Did you know that the third Wednesday of April is International Banana Day?
This day focuses on the nutritional benefits of the fruit and celebrates the impact it has on lives around the world. For many the banana is just one of the countless options available when choosing a healthy snack. But at Signpost International we view the banana as much more than just a snack: to us the humble banana can be a life-changer.
In Uganda many farmers struggle to make enough money to provide for their families. In order to address this issue we work with local communities to form development groups which train and equip farmers in improved sustainable methods. In many parts of Uganda bananas can be grown all year round, making them a powerful force for tackling hunger.
May, a mother in Wakiso, Uganda, joined our farmer training programme to learn how to increase her crop yields. May was struggling to provide enough food for her family, her children were only getting one meal a day and were unable to attend school as she was not able to pay the school fees, she comments:
“Before the training, I was not aware of fertilizers, marketing my produce or how to grow a variety of crops on a small piece of land. I received a micro loan which I used to set up my vegetable garden and grow coffee, tomatoes, and bananas. My bananas grow all year round and make a lot of money at market!”
May is now able to feed her family more than one meal a day and her new increased income means she can now afford to send her children to school.
“This new income has made it possible to send my kids to school, give them regular meals and we can even make some savings. There is so much joy and happiness at home when my kids tell us what they learned each day in school. Who knew that bananas could pay for my children’s school fees?”
May preparing her bananas to sell
Last year in Uganda through our supported groups the farmers grew enough bananas to stretch from Inverness to Edinburgh, 255km.
At Signpost we want to celebrate this achievement and we also want to continue to work alongside farmers in the future giving them the opportunity to be drivers of their own change.
In order to do this Signpost International are taking part in Scotland’s Virtual Kiltwalk where we are looking to complete the 255km Banana Challenge.
For the Kiltwalk weekend, 23rd – 25th April, we have gathered a group of Signpost supporters to form Team Signpost, who together want to complete the 255km Banana Challenge over the Kiltwalk weekend. We have the team in place, the walkers have chosen the distance they are going to cover, and now we need the support. Would you be willing to cheer us on our way with a donation to Team Signpost?
The Kiltwalk is a fantastic organisation which helps charities throughout Scotland raise funds for the causes they are passionate about. The Kiltwalk works with the Hunter Foundation who boost all donations by 50%, this extremely generous act will allow us to walk alongside more people throughout the world.
| In order that your donation can be boosted giving us an additional 50p for each £1 received, there is a different giving process for this year’s Spring Appeal. There are two ways in which you can support Team Signpost in the virtual Kiltwalk. 1. You can donate by going to the Just Giving website and searching for, “Signpost International”. Or you can follow the link: https://virtual.thekiltwalk.co.uk/fundraising/ScotlandsVirtualKiltwalk2021-SignpostInternational and select, “give now”. Online giving for the Kiltwalk closes at midnight on Monday 3rd May 2021. 2. You can make a donation by cheque and return it to us in the Freepost envelope. If you are selecting this option please also return the completed giving form. If you choose to donate by cheque please make the cheque out to ‘The Kiltwalk’ but be assured all of your donation will support Signpost International. Your Freepost envelope will come to the Signpost office and we will forward it on to Kiltwalk HQ. All donations need to be at Kiltwalk HQ by 3rd May, we therefore ask that all donations are with us at Signpost International by Wednesday 28th April.
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By supporting Team Signpost in the virtual Kiltwalk you will be celebrating the transformation of farmers’ lives in Uganda thanks to the development groups, and you will be enabling us to continue to work alongside people experiencing hardship at home and around the world, ensuring they have the tools and opportunity to provide a brighter future for themselves and their families.
Thank you for your continued support.
Peter McEleny
Signpost International Communications Officer
