Restoring Our Villages Through Clean Gardening and Organic Farming

My name is George Mike, founder of the Small Village Clean Gardening Initiative Uganda. Our organization is rooted in a simple but powerful vision: helping communities rediscover the value of organic farming, tree planting, and sustainable living.

A Childhood Inspired by Nature

I grew up with my grandmother, who raised me with love until she passed away in 2009. As a child, I remember her home filled with trees, fresh air, and abundant fruits. Jackfruit trees shaded the yard, children played freely among the trees, and the community enjoyed the gifts of the land.

Sadly, much of that beauty has disappeared. The trees are gone, the air feels different, and communities have forgotten the deep connection between people and the environment. This loss is what motivates me today. I do not want development to erase what is good for people and nature.

Why We Started the Initiative

The Small Village Clean Gardening Initiative was born out of a desire to restore what we have lost. Our work is centered on:

• Promoting organic farming – teaching smallholder farmers how to grow food without chemicals by using natural fertilizers and pesticides.

• Demonstration gardens – we established a center where farmers can see, learn, and practice methods that improve yields while protecting the soil.

• Tree planting – especially fruit trees, which not only improve the environment but also feed families and future generations.

• Rabbit rearing – rabbits are easy to care for, and their dung and urine make excellent organic manure and pest deterrents.

A Story from the Field

Recently, I was speaking with a farmer named Gerald, who admired the way we keep our banana plants healthy. He told me, “I have tried so many times, but my bananas never look like this.”

I explained to him that part of the secret is rabbit manure and urine, which act as natural fertilizers and pesticides. He was amazed. For him, this knowledge was new—and it reminded me that what we are doing is not common knowledge. Many farmers still do not know the simple, affordable ways nature provides to care for the land.

The Bigger Picture

Uganda, like many places, is experiencing unpredictable weather. Seasons no longer follow the patterns our parents and grandparents relied on. Farmers cannot depend on old methods alone. We need new practices rooted in sustainability.

That is why our initiative focuses on awareness, training, and demonstration. We show families how small changes in farming—using organic fertilizers, planting trees, and protecting the soil—can make a big difference.

Our hope is to transform small villages into models of clean gardening, where communities thrive, the environment is restored, and future generations enjoy the same fresh air and abundant fruits that I once did at my grandmother’s home.