Tendo Sidney Nakabugo and Jacob Oketch, students at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, are visiting Iowa State University this semester as student interns in the Department of Horticulture. Over the past month, they have contributed to research in field and laboratory setting in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and assisted in projects related to plant agriculture. Additionally, they attended the CSRL 20th Anniversary Symposium, World Food Prize Norman Borlaug Lecture and Poster Session, and the World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogue. 

Tendo and Jacob first learned about Iowa State University through the summer service-learning program at the Mpirigiti Rural Training Center in Kamuli, Uganda. As participants in the program, they worked alongside ISU students to develop bi-national team projects related to sustainable development and rural livelihoods. Learn more about their experiences within the program and their time so far at Iowa State with their responses below.

Can you share a specific moment during your time in Ames that highlighted the cultural differences you encountered? How did this experience influence your perspective on community engagement and sustainable development?

Tendo: The difference in interpretation of “rural”; Before coming to Iowa, I often heard it described as a rural state covered by mostly corn and soybean. In my mind, this conjured up images of farmland beyond what the eye can see, small stores and lots of unpaved road. When I got out of the airport in Des Moines, I saw wide highways, well-lit and beautiful houses as well as fast food and grocery chains. This was a completely different image to what was in my mind when the word “rural” was used. “Rural” in Uganda means unpaved roads, subsistence farming and little commerce going on. This highlighted the differences in livelihoods of people who live in areas described as rural across the globe. It made me realise that physically reaching places and interacting with the people is the only way in which we can truly appreciate their perspectives and the way of life in that community. Immersing ourselves in the environment and culture of people enables us to gain in-depth understanding of the resources and work together with the people to develop in ways that fit within their context.

Jacob: I saw the way both men and women are treated equally here as it's slightly different from some societies in Uganda. It further solidified love for social and economic inclusion and its importance. Therefore I learnt to include everyone in the community and engage even with those who the society excludes as not so influential since everyone has a duty and role to play so that development programs  introduced in communities are sustainable. 

Describe one of the projects you were involved in while working in Kamuli. What challenges did you face during its implementation, and how did you and your team overcome them to ensure the project’s success?

Tendo: I was involved in the beekeeping project where our goal was to increase honey production through various activities such as apiary renovation. One of the challenges we faced was trying to make a long-lasting hive stand that would also be affordable since we wanted the students at the school to be able to replicate the activities on their own. The team had a brainstorming session in which emerged such as using Y-shaped branches off the trees surrounding the apiary and putting them together using nails and a hammer would be relatively cheap. We also recycled plastic bottles which we filled with used engine oil and plastered them to the bottom ends of the stands to prevent termites from eating the wood. The team having members from different disciplines greatly contributed to the diversity of ideas and their execution.

Jacob: We had a school feeding project in a secondary school last year and we organized some students into a food and nutrition club whose role was to take care of the school gardens and ensure their productivity. There was a challenge of low subscription to the club as it would add extra work to them so at the beginning the turn up was low. We overcame by discussing with the school administration and requesting them to provide the students with enough land and some support so that they produce enough vegetables which the school can buy from them and give them some money as well as allow the students to take some of the produce home which was a good incentive for a good number of the students to join the club. 

Working alongside students from Iowa State University must have provided unique insights. How did this collaboration enhance your learning experience, and what key skills did you develop through this teamwork?

Tendo: Working with Iowa State University students in a binational team has greatly improved my skills in cross-cultural communication. I have gained skills in work organization and efficient collaboration on projects. Through working on different projects together, I learnt how to create outlines, make drafts, schedule specific times to do work and personal deadlines by which certain parts should be done and general time management when it comes to juggling multiple tasks. I also learned how to use resources such as the Google Workspace to collaborate on shared projects simultaneously.

Jacob: Collaboration with the ISU students gave me a chance to learn how to respectfully deal with people from a different background with a diverse way of thinking from mine. It enabled me to learn team building and effective communication of ideas as well as to adjust and respect people's culture and views. My time management improved as they are o good at keeping time, I also developed the skill of reflection and self evaluation. 

Reflecting on your journey through the program, how do you think your leadership skills have evolved? Can you provide an example of a situation where you had to step up and lead your team?

Tendo: I have learned that communication is crucial within a team and that it is better to “over-communicate” than assume that people have certain information. I found that whenever I made communication about the day’s programme or the agenda for a given project, team members were proactive and proceeded to finish fast and start the next activity. For example, during the Cultural Night where we showcased dances from different parts of Uganda, prior to communicating to the team about what exactly was happening, they were mostly milling about and having isolated spots of interaction. After providing an agenda for the night, people organized themselves, took up certain roles, and gave good presentations of their culture. 

Jacob: Participating in the program has greatly improved my leadership skills. My leadership has evolved from the point that I could not confidently speak in front of people to and now I can make presentations, my communication and organizational skills have grown through the time I have been associated with the program.  During last summer (which was my second year of engaging with the program), I was a student leader, and I was tasked with guiding the students and helping them to relate with the communities and schools. I worked with faculty and program staff to plan weekly programs and was in charge of students at one Primary school and the Poultry binational project. This was a chance for me to build leadership skills like planning, effective communication, impartiality, reflection and time management. I have also learnt to be accountable for my actions as they around me. 

In what ways do you believe your experience in Uganda has shaped your future goals in sustainable development? How do you plan to apply the knowledge and skills you gained during the program in your future endeavors?

Tendo: Being part of service learning has been a great introduction to working with rural communities. I realized that science is essential to come up with different solutions to contemporary problems, but they to be operable within target communities for science to truly make a difference. The physical, financial, natural, social and political systems within the community need to be considered if development is to be achieved sustainably. As a result of this experience, I want to develop my ability in systems-thinking because through service learning, I got to see firsthand that innovations do not work in isolation but rather within complex systems. It has inspired me to look into participatory research and I hope to leverage my experience as a reference point as go further into development of communities together with community members. 

Jacob: The experience in Kamuli (Uganda) introduced me to a wide range of development programs and ideologies of the center for sustainable rural livelihoods whereby the organization emphasizes education as the key for sustainable development by changing the minds and attitude of the people and teaching them how to run enterprises. It broadened my perception of education and taught the importance of education in development. I intend to get involved in rural development programs in Uganda and become known for designing, implementing and promoting practical and inclusive solutions to hunger and poverty.