Grant summary: The Karamoja Vegan Empowerment Initiative set out to promote plant-based diets among female youth in the Kotido, Moroto and Abim districts of the Karamoja sub-region. For generations, the Karamojong have relied on pastoralism, but climate stress and food insecurity are driving the need for sustainable alternatives. Through this project, we combined workshops, cultural events and demonstration gardens to inspire and empower young women to embrace plant-based living.
We organized 12 educational workshops and 3 cultural music and dance events and established 2 demonstration gardens in partnership with Apeitolim Farmers Association. We also developed and distributed culturally relevant vegan recipe booklets. The project reached 1,200 individuals directly, with over 1,192 being non-vegans. Out of these, around 600 expressed interest in trying veganism or learning more, while 153 reported having already incorporated plant-based meals into their diets.
The most positive aspect was the strong cultural acceptance when we integrated traditional songs and storytelling to explain vegan values. The biggest challenge was cultural resistance to reducing reliance on animal products, which we overcame by highlighting shared values of community health, environmental stewardship and food resilience.
This project laid strong foundations for long-term plant-based advocacy in Karamoja.
Quote from Organiser: “We also noticed a ripple effect, with participants sharing knowledge with peers and family members beyond our direct reach. This multiplier effect suggests the project’s impact will extend far beyond the initial beneficiaries. Moving forward, we aim to expand these efforts, continue integrating indigenous knowledge and build on the momentum created to further embed plant-based solutions in the Karamojong community.”
