Uganda - Fruits of the Nile

Producer Profile - Dorothy and David Mugabe Dorothy has been supplying Fruits of the Nile since the early 1990's. David her husband works as a delivery driver, but over the years has become more involved in the fruit drying business. They have five children who all attend school. On their 20 acres they grow coffee, bananas and matoke. The currently dry between 200-300kg a month of bananas, which provides them with around 70% of their income.

Producer Profile - Norah Kagimu, Mbarara "I'm the founder member of prosper Women's Association. I first got the knowledge of solar fruit drying from my relatives in Masha. I introduced the idea to my associations members. I used to run a shop and a restaurant. but when I compared the returns from the shop and restaurant to those from the fruit drying, the latter had much more than the former. It was blessed and right. Now the group boasts of three drying centres. As an individual, drying has provided has provided a source of income especially after the sudden death of my husband in 1997. Now I can supplement my children's school fees with money from drying fruits. Day to day expenditures of medical care, groceries, clothing and others are made possible by the money from drying fruits. Furthermore, I have managed to get a maximum benefit from my banana plantation by adding value to my apple bananas and bogoya bananas. I use the refuse (peel and off-cuts) to feed my cattle which in turn yield more milk than before. I sell some of the milk and some is used by the family as a source of protein. I use the unpalatable refuse to mulch my banana shamba (field). On the local level, I employ 5 women permanently on the fruit drying business. I buy from my fellow women, their apple bananas, bogoya and pineapples. Without Fruits of the Nile, I would be a beggar to my in-laws, especially after the death of my husband".
		Norah Kagimu Prosper Women's Association

Producer Profile - Jane Nawuliro Originally I was earning my living by running a sewing machine. I was living in a rented room with my family. When I started solar drying I realised it was paying more than the sewing business. I mobilised some women in a Tukolelere Wamu Women's Association of which I was the Secretary and took on fruit drying. I sold my only sewing machine and put the money into fruit drying. Now I do not regret anything. I managed to buy a piece of land, constructed a semi permanent house with bricks, and now me and my family are happier. My house has solar electricity which runs some of the driers during the day; and during the night it provides light, operates a television and a radio. I have provided employment to a number of women in my neighbourhood.

Jane Nawuliro