and even my neighbors come to learn from my gardens.” He shares.
Because of the visible change in his life, Owiny has become a learning example in his community. He now shares what he learned from PIP with his neighbors. As he says:
“I help my neighbors with what I learned from the PIP training, and many of them come to see and learn from what I am doing.”