Introduction
The socio-economic situation in the Project area
Many people in the community earn their livelihoods through small scale agriculture; growing
mainly cassava, groundnuts, millet, sorghum and sweet potatoes. While the livestock includes
cattle, goats, sheep and poultry. Other economic activities include fishing and petty trade. Over
the years, the economic base has continuously been distorted by civil war which lasted for over
three decades. This was punctuated by two bouts of rebel activities; first by the Uganda People’s
Army (1986-1992) and, later, by the Lord’s Resistance Army (2003).
The harsh political and economic environment resulted into loss of most productive assets and
capital for communities throughout the region. The difficult economic situation in the region has
further been aggravated by harsh and unpredictable weather patterns. As a result of unpredictable
economic security, the communities are slowly adopting other non-traditional economic
activities, especially petty trade, stone quarry and small-scale production.
The community is steadily growing as shown by the number of people engaged in group
farming. The Brothers of Immaculate Heart of Mary have set up their community in Akaba Zone
Centre to promote the mission of the Catholic Church by training women, youth and children
especially school drop outs with life skills, home economics, self-sustaining entrepreneurial
skills, and other practical vocational training subjects with the aim of bringing them closer to
Jesus Christ in the Church.
