Farming Success in Rhino Refugee Settlement: Angelina’s Story
WEST NILE, UGANDA – Angelina Hassan, a 35-year-old South Sudanese refugee from the Nuer community, has not always been a tomato farmer. The Nuer people are traditionally cattle herders, not vegetable growers. But after fleeing South Sudan with her four young children, Angelina had to find new ways of providing for her family.
She now lives in Omugo 6 village, part of Rhino Camp refugee settlement area in northwestern Uganda. On her small piece of land in Omugo, Angelina discovered a passion for farming and started growing tomatoes, marking a significant shift from her community’s customary practices.
With determination and hard work, she aimed to improve her livelihood and support her family. However, she was unfamiliar with good agronomic practices, and her tomato plants were underperforming.
“I was struggling to get good yields from my tomato garden,” Angelina said. “The variety I was using was a local one that does not give big fruits, and I faced problems with pests and diseases.”
In February 2025, Angelina began participating in an East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer Foundation (EWS-KT) project to improve the lives and livelihoods of refugees and host communities in the West Nile region. Highly motivated to improve her tomato crop, Angelina was selected as a key farmer by EWS-KT for this AGFUND-supported initiative.
Angelina was supplied with high-quality tomato seeds and learned about pest and disease management and good agronomic practices. As a key farmer, she established a tomato demonstration plot with EWS-KT’s guidance—learning everything from creating a farm business plan to producing healthy seedlings to nurturing her tomato plants with organic mulch and supportive trellising.
“After receiving the support, I saw a significant change in my tomato garden,” Angelina said. “My tomato yield increased, and I reduced crop losses due to pests and diseases. I gained valuable knowledge and confidence in my farming skills, and I’m now able to manage my tomato garden effectively.”
Angelina’s success has inspired other refugees in Omugo, particularly those from the Nuer community, to pursue farming opportunities and explore vegetable production. Her home has become a model for sustainable agricultural practices, and she has become a leader in her community, sharing her knowledge and skills with others.
At EWS-KT, we equip farmers with the skills and knowledge to successfully grow nutritious and profitable vegetables—and encourage the farmers to share their newfound expertise with their neighbors.
Angelina’s eagerness to pass along the effective techniques she is using is opening opportunities in her community for better nutrition and income through vegetable production, while helping these new farmers to rebuild their sense of self-reliance and resilience.
