With a background in nutrition and livelihoods, Martin Twesigye had already witnessed the power of community-led development. But he desired to work even more closely at the grassroots level, which led him to join CorpsAfrica. After working with the USAID Integrated Community Agriculture and Nutrition Activity, Martin saw CorpsAfrica’s model of empowerment and co-creation as the next step in deepening his impact.
During his year of service in rural Uganda, Martin facilitated a holistic and community-driven initiative focused on nutrition, food security, skilling, and income generation. All activities were born out of needs assessments and participatory planning with the community, ensuring that the solutions reflected the people’s priorities.
Among his key achievements:
Nutrition and food security: Martin led kitchen garden trainings, introduced diversified diets, and facilitated MUAC (Mid Upper Arm Circumference) training sessions for caregivers, practical tools to address malnutrition in children under five. Over 80 households adopted kitchen gardens, and the community began seeing early signs of improved child health and household resilience.
Income-generating projects: He co-developed projects with 37 community members, including soap making, vegetable and Irish potato farming, and the establishment of coffee and nursery beds. In just three months, 150 bars of soap were produced and sold to local schools and shops, helping the group earn income. Ten farmers began earning from potato sales.
Youth empowerment through creative skills: Working closely with a local primary school, Martin organized sessions in arts and crafts, training 75 pupils in basketry and woodworking using local materials, a creative way to build self-reliance and local pride.
Throughout the process, Martin faced real challenges: skepticism from some community members, resource limitations, and climate issues that affected yields. But through dialogue, persistence, and the use of Human-Centered Design and Asset-Based Community Development tools, he helped the community grow trust, ownership, and momentum.
One of the lasting outcomes? The Kyerero community group was officially registered as a Community-Based Organization (CBO), a step toward sustainability and access to future opportunities.
Reflecting on the experience, Martin shared:
“This journey reshaped my understanding of leadership. I learned the value of humility, deep listening, and co-creation. It reaffirmed my belief that real impact stems from within communities, not outside interventions. I leave this experience more grounded, confident, and committed to inclusive development.”
Martin is currently expanding his contribution to the continent through an Exchange Volunteer role with CorpsAfrica/Malawi, continuing his mission to build sustainable change one community at a time.