Rabbits Rekindle Hope for Education in Kamwenge District, Western Uganda

Mastercard Foundation Scholars and The Resolution Social Venture Challenge

In western Uganda’s Kamwenge District, farming communities have fallen on hard times, leaving many families unable to send their children to school.

Narinda Shirah and Myres Ndyabawe, two Makerere University students from the same region, have made it their mission to get children back in school with Rabbits for Education, an innovative project that will improve livelihoods in the community.

“Growing up in Kamwenge District, most especially in Kabuga and the neighbouring villages, dictates that you must know how to dig if you are to survive. The only source of income is maize — which in recent years have been disappointing,” said Myres.

The pair met as Mastercard Foundation Scholars at Makerere University, where Shirah, 24, is studying for a bachelor’s degree in commerce, and Myres, 23, is pursuing a degree in journalism and communication. Mastercard Foundation Scholars are selected for their academic talent, social consciousness, and leadership qualities.

After hearing about the Resolution Social Venture Challenge, a competition which rewards students’ compelling social ventures worldwide, Shirah and Myres started discussing pressing social concerns in their communities, giving thought to how they might play a positive role in improving the lives of others. After holding discussions with close friends, the pair founded Rabbits for Education.

“Amongst these was an idea of rearing rabbits on a large scale given to us by Mr. Magezi Bashir, the CEO of the Girls in School Initiative. He had seen a similar project in Kenya, though it was a for-profit operation. So, we further discussed how we could turn that big operation into a smaller social venture. By May 2018, we had planned our way forward and we kick-started the Resolution Social Venture Challenge application process,” said Shirah.

Rabbit for Education won the Resolution Social Venture Challenge in 2018, a competition that rewards compelling leadership and promising social ventures led by youth. These young leaders earned a fellowship that includes seed funding, mentorship, and access to a network of young global change-makers to pursue impactful projects in their communities. A collaboration between the Mastercard Foundation and The Resolution Project, the Resolution Social Venture Challenge provides a pathway to action for socially responsible young leaders who want to create change that matters in their communities.

“Rabbits multiply as many as eight times a year on average and each time can produce around eight kittens per litter, meaning there is income throughout the year. There is also a high demand for rabbit meat and other products like the skin. Rabbits are easy to rear and very economical in terms of feeding, as they feed on grass,” said Myres.

The high demand for rabbit meat and rabbits’ high multiplication rate mean that children in Kamwenge District, where the project is based, will have the necessary schools fees to attend class.

The project will start with 60 beneficiaries who will each receive a male and female rabbit, as well as training on how to raise them. They will be supplied with weather-friendly cages in which the rabbits will be housed.

The first cohort of beneficiaries of the Rabbits for Education project will receive the New Zealand variety of rabbit and will sell their rabbits to Lusaze Modern Agriculture Solution, which signed a memorandum of understanding with the project to supply the seed rabbits and purchase the mature rabbits reared by the beneficiaries. A mature rabbit will be sold at between US$10 and $13.

The first beneficiaries will be required to give two rabbits, one male, and one female from their stock to the second cohort of beneficiaries, and the second cohort will give two rabbits to the third cohort of beneficiaries, thus creating opportunity for more and more beneficiaries. More opportunity means that the education of even more children can be subsidized.

“Rabbit farmers and their families will benefit from each part of the rabbit. For instance, rabbit waste is used as organic fertilizer in gardens to boost farming yields. Rabbit urine is good liquid manure for crops and is in high demand. A 20-litre jerry can [of rabbit urine] goes for US$10,” said Shirah.

As Rabbits for Education embarks on identifying the first batch of beneficiaries, Shirah and Myres are optimistic that through the Mastercard Foundation and the Resolution Social Venture Challenge, their dream will be a great example to other African youth.

“Being a winner of the Resolution Social Venture Challenge gives me much pride in being part of a network of youth who are committed to transforming their communities. We are grateful for the platform to showcase our abilities and to give back to our communities,” said Shirah.

“Winning the Resolution Social Venture Challenge, like the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, has enabled me to fulfill my dream of supporting someone in need to access education and start a journey towards achieving their dreams,” said Myres.

Pius Sawa is a freelance journalist based in Kenya. His stories have appeared in Reuters, Farm Radio International, and Inter Press Service.