Background of organisation:
Over a period of 100 days in April-July 1994 the Rwandan genocide took place – a mass slaughter of Tutsi and moderate Hutu. The scale and brutality of the massacre caused shock worldwide. When Bente – a native of Norway – heard of the tragic happenings, she felt an urgent need to help. She acted and travelled to Uganda in 1995. Here she met a Rwandan, Fred Kasigwa. All of Fred's family were killed in the genocide. Fred took Bente to see the tragic circumstances inside the borders of Rwanda. She witnessed a population in deep need of both practical help and reconciliation. Since then Fred and Bente have worked together on different small projects. When security was restored and Fred himself was ready, the idea had formed to start a reconciliation project on his grandfather's farm where all poor people should learn about development and become self sustaining. The farm had been Fred's home until he fled to Uganda at the age of nine. In 2009 work began again on the farm, coffee was planted in 2010, cows purchased in 2011/2012 and macadamia planted in 2013.
FRED's FARM today:
Much work has gone into developing the farm in the last 4 years. New farm buildings and water storage have been put in place, and the land is now well maintained. There is a permanent staff with an agronomist who leads the team.
FRED'S FARM is situated in an area defined by authorities as a coffee growing area, and hence coffee must be grown. Coffee is grown as a cash crop. Macadamia is also grown as a cash crop. Some land is used to grow food for our workers, and some cultivated by local farmers with little or no land. The rest of the land is used by the competency centre.
Over a period of 100 days in April-July 1994 the Rwandan genocide took place – a mass slaughter of Tutsi and moderate Hutu. The scale and brutality of the massacre caused shock worldwide. When Bente – a native of Norway – heard of the tragic happenings, she felt an urgent need to help. She acted and travelled to Uganda in 1995. Here she met a Rwandan, Fred Kasigwa. All of Fred's family were killed in the genocide. Fred took Bente to see the tragic circumstances inside the borders of Rwanda. She witnessed a population in deep need of both practical help and reconciliation. Since then Fred and Bente have worked together on different small projects. When security was restored and Fred himself was ready, the idea had formed to start a reconciliation project on his grandfather's farm where all poor people should learn about development and become self sustaining. The farm had been Fred's home until he fled to Uganda at the age of nine. In 2009 work began again on the farm, coffee was planted in 2010, cows purchased in 2011/2012 and macadamia planted in 2013.
FRED's FARM today:
Much work has gone into developing the farm in the last 4 years. New farm buildings and water storage have been put in place, and the land is now well maintained. There is a permanent staff with an agronomist who leads the team.
FRED'S FARM is situated in an area defined by authorities as a coffee growing area, and hence coffee must be grown. Coffee is grown as a cash crop. Macadamia is also grown as a cash crop. Some land is used to grow food for our workers, and some cultivated by local farmers with little or no land. The rest of the land is used by the competency centre.
OUR TEAM
Here is our permanent staff at the Farm.
In addition we employ on average 5-10 day workers
In addition we employ on average 5-10 day workers
JACQUES: Agronomist and day to day manager on Fred's Farm. Liason with the village and sector leaders, district agronomist and vet.
ALEX, THEO, DANIEL: Care for the animals, and the area around the buildings on the farm. Live on the farm 24/7. MODESTE is our night wachman.
FRED KASIGWA (1968-2022): Former founder, landowner and visionary for Fred's Farm
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PROVIDENCE: The Farm foreman with a special responsibility to engage and follow up the local Twa families
JAQUELINE, PETER, FRANCE and SAMUEL: The team who care primarly for 180 new macadamia trees planted February 2020
MODESTE : The night watchman
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Norwegian volunteers and support team
Ferdinant Tumukunde (Freds's son)
Arne Ivar Denstad
Bente Denstad
Hanne Paltiel
Sten Paltiel
Jacques and the support team make annual plans, Jacques sends weekly reports and Jacques and Hanne have an open, "continual" dialogue. Whatsapp meetings are used as needed. Work routines are gradually being put in place to make the running of FRED's FARM less dependent on support from Norway. Taking initiatives to make improvements and in the running of the farm is encouraged. The ability to forward planing, document and evaluate all activities is improving slowly but surely.
Ferdinant Tumukunde (Freds's son)
Arne Ivar Denstad
Bente Denstad
Hanne Paltiel
Sten Paltiel
Jacques and the support team make annual plans, Jacques sends weekly reports and Jacques and Hanne have an open, "continual" dialogue. Whatsapp meetings are used as needed. Work routines are gradually being put in place to make the running of FRED's FARM less dependent on support from Norway. Taking initiatives to make improvements and in the running of the farm is encouraged. The ability to forward planing, document and evaluate all activities is improving slowly but surely.
Where is the Farm:
Kizi cell, Nyamagabe district, Southern Province, RWANDA
Kizi cell, Nyamagabe district, Southern Province, RWANDA
