By Maria Paez According to the 2024 United Nations Refugee Agency report, by the end of 2023, about 117.3 million people had been forced to leave their homes worldwide, almost double the number 10 years before. With so many refugees in need and numbers growing, it’s more important than ever to share inspiring stories of refugees’ resilience and support them. Here's one story, showcasing a community's aspirations and the potential to shape the future for refugees in East Africa and beyond. In Uganda's Nakivale Refugee Settlement, Ansima Casinga Rolande is making a big impact through permaculture. She's bringing together people from different backgrounds, all united by a shared dream. Despite the conflicts in their home countries, they're finding ways to cultivate hope, resilience and self-sufficiency. Rolande's commitment to community empowerment exemplifies how permaculture can address some of the most pressing challenges faced by refugees, such as food insecurity, environmental degradation and trauma. I first heard about Rolande’s incredible work last year, thanks to Morag Gamble and the Ethos Foundation. Morag and Rolande were also part of an inspiring campfire event earlier this year about “Free permaculture classes that are changing lives in East African refugee settlements”. Since then, Rolande and I have kept in touch, and I was thrilled to know her latest news. She’s planning to attend the International Permaculture Conference and Convergence later this year. She needs help to cover her travel costs, and the Ethos Foundation has set up a crowdfunding page for this. If you can support Rolande, please follow this link. Any contribution you can make will help her journey but you can also share this story so others can support Rolande. She is planning to share inspiring permaculture stories from Uganda, connect with other leaders and organisations and potentially bring support to permaculture projects in East Africa. Support here Here are some highlights from a quick chat I had with Rolande this week, plus a few extra links if you want to learn more about the amazing work within her community. Maria: Tell us about yourself. Can you share a bit about your background and how you became involved in permaculture?Rolande: I was working as a researcher for an organisation, collecting data from fellow refugees about our lives in the camp. During this job, I discovered the main problems we face and started searching for solutions. Permaculture was one of them, and that's how I connected with Morag Gamble, who offered me a scholarship at the Permaculture Education Institute. M: What specific challenges do refugees in Nakivale Refugee Settlement and your local community face, and how has permaculture helped address these challenges? R: Refugees in Nakivale Refugee Settlement face challenges like food insecurity, environmental degradation, poor education, and more. Permaculture has helped by promoting sustainable food sources, environmental conservation and providing safe spaces for learning and discussion.M: Can you describe some of the key permaculture projects you've been involved in and the impact they have had on your community?R: I've been involved in tree planting campaigns, kitchen garden projects, PDC trainings and women empowerment training. These activities have raised awareness about global climate challenges and provided direct support to participating families.M: How have you seen permaculture transform the lives of individuals and families in Nakivale Refugee Settlement?R: Permaculture has worked wonders by providing clean drinking water, improving health with natural remedies, and fostering community connections. Families are growing their own food, reducing loneliness and overcoming trauma through community talks. M: At PAB, we're so excited to hear you've been accepted to attend the International Permaculture Convergence in Taiwan this November. Congrats! What are your goals and expectations for attending this event?R: My primary goal is to share my knowledge and experiences with the global community. I want to share stories of hope, love, and life from refugees globally and learn from other leaders to further support permaculture projects in my community and beyond.M: How do you plan to share the knowledge and connections gained from the conference with your community back in Uganda?R: I plan to organise local workshops and training sessions to share the insights and connections gained from the conference.M: What are some innovative permaculture techniques or projects you hope to learn more about at the conference?R: I'm eager to learn about innovative techniques for water design, soil regeneration, agroforestry and community engagement. I'm also interested in developing solar cookers and dryers to reduce climate change problems and cooking fuel costs.M: How do you think attending this conference will help strengthen the permaculture movement in Uganda and East Africa?R: Attending the conference will showcase the potential of permaculture in addressing community challenges and enable me to establish collaborations and share best practices, connecting us with communities facing similar challenges.M: Can you share a success story from your community that highlights the positive impact of permaculture?R: One significant success story is how permaculture has brought together people from different nationalities, fostering support and connection despite ongoing conflicts in their home countries.M: What would you like to tell potential donors about why supporting your journey to the conference is so important?R: Supporting my journey is critical as it will enable me to advocate for sustainable initiatives and facilitate knowledge exchange for the greater benefit of refugee and local communities. It will also help us connect with potential donors, trainers, and supporters to achieve our dream of making refugee communities sustainable and self-reliant.M: Your journey is truly impressive. What are your hopes and dreams for the future? How do you believe permaculture can help you achieve them, both personally and for your community?R: My hope is to continue expanding sustainable initiatives and promoting self-sufficiency in my community and other refugee communities. Permaculture plays a pivotal role in achieving these aspirations by fostering resilience, environmental stewardship, and community empowerment. I want to build learning spaces, community demonstration gardens, and food forests. Also, my dream is to empower more people, especially women, to be permaculture trainers. I would love to go to university to learn more about agri-business and how this works for bigger corporations so I can make it fit at the community levelM: Thanks for sharing this! We're confident there will be tremendous support, and we look forward to hearing the incredible stories of resilience from the Nakivale refugee settlement that you'll share in Taiwan. Wishing you all the best on this inspiring journey! If you’re interested in diving deeper into Rolande’s story, I definitely recommend checking out the fantastic article by Emily Kaminsky (Rain Makers & Change Makers) here.Another great article was published on Abundant Times here The Ethos Foundation has been supporting Rolande every step of the way, so check an inspiring video here and the Sense-Making in a Changing World podcast here Going to IPC15 will let Rolande share her journey and learn from global permaculture leaders, which will help her community grow stronger. It’s more than just covering her travel - it's about empowering a whole community and inspiring other refugees. Your support will help Rolande bring back valuable knowledge and continue making a huge difference in her community. Support Rolande's Journey Tags International permaculture uganda refugees ipc15 convergence Copied to clipboard