Impact Stories

Mother, Farmer, Leader: Flavia Nabaggala

Flavia Nabaggala grew up as one of twenty-two children. After graduating from middle school—the first in her family to do so—Flavia had to drop out of school to help her mother manage the household. While she yearned to continue to go to school with her classmates—many of whom teased and mocked her for dropping out—her family did not have the funds for her to continue her studies.

Today––an official BLI Caretaker––Flavia manages her own farm, called the BIO Family Farm, and works to empower other mothers in her community to also pursue paths as leaders. Read Flavia's full story HERE.

Defeating Stereotypes: Edward's BLI Experience

Edward Musisi was BLI's first intern with a physical disability. But he knows he won't be the last. Watch Edward talk about his time at BLI, his experience defeating stereotypes, and his dream to teach his home community about professional agriculture skills.

Paul, Perseverance, and the Bees

“Always stand back up when you fall.” Paul Muzalugamba, a BLI Caretaker officially commissioned in July 2023, shares this lesson as he reflects back on his first year operating his own integral ecology farm. While this first year has included numerous difficulties––including unpredictable weather and original hesitancy from the surrounding community to embrace a new sustainable farming method––Paul has already started to see the fruits of his labor. To what does he attribute much of this success? Perseverance, he says, and of course, the bees.

Read the full story HERE.

A Lifelong Passion: Mike's Journey With BLI

On August 16th, 2017, Mike Ssegalunyo walked onto BLI's Kiwumpa campus, changing his entire life's trajectory. His uncle, the late Father Anthony Rweza (one of the three BLI founders) had invited him. Mike remembers Father Anthony telling him BLI was building a farm based on an entirely new model, using only organic principles. Mike said this sparked some curiosity inside of him: "I just had to go see how that could be possible."

Nearly seven years later, Mike has dedicated his life to BLI's model of integral ecology.  "When I joined BLI, I was just a high school senior with no other skills or technical know-how, but through BLI, I now have a national certification in agriculture, a certificate in integral ecology, and very soon will be enrolling to receive a diploma in animal husbandry." Read the full story HERE.

Rising With the Sun: Notre Dame Features Caretaker Alice Nanfuka

In 2023, reporters from the Notre Dame Magazine traveled to BLI. Alice Nanfuka's story stuck out to them. Described as "five feet and a few inches of courage, hope and raw determination," Alice was commissioned in BLI's first cohort of Caretakers. She came to BLI after leaving home to sell rice on the streets of Kampala, Uganda's capital. Now, the manager of her own NAJ Integrated Farm, Alice has no plans to leave rural Uganda. Instead, she hopes to transform it.

Read Notre Dame Magazine's full story HERE.