Meet Paul Nyombi, age 17 from Mpigi, Uganda……
When Paul was just 15 his parents passed away as a result of AIDS. As an orphan Paul had no choice “I was left alone at home so I had to give up school and get food”. The mud hut Paul lived in was in terrible condition with many holes and cracks and at night he found it difficult to sleep as he was afraid of wild animals in the area, like leopards, attacking him during the night. Shortly after this, a Bustiha volunteer Mrs Tumusinme came to him. Bustiha is a voluntary organisation funded by Concern that works in this poor rural area helping vulnerable orphans get back on their feet.
In 2005, Paul joined the Bustiha vocational training scheme which lasted two months. After graduation from the course Paul was given 2 piglets. A piglet in Mpigi costs around 20,000 Ugandan shillings - about €9.
When the pigs produced their first litter there were 12 small piglets in total. Paul was delighted and decided to call the sow “Mama” as she had been so productive. “I was able to sell the piglets and buy materials for a new house”. He built his new house with bricks and cement where the old hut has been. Paul told us his hopes for the future “I want to be at peace and get a good harvest from my crop …..I hope to get married and find a good wife.” Paul is one of 7,000 people in this area that have been helped by the Bustiha volunteer group and Concern.
