Mary Mubatsi aged 36 years is from Kihungu –Kyarumba Sub County, she has 6 children (4 males and 2 females). Mary was reached to share her story on how she has benefited from cotton growing and TJX program. Mary has this to say about her success story ‘’ I have been a member of the cooperative for 5 years, I have spent five years growing cotton, the last season I harvested 800 kgs earning 1,200,000 from the cotton, this was due to improved farming methods that I and my husband acquired from Rwenzori farmers marketing cooperative.’’ We work as a family with my husband and this has improved our relationship and income. Mubatsi said, the quality of cotton has improved compared to the years before TJX interventions. Unlike when our cotton was subjected to low prices due to influence from land lords that hired us land, Mubatsi and the husband now own their own land .’’ Mubatsi said she had learnt how to handle cotton and also spraying it 3 times thanks to the trainings in agronomic practices. ‘’
Before TJX support I had never been involved in cotton growing, thanks to their support I have 5 years experience in cotton growing and my position on the Board as Treasurer will expose me more on how business is run from the garden up to export level ’’ Mubatsi narrates.
Mubatsi said ‘’In these five years I and my husband have managed to buy 2 acres of land, constructed 3 roomed house, educated my children bought 1 pig and a goat’’. I was struggling with life before I joined the cooperative especially educating my children and having developments in my home, my relationship with my husband was not good, I also had little knowledge on birth control/spacing unlike today when now plan for birth plan, I used to be shy and hardly spoke in public’’ Thanks to TJX which has empowered me with leadership skills, today Iam now empowered, Iam peaceful and I can now speak in public, I can now keep records and practice family planning’’, before I was not a good planner for the income I used to get, I used to spend all my income without a budget and on non development things. I have also improved development in my home I can now educate my children and my children stay in school with hope that they will complete school. Mubatsi said that she has benefited from fair trade through a better market and premium funds for the community for instance in my community fair-trade contribution has built for the school where my children study a pit latrine supporting ours the parents, she has also learnt rights, child labour policy , records keeping especially through the craft group. Mary said there is still low production due to poor farming methods and climatic changes. She also said’’ there are still many people interested in cotton farming; however, they lack capital to hire land and farm extensively’’.
She concludes saying ‘’I appreciate TJX for the support in terms of business development, the women appreciate TJX for buying their handcraft, they appreciate the water something that used to stress the women given the distance they would walk, and for buying the cotton. TJX has changed my life and Iam now empowered’’.